Chris R,
I understand what you are saying, and I don't really disagree.
But I'm not sure you understood what I was saying.
Reasearch shows that being the low-price leader is a terrible business model. The economic times and the specific industry doesn't matter.
Speaking specifically about Zinni's increase in jobs. I noticed that when I searched eyewear, they were the in the #1 spot on Google adwords. That has got to cost over $2/click.
So they are advertising $8 specs at a cost of $2 just to get someone to come to the website.
If that's what it takes to increase market share, then they can have it.
BTW, for those of you that subscribe, Dr Gailmard's, O.D. Tip of the Week was about this very subject internet eyewear.
I know this makes Chris mad, and he has called me "Greedy" in the past for this very thing; but we charge $30 for a mount in a POF. We always have. So I don't care where the frame comes from. If they don't want to buy a frame from us, I will insert new screws as needed, replace the nosepads, replace the temple tips as needed, buff and polish, and perform any adjustments for $30. It just makes sense. The point is that our "dispensing fee" is in the frame not the lens. Because if someone buys only lenses, it doesn't reduce our dispensing time or skill needed. In fact "lens only" orders are more work: Edging while the patient waits, finding a pattern, etc.
It's the way to go with internet sales. You can't keep all your clients, but you don't have to be a chump and do the professional work for free either.
Bookmarks