How much better off would Independents be if Luxottica never bought Lenscrafters or any of the other chains that were already there?
Who do you compete more with Chains or other Independents?
Who are you more like chains or other Independents?
How much better off would Independents be if Luxottica never bought Lenscrafters or any of the other chains that were already there?
Who do you compete more with Chains or other Independents?
Who are you more like chains or other Independents?
I often bash companies that I admire too Chris.Originally Posted by Chris Ryser
What were you prediction??????
When was the last time you sold a frame retail?
Any dollar lost is still a dollar lost
Enlighten on what those lines might be.
Just curious Chris, what did you forsee when Lux bought LC and what negatives directley against the ECPs have actually happened. Everything that I was hearing from ODs and opticians 10 years ago have not happened.
Must I? I'll give you three guesses.
Good luck, unions are getting weaker not stronger.
Yes you must and try not to make me laugh.Must I? I'll give you three guesses.
Tooooo Baaaaaaaaddddd
Anybody know what that means?
Upcoming marriage .................................
Not yet, in order to spin the wheel a little further you will have another optical marriage which will put the nook around all your necks.
Lux and Essilor.................or vise versa...........after each has eliminated major and smaller competition in his own field, which they are doing right now and over the last few years.
This is also a highly political game business wise. They are brainwashing you the retailer, with sweet efficient advertising towards you the professionals as well as the public, to successfuly create a demand for their products which are not any better or newer than the ones from a good smaller competitor.
I have said it before............their goal is to control the business from A to Z............which means you will become the order and pickup station for finished glasses. There will be no more do yourself operations in the retail end and the less regulated the trade is, the better for them.
Do we have a precedent in the industry that will predict whether Luxottica's concept can succeed?
Yes, I think we do: Essilor and the independent labs. Essilor has it's "direct to consumer (in this case, optician) campaign driving it's sales, and presumably driving the sales to the independent labs, who must buy these lenses from their own wholesale lab competitors. Essilor labs continue to spring up everywhere.
What's keeping independent labs from boycotting Essilor, who is taking money out of their pockets? Fear of not providing the "leading lens" to it's accounts? I guess so. I think, also, that there is always the hope of the big "cash out" at the end.
Maybe, eventually, all the labs that are worth buying will be bought. We'll be living in a "Ryserian" world...
I deal with an Essilor lab, but if I was an independent lab I would boycott Essilor products.
You can do rather well with Sola, Zeiss, Hoya, Signet Armorlite, Younger, and who ever elses products.
I think I would, too.
BTW, it's interesting the approach Hoya takes: use their lab or don't get the product at all. Have to admire their guts. Essilor gets it both ways, like Lux. Sola-Zeiss will acquire labs, as well, I don't doubt.
The question is: how much consolidation of little local labs is desireable? I think they only go after mega-regional-type labs, like Omega was in TX. That will leave the small change sitting around for the independent to dig through the couch for.
That's Lux's plan for us as well...where there's market too small for them to penetrate efficiently, they will depend on selling within an independent's office for maximum marketshare. Can't blame them for that.
This would never work if independents weren't so greedy and short-sighted. But I'm not a big believer in human nature, so now I think it will. I'm cynical.
Actually, I do boycot Essilor products in my lab. :) My customers must be boycotting Lux frames too, I've only seen 2 this last month. :)
Safilo, Marchon, Viva, Tura, Europa, Aspex, Lawrence, Kenmark, Revolution, Hart Specialties, Value Eyewear, Windsor, Zimco, Silver Dollar, Nouveau, Shane Michael, CharmontCapri, Clear Vision, Elite Optik, Zyloware.Yes you must and try not to make me laugh.
Essilor and Zeiss, as well as Hoya, own already all major labs in Europe.
DRK-concerning Hoya, you can get their lenses from other labs. Interestingly enough, often cheaper. I order them thru Walman and have used Premier Lens Lab which has them listed on their price list.
Fezz
:cheers:
Laramy-k has them too, cheaper than Hoya
I guess all the Luxottica bashers must be right.
If Luxottica never bought Lenscrafters independents would be doing much better. Luxottica has gained market share by buying up other chains that already exsit. They have not really added many stores and use the same % of ad dollars as they did 10 years ago. But they have managed to take more business away from independents everyday! I guess Luxottca just knows how to run opitcal shops better than Independents do. They also have been able to charge more than many independents and still get the business. Just think of how much business independents would lose if Luxottica bought Walmart optical and then bought every other exsisting chain. It would be ONE chain against the independents.
Is this what you guys mean?
Would you guys be better off if Luxottica did not own LC? and Why?
If they buy every chain that is already there how does that hurt?
How has not buying Luxottica product made you more money?
How has not being on Eyemed made you more money?
I hear everyday how Idependents are going to go the way of independent pharmacy’s. Why did most of them go out of business. ANSWER: Because they refused to change they stayed at inconveinent location they did not put in drive thru service and they did not offer the hours or products that the customers wanted.
Everyday I see Independent folks. Some doing well some not. Some changing some still operating the same way their grandfather did 50 years ago!
I believe that Independent optical can thrive but many MUST change to meet the changing demands of the customer!
Lastly, I am PRO independent my family has 2 locations and I make no money off chain stores. I have seen some independents do some great things in a tough business. I do pretty well for myself and hope you all do too.
I’m tired
Goooooodddd night!!!
As i began reading this thread, i was excited that i am not alone in this desire to bash L-------a. Now I am bored. We have agreed to boycot them by not purchasing frames from them, not signing up with the E----d program and we also have the great reps from L-------a who have stood like a great soldier defending the monopoly that will eat us all up. We said similar things when WalMart got in the optical end and we are saying the same thing about Essilor buying up the labs and not to mention the internet! Look, if you think that the insurance companies are not the ones in your pocket, check again. VSP is the main one. Sure it is a great plan but for who? if the patient adds up premium and out of pocket expense after upgrades it is very similar to your retail charges they would have paid anyway. What makes E----d different is that they are owned by L-------a and now you freak out? The insurance companies for the most part are profit giants...any company who is not is..well not in business. The patients will go to wherever their plans take them because it changes every year these days because their company they work for shops for better premiums to save money....sound familiar? L-------a will be around for a long time as you will be. So they make billions, and you make millions, hundreds of thousands, etc. Who cares really. Ask your patients, "do i make you happy?" "Will you return to me?" "How can i be better?" Will you refer me to your friends?" Not rocket science questions.... just rocket powered.
Look Ladies and Gentleman.....as I have said before. It is just a piece of metal and plastic. Go get it! L-------a is not the only MFG. and darn sure not the best. You are.
Craig Moore,
Padre Island
There have been many good points brought up here (time and again). Iwear2020 brought up Essilor. We all know Hoya , and soon SOLA-Zeiss, will be buying up labs. Not only should you all be looking at the eyewear manufacturers, you must look at the lens companies too. Once the lab market is controlled by these giants, the prices will be controlled. There are many independent labs and wholesale stock lens companies out there still. I encourage you to seek them out and support them. I was never a Varilux presciber simply because I didn't think they were the best product and I didn't want Essilor's advertising directing how I prescribed. My patients trusted my recommendations and rarely did I have a patient go against my advice. There is alot of excellent private label product. Test different companies until you find what is right for you.
Doc
[QUOTE=drk]
BTW, it's interesting the approach Hoya takes: use their lab or don't get the product at all. Have to admire their guts. Essilor gets it both ways, like Lux. Sola-Zeiss will acquire labs, as well, I don't doubt.
The question is: how much consolidation of little local labs is desireable? I think they only go after mega-regional-type labs, like Omega was in TX. That will leave the small change sitting around for the independent to dig through the couch for.
QUOTE]
DRK,
As previous posters have indicate you are incorrect about HOYA lenses only being available from HOYA owned labs. HOYA lists over 100 independant distributor locations as authorized labs.
In the interest of full disclosure, I not only work for HOYA, I am the person that manages our independent distribution channel.
JB
Finally! :p
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