Anyone thinking of the online optical store's big impact on our traditional retail?

[For-Life]

The first = first brand.

Coca Cola - introduced 1886
Pepsi Cola - introduced 1903
RC Cola - introduced 1905

Coke outsells Pepsi. Pepsi outsells RC Cola.

Coke is the original.
Pepsi is different because it's sweeter (for younger people).
RC Cola tastes better than Coke and Pepsi (proven in blind taste tests).

Generic supermarket brands outsell RC cola with lower prices.

that really does not hold up for all products though. Look at TV's, Computers, Cars, Stores, ect.

[LandLord]

Still holds true.

First minivan Dodge Caravan sales leader after 26 years. "Better" minivan Ford Freestar discontinued.

First computer brand IBM outsold by Dell with a strong differentiation strategy.

All TV brands are corporate line-extention names so no clear leader.

[For-Life]

Still holds true.

First minivan Dodge Caravan sales leader after 26 years. "Better" minivan Ford Freestar discontinued.

First computer brand IBM outsold by Dell with a strong differentiation strategy.

All TV brands are corporate line-extention names so no clear leader.

Benz invented the automobile. Ford invented the process that created the affordable automobile. Neither are number 1

IBM does not even make its computers anymore

Atari is out of video game systems. Sony used to have the lead and only got into the market 15 years ago.

Wal-Mart is new and is dominating Sears, Macy's, ect



Here is the thing. Being first has an advantage and a disadvantage. There are hundreds of stories. But it is not the number one advantage.

[LandLord]

please enlighten me. what is the number one advantage then?

[For-Life]

please enlighten me. what is the number one advantage then?

you were right that lowest price (and lowest cost), differentiation, and first mover advantage tend to be major factors. Lowest cost tends to be the market leader in most cases. Differentiation is probably second.

[LandLord]

Lowest cost tends to be the market leader?? Are you making this up as you go along?

You obviously have an interest in business but you are missing some of the most fundamental laws.

The following brands have 3 things in common. They were first in their category. They are category leaders. They command a higher price.

Energy drink: Red bull.
Facial tissue: Kleenex.
Cola: Coca cola
Sports drink: Gatorade
Pizza chain: Pizza hut
Email device: Blackberry
Mp3 player: ipod
Alkaline battery: Duracell
Microprocessor: Intel
Photocopier: Xerox

As for comparing Walmart to Sears and Macy's. Sears and Macy's are department stores. Walmart is a discount store. Big difference.

I can't think of any leading brand that was overtaken by a low price competitor that went on to become the dominant brand.

[DragonLensmanWV]

Lowest cost tends to be the market leader?? Are you making this up as you go along?

You obviously have an interest in business but you are missing some of the most fundamental laws.

The following brands have 3 things in common. They were first in their category. They are category leaders. They command a higher price.

Energy drink: Red bull.
Facial tissue: Kleenex.
Cola: Coca cola
Sports drink: Gatorade
Pizza chain: Pizza hut
Email device: Blackberry
Mp3 player: ipod
Alkaline battery: Duracell
Microprocessor: Intel
Photocopier: Xerox

As for comparing Walmart to Sears and Macy's. Sears and Macy's are department stores. Walmart is a discount store. Big difference.

I can't think of any leading brand that was overtaken by a low price competitor that went on to become the dominant brand.

Sorry, but Duracell didn't invent the alkaline battery. A perrson working for/with Eveready did.
http://inventors.about.com/library/i.../blbattery.htm

But I see your point.
Even though I
Don't use Red Bull
Like Puffs better
Prefer Pepsi
Gatorade's OK, but I never liked Florida Gators.
Definitely like Papa John's
Have no Blackberry or iPod or similar device.
Use Energizer batteries (Dad used to work for Union Carbide who makes Eveready/Energizer)
Have moved back to Intel after using AMD for a decade. Love those Core i7s!
Have a Minolta photocopier at work.

:D:D:cheers::D:D

[LandLord]

"Sorry, but Duracell didn't invent the alkaline battery. A perrson working for/with Eveready did."

Irrelevant. Duracell was the first to introduce the product to the market and that's what counts. Not an invention that no one knows about.

Apple did not invent mp3 players, RIM did not invent hand held email and Pizza Hut did not invent pizza.

[DragonLensmanWV]

"Sorry, but Duracell didn't invent the alkaline battery. A perrson working for/with Eveready did."

Irrelevant. Duracell was the first to introduce the product to the market and that's what counts. Not an invention that no one knows about.

Apple did not invent mp3 players, RIM did not invent hand held email and Pizza Hut did not invent pizza.

http://www.ideafinder.com/history/in...ns/battery.htm

Scroll down to 1959. Eveready put them on the market.
Duracell didn't make them till 1964.

[Chris Ryser]

That is where the thread is slowly having death agony by reason who invented the battery. The battery of this thread has not much charge left.

Who then invented optical sales on the internet ? ..........................

[LandLord]

http://www.ideafinder.com/history/in...ns/battery.htm

Scroll down to 1959.

Okay, you might be technically correct.

"Eveready" was already a RECOGNIZED BRAND of carbon-zinc battery and the public didn't notice the addition of an alkaline battery. Someone at Duracell was smart enough to notice that.
Eveready realized its mistake and launched "Energizer" as their brand of alkaline batteries, but it was already too late.

[Johns]

That is where the thread is slowly having death agony by reason who invented the battery. The battery of this thread has not much charge left.

Hey! I just noticed something! We're past the "2 page limit". We can stop reading now!

:cheers::cheers::cheers:

[DragonLensmanWV]

Okay, you might be technically correct.

"Eveready" was already a RECOGNIZED BRAND of carbon-zinc battery and the public didn't notice the addition of an alkaline battery. Someone at Duracell was smart enough to notice that.
Eveready realized its mistake and launched "Energizer" as their brand of alkaline batteries, but it was already too late.

Sorry, wrong again. The Energizer brand didn't come about until 1980.
http://www.energizer.com/about-energ...r-history.aspx

The reason I'm passionate about this is my dad,who worked at Union Carbide (Eveready's parent company) knew many of the people actually involved in the development of these and of course they were available in the Company Store, before Duracell became the brand name (1964),changed from the Mallory Battery Co.

[LandLord]

Not sure where you think I'm wrong.

I already stated that the Energizer brand was introduced too late. You say 1980. I agree and that is too late because by then Duracell was the leading brand of Alkaline.
I thin some of the confusion here is a result of people taking the word "first" to be literal as in existing first.

First can be

Invented first
Sold first
Perceived as first

The only thing that really counts is perceived as first.

Eveready invented the alkaline battery.
Eveready sold the first alkaline battery.
Duracell was the first alkaline battery established in the market.

So why did Duracell become the best-selling alkaline? Low price? I think not. Eveready and Energizer certainly had bloody price wars with Duracell.

[scriptfiller]

Landlord, do you get a spiff for advertising for Blackberry?

Keep this post a rollin, I've got my popcorn out.

[LandLord]

Landlord, do you get a spiff for advertising for Blackberry?

Keep this post a rollin, I've got my popcorn out.

Haha. I wish I got a spiff from BlackBerry.

[MarcE]

In fact, I read in a book (It may have been "In Search of Excellence", but I might be wrong) that research found the that low-price leader in every industry that the authors could think of to research was a business failure. The only exception was Chevrolet (some of the researchers didn't agree that Chevy is a low-price leader). However even Chevrolet was beaten on price along the way by brands that are no longer around, such as Yugo, Daewoo, Plymouth, AMC are just a few that come to mind.

Being the low price leader is a loser of business model for the following reasons:
1. You attract the worst clients that don't want to pay, don't care if you go out of business, and many times CAN't pay after they order something.

2. The low-prices can't support the quality that clients expect. Maybe short-term. Maybe new clients can be tricked. Or in the case of interweb specs, if they can convince a sucker of a professional to fix, verifiy, measure, and adjust someone elses specs.

[Chris Ryser]

2. The low-prices can't support the quality that clients expect. Maybe short-term. Maybe new clients can be tricked. Or in the case of interweb specs, if they can convince a sucker of a professional to fix, verifiy, measure, and adjust someone elses specs.

Over 30 Million un-employed...........no income, loosing their health insurance, looking for jobs to get the family feed.

Do you really believe that they give the same damn for quality they did a year ago ? It is human, to do anything possible to survive when you are in a bad squeeze. So you buy on-line, still better than nothing at all.

Those are facts and you better find a solution you make these poeple come back to you once they are again back in better economical shape.

Always plan for the future.................:finger:

[LandLord]

I will say this about low price. If you have a built-in advantage that allows you to offer a much lower price, you have a good chance of overtaking the leader.

PAY ATTENTION RETAILERS, THIS AFFECTS YOU

This is what this thread was originally about.

Let's say your glasses currently cost you 'A' to make. To survive and pay your overhead costs, you must charge 'A+2'. Meanwhile, the big box discounters charge 'A+1'.

Now if you can get rid of all your overhead costs, have your glasses made in China and shipped directly to the customer at a total cost of 'A-16', then, ladies and gentleman, you have a BUILT IN ADVANTAGE.

Thus, online retailing will continue to change the way the world buys glasses. This will either make you shiver in your pants or drool in delight depending on your viewpoint.

Personally, I have a tendency to drool.

[Johns]

Over 30 Million un-employed...........no income, loosing their health insurance, looking for jobs to get the family feed.

Do you really believe that they give the same damn for quality they did a year ago ?

Right now, there are far more people employed than otherwise. Those are the folks I'm concerned about. And yes, thsoe that have jobs and are my customers DO care about quality.

[Jubilee]

And those w/o jobs and thus limited incomes also want quality for their dollar.

Some prefer to spend $100 on a pair of shoes that last 2-3 years.. than to spend $10 on shoes that last only 2-3 months (like payless specials!)

Same goes for eyewear. Spend more $$ now but have a warranty and service behind it.. or go cheap and be SOL for weeks or pay more $$ when something goes wrong. Most people don't want to deal with the possibility of being SOL.

As was stated before.. the correct RX is only the beginning in defining the quality of a product.

[CME4SPECS]

I stole one from frames direct today. A guy came in today (-9.00 or so) with pic of himself with glasses on from frames direct. He asked if I had them...nope! but I have this one, which is very similar. He says, great I'll take them. He said it was nice to try them on, on line. He says " what idiot would buy glasses on line when you can't get measured properly and you can't really try the frame on"? I said right on! I've been making his glasses for years. $600 sale.

[Chris Ryser]

I will say this about low price. If you have a built-in advantage that allows you to offer a much lower price, you have a good chance of overtaking the leader.

PAY ATTENTION RETAILERS, THIS AFFECTS YOU

This is what this thread was originally about.

Thus, online retailing will continue to change the way the world buys glasses.

This will either make you shiver in your pants or drool in delight depending on your viewpoint.

Landlord............You are so right, and don't bury your head in the sand.

Right now, there are far more people employed than otherwise. Those are the folks I'm concerned about. And yes, thsoe that have jobs and are my customers DO care about quality.

Johns.................and yes you are right too. So we have 2 opposite viewpoints and both are right.

However Landlord is looking at the future, while Johns is talking bout the present.

I just heard that Zenni has increased his sales from 2000 jobs a day to 4000. That is a 100% increase in just a few month and that increase is a scary figure for our conventional market from which most of us make a living, if we are retailers, lab operators or suppliers.

Thinking about the On Line business I decided to check their websites and at the same time updated my web page listing and found a very interesting fact.

While website traffic ratings in general have gone down a few %points over the last 2 days, which happens often, the on line opticals that had not been updated in 4 weeks had an increase in traffic of 30% and that is a lot for websites in a period of over 3 weeks.

You can check them in one glance by going to http://optochemicals.com/web_listing.htm and scroll down just about to bottom of the page before the Optical Forum listing.

And those w/o jobs and thus limited incomes also want quality for their dollar.

As was stated before.. the correct RX is only the beginning in defining the quality of a product.

Cassandra.................Of course anybody wants and likes quality and top notch products, however can the bag lady afford it ? So she will get the best deal for her Dollar, and as she has no computer to order on line she will have to an optician and see what they can offer.

UN-employment in Michigan
September 2009, 15.3%. Change Over Month, +0.1. Change Over Year, +6.4

Just hearing and seeing figures how on line opticals are picking up speed in website traffic as well as sales. Labs that can turn out 4400 jobs a day must be equipped with the latest and newest finishing technologies that can turn out correct Rx's without many highly trained lab technicians in China.
I would not underestimate them and find a way to adjust to the facts and find a way gain from it, instead of fighting a coming Tsunami.

I still remember the bill boards along HWY.95 in NC an SC which said "Buy Towels Factory Direct" for less.

[For-Life]

keep in mind that low price does not necessary = low cost

[Chris Ryser]

keep in mind that low price does not necessary = low cost

Tell that to over 30 million unemployed in the USA that have no income, no more health insurance, credit cards full of debt, the house in foreclosure because they can not refinance as they have no income.

But they do have to spend some in order to see clear.

Will they care of what you say............????????????????????