How do I offer a good product without breaking my own bank?!

**zdawg** · 10-14-2012, 11:37 AM

I have worked in the industry for about eight years now, and the first two optical shops I managed had in house labs. I am now at a small independently owned optical boutique and we are searching for a better lab to use. The prices for single vision lenses through the Essilor lab we use are outrageous and there seems to be no way to get stock lenses through them. They take about 7-10 business days for simple single vision and we often get progressive before we get simple SV DVO! We order lenses and have them edged at the same lab, and I would like to cut the cost and turn around time of our SV orders. Also we have quality control issues with them and are constantly sending jobs back for redos, at least 2-3/week. Any suggestions?

**Fezz** · 10-14-2012, 11:44 AM

1.) Luzerne
2.) Walman
3.) Digital Eye Lab

**Steve Machol** · 10-14-2012, 04:13 PM

Posts with links to wholesale price lists and self-promotion have been removed as per the forum rules.

**scriptfiller** · 10-15-2012, 07:27 AM

Look into the feasibility of adding edging capabilites to your office.

**NCspecs** · 10-15-2012, 08:28 AM

+1 For Luzerne. They always come through in a pinch.

**JC1111** · 10-15-2012, 11:05 AM

Try Acculab of illinois best product lowest prices in the country!!

**kat** · 10-15-2012, 11:53 AM

Rite Style Optical and I-Coat

**uncut** · 10-15-2012, 12:32 PM

Originally Posted by zdawg

I have worked in the industry for about eight years now, and the first two optical shops I managed had in house labs. I am now at a small independently owned optical boutique and we are searching for a better lab to use. The prices for single vision lenses through the Essilor lab we use are outrageous and there seems to be no way to get stock lenses through them. They take about 7-10 business days for simple single vision and we often get progressive before we get simple SV DVO! We order lenses and have them edged at the same lab, and I would like to cut the cost and turn around time of our SV orders. Also we have quality control issues with them and are constantly sending jobs back for redos, at least 2-3/week. Any suggestions?

Why, in today's business climate....would you buy from only "one lab"? I don't even deal with one bank. It gives me opportunities to play one against the other.....they have to compete for my business, and labs are not any different. You should establish yourself with another lab, and perhaps their forte might be SV jobs!

**Judy Canty** · 10-15-2012, 12:38 PM

You mean aside from losing volume discounts? While I would love for everyone to use my lab, I also understand the validity of using more than one. The problem arises when you begin to "chase" discounts and low prices, not unlike your patients who leave for less expensive alternatives to your products. Loyalty has its benefits for all concerned.

**uncut** · 10-15-2012, 01:41 PM

It is likely that the OP is not basing the decision about "where to order from"...... based on quality, accuracy, and speed.

I understand loyalty, but not a cost of lost business, because of high wholesale cost and slow delivery that, I feel, can impact the bottom line in a very big way.

**zdawg** · 10-17-2012, 12:06 PM

We have been loyal to an Essilor lab now for quite awhile, and their quality is not up to par, and we are having issues regarding stock lenses...in this economy we cannot increase our prices without alienating our clientele, and I think that if we could get stock SV lenses instead of surfacing all of them we could cut cost and increase turn around time of simple jobs...I would like the owner to invest in an in-house lab, but we just invested in an optometrist and a lab may not be feasible at this point...

**sharpstick777** · 10-17-2012, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by uncut

Why, in today's business climate....would you buy from only "one lab"? I don't even deal with one bank. It gives me opportunities to play one against the other.....they have to compete for my business, and labs are not any different. You should establish yourself with another lab, and perhaps their forte might be SV jobs!

Using one lab is like using only one golf club. You can't putt well with a driver.

**sharpstick777** · 10-17-2012, 12:47 PM

Price is very different from Value. If we make a lab decision based soley on price, we are in deep doo doo. Value combines different factors and priortizes them, keeping everything on the table. The main reason for using more than one lab is the products they offer, or some other intangible they bring to your table, not price alone. If that was the only factor, we would all be driving Yugos and buying our clothes at Walmart.

Originally Posted by Judy Canty

You mean aside from losing volume discounts? While I would love for everyone to use my lab, I also understand the validity of using more than one. The problem arises when you begin to "chase" discounts and low prices, not unlike your patients who leave for less expensive alternatives to your products. Loyalty has its benefits for all concerned.

**becc971** · 10-17-2012, 12:47 PM

we use nassau 24/7 as a stock SV and spherical FT-28 source, they seem to work pretty well!

**mdeimler** · 10-17-2012, 12:57 PM

+1 for Nassau.

**Judy Canty** · 10-17-2012, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by sharpstick777

Price is very different from Value. If we make a lab decision based soley on price, we are in deep doo doo. Value combines different factors and priortizes them, keeping everything on the table. The main reason for using more than one lab is the products they offer, or some other intangible they bring to your table, not price alone. If that was the only factor, we would all be driving Yugos and buying our clothes at Walmart.

Like.

**zdawg** · 10-17-2012, 03:30 PM

Thank you for the feedback...have used Nassau in past and have liked...

**sjoseph51** · 10-17-2012, 03:59 PM

Enzo Optics 877-528-9478, request a price list be faxed to you.

**Jubilee** · 10-17-2012, 08:36 PM

I also advocate the use of multiple labs. To be honest, I might be a bit biased since I am management in a wholesale lab that does not have a relationship with VSP. So its not like I can do all of our accts work anyway.

However, even before I was on the wholesale side of things, I always liked having a "back up." I did most of my bread and butter through one lab, but another had a great inhouse AR that valued price.. but held up just as well as the big boys. So I would send AR to them. They did it cheaper, faster, and had great service. However, the rest of their work was a bit overpriced, so I kept it at the lab we had a 20+ year relationship with.