Spending all that money on branding, both in absolute dollars and as a % of sales (increasing), means that now lots of people have heard of clearlycontacts, the brand.
I think they now ought to find a product to sell which they can turn a net profit on - clearly it isn't eyewear or contact lenses. Maybe fresh produce? frozen seafood?
Or maybe they'll continue to expand http://bit.ly/1375mOY
Ah, so now they are going to open in Toronto and Calgary . They can probably find a good deal on unused office space in high traffic areas downtown, to launch from.Originally Posted by Galerie
it appears that there may only have been a short term lease in the beginning store as the building was to be torn down.
It will fly like the Wright brothers first flight...very brief. I don't see this as a threat whatsoever to independents, however chains like Hak crap, dirty Pearl and Lens scratchers will feel it initially. After the CC brief grand opening honeymoon which will suck out all bottom feeder consumers (while doing all of us independents a favour), they will wither away as planned and continue to bleed red.
The fact they only want short 6 month leases is simply because they have no idea what they are doing or what to expect. They are doomed and continues to be evident.
I am with you brother but for a company that doesn't know what they are doing , they sure got a lot of sales and they are not having issues raising funds so far, hope you are right but the Colleges may be renting them operating space before your predictions come true.
They know what they're doing, but not in the retail arena. Since their plan to overwhelm and attempt to dominate the entire optical industry via the web has failed, they have no choice but to attempt the retail sector - the good news is that's our specialty not theirs.
As for their bottom line, they continue to bleed heavily - I think it's awesome. They've been slayed by Braveheart.
I also question the wisdom of opening a store. Coastal just raised more funding a few months ago. I am wondering how they explained their strategy to their investors. They must have told them something compelling to get the investors to fork over the cash.They know what they're doing, but not in the retail arena. Since their plan to overwhelm and attempt to dominate the entire optical industry via the web has failed, they have no choice but to attempt the retail sector - the good news is that's our specialty not theirs.
As for their bottom line, they continue to bleed heavily - I think it's awesome. They've been slayed by Braveheart.
So what if they are trying to build the company and sell it? What if they have no intentions of ever becoming profitable? Just trying to be the devil's advocate here.They know what they're doing, but not in the retail arena. Since their plan to overwhelm and attempt to dominate the entire optical industry via the web has failed, they have no choice but to attempt the retail sector - the good news is that's our specialty not theirs.
As for their bottom line, they continue to bleed heavily - I think it's awesome. They've been slayed by Braveheart.
I wonder if Netflix is doomed as well considering they have no shortage of investors ignoring their PE ratio of 597 ?
Time will tell...there's already rumblings of L&E jointly acquiring it.
Netflix has nothing to do with the conversation here or the optical business!
CC vs Zenni
The beauty of online is you can always find someone that will sell you an item for cheaper.
So how much market share are we and CC losing to the Zennis of the world. Why pay the inflated CC price when you can get a SV pair for under $20 shipped to your door!!?? PAL's for under 80 !!
I should be ditching my local (owned by one of the big 3) lab and asking Zenni to be my lab. Just send me uncuts !! I was joking initially but now that I think about it.............Scary eh
The point is that a company can be losing money yet still be able to raise funds for years or it can be profitable but trading at a ridiculous P/E ratio and still be able to raise funds. Two extremes yet relevant. Neither extreme proves long term viability or if a company will survive. Both extremes seem to have more to do with " investors risk tolerance" .
There are rumors in Europe that CC is closing their lab in Sweden and are going to do the jobs in a new digital lab (Toronto ?)
What happened with the new digital one that was for sale in Quebec ?
idispense should get hired there and can be our mole.
Has anybody here on this thread ever wondered how much they are paying ..............
Has anybody here on this thread ever wondered how much they are paying for a frame or for a pair of lenses ?
The answer is right on your keyboard of the computer ...........................
?
Please share
Please share ...............................
http://www.alibaba.com/showroom/eyeg...facturers.html
Chris, you make many informative posts, but this one should be deleted since it is posting wholesale prices. This website is misleading as many of these cheap glasses are of so low quality most retailers would not sell them. Also, consider the minimum quantities, shipping, sourcing trips to China, defective returns, customs and warranty costs and the pricing adds up quickly. It is not that easy.
Someone could post the raw chemical prices of what you are selling and I am sure it would look the same way.
Last edited by Stan Tabor; 07-22-2013 at 11:53 AM.
I like how you think.
There are probably lousy products mentioned there as well as the ones ...............
Stan........My prices are right on my website if you care looking for it. The website mentioned above can be found on the first page on a GOOGLE search after posting the question. So its not a secret, and or not a very hidden one.
Raw chemicals are a lot cheaper than I sell a finished product, it but we work out a formula with most of them, and then start the next step of finding customers to buy and use them, doing the actual work for which they charge.
There are probably lousy products mentioned there as well as the ones you know well and sell. You can not generalize. Minimum quantities vary, some large and some small. A good optician will or should know whats crap, good, decent or top quality for the price. You can also ask for samples as anywhere else.
People are not so stupid anymore that they can not do a little research on the web and find just about everything they want to know..
I will gladly delete the link, if Steve judges that it offends OB rules or he can do it himself directly.
the good news is that's our specialty not theirs. ... Wish you were right about that but I doubt that you are , any company that can do what they have accomplished on the web, and any company that can make wimps out of regulatory bodies and redraw legislation to suit themselves , can surely learn retail very quickly and teach all of us a lesson very quickly, and if retail is our specialty then why have we been losing so much business to them for so many years, as we feed millions and millions into useless regulations ? They are not stupid.They know what they're doing, but not in the retail arena. Since their plan to overwhelm and attempt to dominate the entire optical industry via the web has failed, they have no choice but to attempt the retail sector - the good news is that's our specialty not theirs.
As for their bottom line, they continue to bleed heavily - I think it's awesome. They've been slayed by Braveheart.
announced today that it has launched an exclusive line of branded signature eyewear
Coastal.com Launches Exclusive Alyssa Milano Eyewear Line 07/18/2013
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 18, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Coastal Contacts Inc. ("Coastal.com") (Nasdaq:COA) (TSX:COA), the leading online retailer of glasses, sunglasses and contact lenses, announced today that it has launched an exclusive line of branded signature eyewear for women called "Touch by
Alyssa Milano". In February 2013, Coastal reported that it had signed an exclusive multi-year licensing agreement with
Alyssa Milano to develop a line of branded signature eyewear for women, exclusive to Coastal.com's industry leading websites.
Milano is a widely-recognized actress, producer, philanthropist, and former singer. She is best known for her roles in the television series Who's the Boss, Charmed and Mistresses. Milano has also made a name for herself in the fashion industry with her other "Touch by
Alyssa Milano" collections, synonymous with style and function. Other "Touch by
Alyssa Milano" collections include unique apparel, jewelry and accessories designed for the stylish female sports fan. Alyssa's upcoming role as host of Project Runway All Stars demonstrates her interest in the next generation of fashion designers.
"It's been super fun working with Alyssa to develop an exclusive line of eyewear that fits perfectly with our customers," commented
Aaron Magness, Coastal.com's VP of Marketing. "Her global fan base has been very vocal through social media, asking when the collection is coming. They are going to love what they see."Milano added, "Whether on the red carpet or relaxing at home, glasses are part of my everyday look. So, I wanted to design a line of fun and flirty eyewear that can take you from day to night."
So new Coastal/Clearly financials for Dec 2013. Sales up, but net loss is up. They have never shown a profit on their financial statements since inception. Is there anyone reading this blog that understands a financial report and explain how any business can stay in business and never make money?
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