Guess what WM is doing... or did.....

**scriptfiller** · 04-05-2010, 07:10 AM

It's Sat. 04/03/2010, we get a call from WM, one of their OD's pats. needs PAL's that day. We check we have the blanks, WM sends pat. to us for lenses. Pat. arrives, optician does measurements and work-up, presents job to me, including frames the pat. purchased from MW. On inspection of the frames (which had a price tag on them) it is clearly evident the frames had been used before, the finish was marred on the screws indicating the frame had been filled and also the eyewires had been bent to accommodate an 8 base lense. There was also the tell-tale evidence on the nosepads as well, the frame had no demo lenses. The kicker... they were "clearance" marked with a $9.00 price. Has anyone seen/heard of WM doing this before?

**eyemanflying** · 04-05-2010, 07:22 AM

Haven't you ever returned a pair of shoes that were worn only for a few minutes? Guess where they end up? Eyewear is no different.

**bigeyejim** · 04-05-2010, 07:24 AM

I remember back in the old days where people would take ANYTHING back to WM, even if they didn't buy it there and get a refund or store credit. They (WM) finally wised up about that part at least.

**ronnie daniels** · 04-05-2010, 07:41 AM

The walmart here has been doin 9 and 13$ frames for a while now and $29 SV poly lenses. Try to compete with that.

**eyemanflying** · 04-05-2010, 08:53 AM

No thanks!

**kat** · 04-05-2010, 10:13 AM

Yeap, all the time. Our WM at least lets the re-purchaser know that it was a gently used frame, or a never picked up job that was dismantled. :finger:

**Johns** · 04-05-2010, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by ronnie daniels

The walmart here has been doin 9 and 13$ frames for a while now and $29 SV poly lenses. Try to compete with that.

An edger and a drawer full of stock lenses competes with that just fine!:cheers:

**gunner05** · 04-05-2010, 06:23 PM

I concur with Johns. We hit $49 for deals, and we get them in an hour. I'm not going to let yall know what we call that package do the political incorrectness of it, but people have to make excuses not to buy from us. And they rarely do.

**Johns** · 04-05-2010, 07:46 PM

The Walmart OD called me last week to go out for lunch. I'd never met him. We've been busier than ever, and I figured he was also. The reason for the meeting? "I just wanted to put my feelers out, and let you know that if you ever needed help at any of your other offices, I'm more than available."

All the deals, chants, cheers, cajoling, discounting, undercutting, and pleading isn't convincing the average WM shopper to extend their spending into the optical department. At least not at my town.

And look at what you get. REALLY look at what you get:

The kicker... they were "clearance" marked with a $9.00 price.

Please tell me that we are not losing sleep over our inability to attract customers looking for $9 frames!!

I've had 7 pm's this month from ODs looking to purchase used equipment, to open new offices. Most are coming from the chain stores. If it was that good there, do you think they'd be leaving.

We ARE winning...

**ronnie daniels** · 04-06-2010, 07:50 AM

We just cant compete with a $40 pair of glasses. Our cheapest is 68.95 frame/SV CR39. And any lower were not making any profit. We have seen so many of the independants around here try to compete with WM pricing and put themselves right outta business. We usually just wait for the next time around when we hear "im never going to that place again" and we get a lifetime customer by making them happy.