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Thread: Costco

  1. #1
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    Costco

    I'm trying to figure out if Costco is as good as some consumers make it out to be. I would appreciate anyone that has any information on how Costco can provide quality eyewear at such low prices.

    Consumer reports rated them highly. Individuals with vision insurance that have purchased eyewear from them have indicated that it was cheaper to pay retail at Costco than to use their vision insurance at a participating provider.

    I would appreciate any insight anyone would have on this.

  2. #2
    Rising Star Rim Ranger's Avatar
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    Which Costco do you work for?
    "I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think." -Socrates

  3. #3
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    Costco

    ???...if I worked for Costco I wouldn't be asking for your insight.

    If you don't know anything about Costco find something else to do.

  4. #4
    Rising Star Rim Ranger's Avatar
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    I'll tell you the answer. Costco secretly owns Consumer Reports.
    "I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think." -Socrates

  5. #5
    Isolate your eyes! Live Eyewear's Avatar
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    Cost Co run their business with 11-17% gross profit margins... as opposed to the 50-100% margins most other retailer operate on.

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    What about product. I heard they have limited lens selection. What frames do they carry?

    It doesen't seem they would be able to afford the quality help that would explain the perceived consumer satisfaction. How do their employees view them?

  7. #7
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    From my understanding here is how it works:

    - They buy a surplus of one product directly from the manufacturer. Like they would go to For-Life Industries and buy a million of one frame in one size and one colour. This brings down the price per frame, because they are not paying for additional dying or sizes. You know, economies of scale.

    - I have heard that they buy product and promise to pay in two years. Similar to a forward, but without/or much lower interest, so they invest the money and get a return in that two year period.

    - No thrills. Yes, they have staff, but it is basically one staff member. Hey, if you want to save money you will have to give up some things like fast service.

    - Probably no warranties

  8. #8
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    Limited choice..................

    Quote Originally Posted by nyoptiguy
    What about product. I heard they have limited lens selection. What frames do they carry?
    Costco is a very rich, popular and very smart company.

    Their success is based on selling good quality products at lower prices.........but having a limited choice and no service.

    This translates into the fact they buy quantities or have quantity based contracts with suppliers which gives them a big advantage in purchasing.

    The they sell at a much lower markup. Costco is a warehouse operation, which means there is no individual service.

    If you want to buy at reduced prices, go to Costco........if you want service and while you purchase and also afterwards look out for a good optician.

  9. #9
    Bad address email on file QDO1's Avatar
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    One does pay for product and SERVICE. Thats the difference, my service comes off the back of 20 years experience, and 5 years of study. What we make look simple infact may range from simple to incredibly complex. Thats why my head hurts at the end of a day

  10. #10
    Bad address email on file Lynne's Avatar
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    Wave

    Quote Originally Posted by For-Life
    From my understanding here is how it works:


    - No thrills. Yes, they have staff, but it is basically one staff member. Hey, if you want to save money you will have to give up some things like fast service.

    - Probably no warranties
    The Costco here, who are comptetition for us, have 4 or 5 staff members, three of whom are licensed by the State. They are all very nice and helpful, and yes, it takes a week to get the job back, from the mainland, but then in the islands everything is a week or more, so folks are used to it!! Only the EvilEmpire can do most Rx's same day, everyone else has a lab on the main island of Oahu.

    My understanding was that their frames are discontinued lines, but maybe not!

    I do know that their pay scale is the best around, beating my employer by $$ an hour - but I have great medical benefits, which I don't pay for, :) so it all evens out!

  11. #11
    small but mighty! Nettie's Avatar
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    I work for Costco. Costco Optical was just named #1 optical by JD Powers. Our whole focus is on member service. I refuse to become an 'order taker' and submit to an 'assembly line' way of doing things in my office. We help our members with selection, making sure what they are picking out is an awesome fit....they advertise for us, we want them to look amazing in their new specs. I do not think anyone is giving up good service when they walk into my department. I think they are getting the best service around.

    We do warranty our products. 100% satisfaction guaranteed.
    All opticians have to be ABO and NCLE certified, even in states that do not require it.

    What we sell is excellent quality. Fendi, Dior, Armani, Polo, Valentino, Dunhill, and Burberry are just a few of the designer brands I sell. Not all of these lines are discontinued and the prices are awesome.

    I am sure there are some Costco optical departments out there who have become so busy they have lost their focus on member service. I hope they can take a few steps back and re-evaluate how they are doing business. Overall, I feel Costco is an excellent company to work for. They treat their employees very well, pay them excellent salaries, so in turn EVERY optical dept. should be providing only the best member service. The ones that aren't are not doing things the Costco way, and I hope they get called on it. We wouldn't have the great jobs we do if it wasn't for our members.

    If you have any other questions I would be happy to answer them.;)

  12. #12
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    Nettie, your post is important and I suspect totally honest and accurate.

    The relationship between price paid and service and quality received has become weak. Often high price does not mean great service and quality and low price does not mean poor service and quality.

    Also the type of establishment where the purchase is made - independent, chain or mass merchandiser is a weak predictor of the service and quality the buyer will get.

    There are exceptions of course. Some chains do routinely provide inferior service and quality. Yet many chains and mass merchandisers do consistently provide good products and service. And sadly some independents provide poor service and quality.

    Costco is a fine company. The public is voting with their buying decisions. Chris's statement "If you want to buy at reduced prices, go to Costco........if you want service and while you purchase and also afterwards look out for a good optician" is not accurate. Costco routinely gives both low prices and good service. They have many very good opticians.

  13. #13
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    Costo Optical has many things going for it and it's prices are very cheap. However the one near me sells only one brand of progressive, the Ovation. The sell the Image in polarized sunglasses.

    Now when I am fitting a patient with progressives I have dozens of choices of progressives. Some have bigger reading areas, some are known for their intermediate areas, some are superior in the distance area.Some are very balanced. Some are harder and have more distortion, some are very soft and not swimmy.

    By talking to the patient/customer I am able to chose what I think will work best for each person. I can also look at their present progressives(there are laser marks on the lenses) and can tell what they are wearing. If they are happy with their present glasses I can keep them in the same thing.

    Now Costo saves money by buying just one progressive in bulk. If you get progressives there that is what you get. It is an okay progressive, but it might not be the best choice for everyone. It is kind of a one size fits all situation.

  14. #14
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    O.K. I'll bite, what is Costco's one size fits all progressive?


    Chip

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    The one near me sells only Ovation. I said it in the first paragraph.

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    Master OptiBoarder Snitgirl's Avatar
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    Question for an Employee of Costco Optical

    At Costco, can a consumer purchase Teflon, Crizal Alize or Carat Advantage Anti-Reflection coating?

  17. #17
    Master OptiBoarder mullo's Avatar
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    Alize is available in Canadian Costco. Costco above the border also sells Ovation, Comfort, Panamic, Ellipse................

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by mullo
    Alize is available in Canadian Costco. Costco above the border also sells Ovation, Comfort, Panamic, Ellipse................
    I think that is good, you have some choice. Why are all Costcos not like that?

  19. #19
    small but mighty! Nettie's Avatar
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    As mentioned by others in this topic, it all has to do with the way Costco buys. Sometimes I do wish we could order different colors or sizes of a particular frame, or choose a different prog. based on what the member has worn before. But if I do my job as an optician then I will be able to help the member find something perfect from what we do carry. Most of our members know what they see is what they get, but they also know we sell good quality. We may only sell Ovation in our progs., but we can get it in cr39, poly, 1.67 hi-index and also offer a short corridor progressive. I do not tell my members that it will be the same as what they are wearing or that all progs. are the same. If they have any doubts then they can always go somewhere else that offers a jillion progressive brands. It is all in bow I do my job and make sure the cutout and prog. area that they will be getting will not compromise their vision. I do this by figuring out what prog. they are currently in and comparing the cutouts. If what I have will have larger areas of distortion in their peripheral I will tell them that. Our AR is Vivixx, which has proved to be more durable than the Crizal we used to sell. Our polarized lenses are awesome as well. We sell what sells, and I do not feel we compromise quality at all. I feel better telling a member they can have an awesome AR for $40 instead of telling them it will be $100. I like the fact that there is no pressure for my opticians to push a sale so they will make more on comission....we don't make comissions on our sales. Our buyers are constantly comparing brands and figuring out if something would be a better option for our members based on quality and the price they could offer it for.

    I think the most important thing for an Optician is that they can feel good about the company they work for and what they offer to their patients. :D

  20. #20
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    Nettie,

    I hope my employees are as enthusiastic about the company they work for as you are.

  21. #21
    small but mighty! Nettie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Johns
    Nettie,

    I hope my employees are as enthusiastic about the company they work for as you are.
    Thank you.;)

  22. #22
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    Actually, I have puchased eyewear from costco. I was taking a break from the whole optical field, I needed a pair of glasses and to my surprise I saved alot of money. The
    thing that surprised me is how very pleasant it was. They were very helpful and as I did
    pretend to know nothing of optics at the time they were very educated and did offer to
    explain several options and the frames were 89.00 I checked the doctors office and they
    were selling the same frame at 120.00 so it was actually great.

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