So what are the advantages that independent stores have over Lenscrafters other than price????
Looking through a consumers perspective......
Independents vs Lenscrafters
So what are the advantages that independent stores have over Lenscrafters other than price????
Looking through a consumers perspective......
Freedom. The freedom to use your own judgement when making a sale. Searching out and using materials that you do not normally carry. Pinch hit pricing when necessary. Stocking frames that YOU decide will sell in your market. Using your own judgement to step out of the box. Tailoring customer service to the individual. I could go on but have to get to work where my individuality is celebrated daily.
PS I have worked for corporate entities.
Coco...Originally Posted by Spexx
Hi ,
Would like to discuss on the businesss models of an independent optician versus the chain stores. Is there a product differentiation or a price differentiation
Relationship
Trust
Personalization
Consumer advocacy?
Looking through a consumers perspective......[/quote]
Ok, from the outside looking in. And there I was on my high horse. I can only speak for the store I am currently in. The feedback I get from the consumer is this. These are actual things I have been told by our customers over the years. They like the fact that we can accomodate their particular needs and in fact go out of the way to do so. They like the "homey" feel to the office, and that we sometimes have an office mascot or our kids are there. They like that we carry a big variety of frames. They like our honesty in that we aren't above telling them it's ugly. They like the fact that we can sometimes bend the rules. They like our flexability in pricing. They like that we sometimes play rock and roll on saturdays and wear jeans. They feel "relaxed" here. They trust us more than the chains. They buy elsewhere, repent, come back. They tell us that it was their best experience ever buying glasses and they tell their friends.
use product and service differentiation. We should be focusing on a "fair price" and after that we should not mention it anymore. So we are less expensive thatn Lenscrafters, so what? We are not less expensive than Sears, Wal-Mart, America's Best, the Internet and such, so to beat one devil we will get killed by many more. Also, LC may be more expensive, but the general population does not think so.
We pride ourselves on being several steps ahead of our competitors. When our competitors offer plain old sunglasses, we offer ones with backside AR and polarization. When they offer Adapters, we offer Ipseo's. When they offer cheap AR, we offer Alize. If they offer contacts, we offer low visual aids. Then we communicate that message.
Experience. No offence to some of the experienced optician that works at Lenscrafters but they hire a lot of non experienced optician or they call it Sales Rep. Most of the independent required ABO, Not a LC. Their training is great though.
Another thing is Lens option, they will only sale their own product nothing else, shamir, zeiss, hoya etc..
LC is using the same products that are available to independents. Essilor, Vision Ease, Sola, Seiko.
I think that freedom is the biggest advantage. Access to many frame lines, the full spectrum of products from lens vendors, just an overall ability togo the extra mile for a patient.
Of course LensCrafters has the advantage of speed, in one hour!
But I think independent optical places need to differentiate themselves...
Remember, customer service will bring them back!
I had patients that tried Costco and were sorry with their experience and came back!
In my experience working at LC, the warranty on defects was very limited. If the flaw was discovered months later, it was usually charged at 50% under the BPP (breakage protection plan).
Example: If a frame or lens manufacturer offers a warranty for 2 years, the LensCrafters version is limited by policy to 1 year . The customer will pay 50% of the cost to replace it.
they are very limited on their lens selection also, try to go into a LC and ask them about Trivex and see how many people that works there know what they are. I agree that they do use SOME of the lens that independent uses but like you said we have a wide product option on frame and lens.
I have to agree, this is my personal pet peeve!:angry:
The part that really gets me is that LC sells Luxottica (and Luxottica owns LC), and Luxottica is a great brand with warranties when I sell it at my store. But why doesn't LC choose to give that same warranty to the pt?
I agree, directly compared with LC I'd say our main strength is the very liberal warranty we allow. However, I can say that in my limited time working for them, I can see how the same policies wouldn't work in a LC store. I think the percentage of people I saw use the 50% discount (essentially, remakes within one year) is easily 2-3 times more than the percentage of people we make free replacements for. I don't know why, and maybe it was regional, but that would sink them.
Regarding warranties. I don't think anyone should offer two year warranties. I tell my accounts not to because that is not the industry standard any longer. If you consider the time and money it takes to order the same frame, and replace the frame. 50% is probably just covering the cost with a little profit. They do it because it is what is right. Just because the manufacturer offers a two year warranty does not mean you have to offer that same warranty to the public. Even if you did if for cost + it is better than replacing it for free!
Rep
I'm confused. Time and money to order the frame? Time in my office is less than a minute, and money is just shipping.
If we have a manufacturer's warranty, that means we return the broken frame and don't get charged for it. Sure, we pay shipping, but our returns rate is quite low and it's worth it for pt satisfaction.
Conversations like this always fascinate me. When I worked for a craft company, I paid attention to the independents as they discussed Wal-Mart. Why people shopped there, why the prices were better/wprse. why they couldn't compete with them. Nice to see things don't change.
I guess it could be interpreted as a form of flattery, as rarely do I see Pearle, America's Best (bad example, but hey, they've got a bigger name too) or others like that being used as an example. And before someone goes and digs up a thread for 4 years ago, please note I haven't read back that far yet.
Experience will vary by store and. as an example, at my store, I've been in optics for about 18 years (some with independents), my Lab Manager - 14, GM - 20 years, RM - 10 years. Even one of our floor supervisors went to school (and completed) to be a doc's tech. We've got a plethora of experience to pull from. When I worked for a private OD, his optician had 2 years experience. ABOs and state licensing aren't required for my state so not everyone pushes for it. Inept employees can be found anywhere and aren't exclusive to chains.
Again this must vary. A mfg defect is a mfg defect and we usually replace that at no cost. If it's an obvious user error, they pay. We aren't out to screw our patients any more than you would be.If the flaw was discovered months later, it was usually charged at 50% under the BPP (breakage protection plan).
Lens availablity? Yeah some stuff we can't get. But I've found creative ways to get around the system and work with our outside labs to get what we need. BTW, we don't use "our own product". Amazingly, we don't own a lens co yet. LOL Not knowing a particular lens wouldn't suprise me. There's a ton of different lenses out there and not everyone knows every lens, whether you work for a chain or for an independent.
As for frames, that is one of my pet peeves. That we really only stock Luxottica stuff. But, what the heck, the selection is wide and it's obviously doing well.
Personally, I wouldn't be so concerned with what we're doing and why people shop with us. Be more concerned with why people shop at cut rate, crappy companies. Places that don't care about optics, that take the seriousness out of vision care and turn it into a sale. The companies and people that cheapen what we all do.
Want to be different from them? Educate your customers. Get them to realize that you've only got two eyes. Lose an arm in a combine accident and you can get a pretty good replacement. Mess with your eyes and you get a white stick and a dog.
**stepping off soapbox, slipping into my fire retardant suit**
From a consumer perspective...
We have a selection they won't find at a Luxottica shop. Or Wal-Mart, etc.
We're competent, so no remakes due to optician error (so far, knock on wood).
We know their names and they know our names--we've been in one location for 30 years.
We offer designer frames and premium lenses at a much lower mark-up than virtually anyone else.
We don't try to sell AR on a pair of readers the patient says they'll use twice a week.
So basically, fairness, honesty, unique selection, competence, reputation, familiarity...with reputation being number one.
Honestly if I were to open a shop I'd try to do it right next to a chain. I've managed chains and I know what their weaknesses are.
http://www.optiboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23132
You are way off on the cost of returning. One VCA analysis says that it cost you $15.00 for each one you returrn.
That was some time ago and it has gone up a lot.
Rep
depends if fixed costs were added in mistakenly like in the other thread
Independents vs. Lenscrafters. Hmmmmm
I could not be posting this message at LC.
One VERY strong vote for Independents.
:cheers:
30 years and no remakes? WOW!!!!!! our patients want to know they are the only ones at that time. we make our deceisions with out calling home {corp}, we do not support lc therefore we do not carry any lux frames.we do like their ads they always increase our business.
Profits Jump 24 Percent at Luxottica
MILAN, Italy - Luxury eyewear maker Luxottica Group SpA reported a 24 percent increase in first-quarter earnings Tuesday on strong wholesale demand for sunglasses it makes for such fashion houses as Prada, Chanel and Versace.
The world's biggest eyewear maker reported a net profit of 128 million euros ($173.9 million), up from 103 million euros a year earlier.
While the luxury goods sector bolstered its wholesale operations, Luxottica's performance in its own stores weakened. Luxottica owns retail chains like Lenscrafters and Sunglass Hut and brands like Ray-Ban, as well as manufacturing under license for big names in luxury goods.
While overall revenue rose 6.7 percent to 1.3 billion euros ($1.77 billion) from 1.2 billion euros a year earlier, Luxottica said that first-quarter revenue from wholesale operations grew 20 percent to 548.5 million euros ($744.97 million). Revenue in its retail business slipped 1.6 percent to 833.6 million euros ($1.1 billion.)
Luxottica is expanding its retail operation in North America and Asia.
CEO Andrea Guerra noted that Luxottica improved its earnings despite an 8.3 percent depreciation of the dollar against the euro and unfavorable weather conditions in the United States, one of its most important markets, in February.
"Notwithstanding these challenges, our work on the brand portfolio and on the positioning of our retail chains allowed us to post strong results which are encouraging towards achieving our objectives for 2007," Guerra said in a statement.
____________________________________________________________ ________
Now--- I have read these reports for some time. For the last couple of years Lux Wholesale has been going up 15 to 30% each qt. The retail business had gone up 5 or so% as well. This qt wholesale was up 20%(Independent business) and retail was off 1.6%. Could this mean that because more and more Independents use Lux brands people no longer have to go to them to get the brands they want.
For the last two years Independents did 60% of the eye exams but only 40% of the frames sales. Chains have done 60% or the frame sales and only 40% of the eye exams.(from Jobson report) Maybe the trend is starting to even out. I hope so!!!!
Service. Price. Value.
I tend to view my transactions from a relational perspective. We have many long term patients who have been seeing us for over 10 years. The reason is because of a great and personable doctor, and a kind and caring staff.
I know the majority of my patients names when they walk in the door. We talk about the kids, recent trips, etc while dispensing, adjusting, making repairs. They know almost as much about us as we know about them. We treat them like family and not cattle to be lined up for the slaughter.
I also charge less for my frames and lenses compared to LensCrafters. For the same price, and often less than, what they charge for a standard progressive lens, I provide a Premium PAL.
Every AR coating I sell comes with a 2 year warranty.
We utilize the manufacturer's warranties, and we will offer a discount on non warranty replacements due to accidental damage/abuse.
Every complete pair of glasses will be dispensed with everything they need to care for their glasses, including case, cloth, and cleaner.
We also offer flexible terms. Half down/half on delivery? No Problem. Direct Deposit not in bank till tomorrow? No problem, give us a post dated check. Want to make payments towards the purchase of that secondary pair? No problem..we will save the information, order when the they are at least 50% paid, and will dispense when final payment is received. In some situations, we will even work out payment arrangements so you can have your eyewear now. (no credit required)
When you come into our office wanting to see the Doctor, that is who you will get. Our offiice prefers to handle patient history, etc via a conversational manner. So all of this is handled by the doctor, who also prefers to do his own pretesting. So your complete exam time is actual face time with the doctor. If you need to ask him a question, or have a comment for him, He will always return your call or make time for you.
"Some believe in destiny, and some believe in fate. But I believe that happiness is something we create."-Something More by Sugarland
I have worked for both and currently work Independent. I wouldn't go back to a chain again. The respect that I receive vs what I did at a chain if amazing. My patients respect me, believe in me, trust me because they know I don't make commision on what I sell them. I take my time with them and they don't feel rushed. I never tell my patient to "go ahead and look around, just let me know if you need anything", I help them, tell them what looks good, build a relationship with them so they feel at ease and important. They don't do that at chains because "most" of the employees don't know how or haven't been in the business long enough to know how to do it with comfort. We do not offer "30 day guaratnees" because we don't have too. We're certain that the patient receives the best care, best frame and lens purchase because we know what we're doing and take the time to do it.
"" I never tell my patient to "go ahead and look around, just let me know if you need anything",
so what happens when you have say 2-3 staff on - and 5 or 6 customers -
the only time - i start them looking by themselves - is when we are busy -
i do agree - and have been told - about customers shopping alone- because of lack of customer service - and i do agree - it just makes it better for us - since when come into our store - they get a wow factor -
on the other hand - i have had manh pts - NOT want any help at all - and they make that very apparant - and those you just need to direct - and check in now and then -
b
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