Over the last 3 days gasoline prices in Canada have gone up by nearly 30% to a price that approach $ 5.00 a gallon. By the end of today prices should reach $ 1.35 per liter which translates into $ 5.40 per Gallon. In the USA, I also hear of drastic price increases in the news, and more to come.
What will that do to the economy in general and how will it affect the optical trade in the retail, wholesale and manufacturing?
Will opticians be making more sales and money? Or will opticians start to feel the economic pinch in the very near future or worse, already now.
Large cars won't sell any more..............resulting in major reduction in car sales that has already started. This is leading to more massive layoffs in the automobile asembling industry and even more so among the automotive parts industry.
People being laid off will not spend money for big ticket items unless in an emergency. Therefore more layoffs can be expected in other industries from manufacturing to retail. It will be a chain reaction.
The dental and optical sectors are usually the first to feel the downturn results. People will visit the dentist in an emergency and as well the optician in a similar case. They will make the old reading glasses make last until the arms are getting to short. They will want to repair the frame when it breaks or want to purchase a replacement that will take the old lenses.
How are Optiboard members going to react in a situation we are in already, or very soon going to be. Are opticians going on talking about the most expensive lenses, pricy high index lenses and coatings, or are they gearing up for tough times with solutions that will let them bridge over the coming tough times.
It wouild be interesting to get some comments on what everybody thinks.......if the present market situation is only a hype or should we do some smart preparing for what is coming.
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