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Thread: The Pitfalls of online Selling prescription Eyeglasses online....

  1. #1
    OptiBoardaholic CNG's Avatar
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    The Pitfalls of online Selling prescription Eyeglasses online....

    Ill start by saying that the ethics and legality of the online sellers is always questionable because their eyeglasses are always off. There is no way to have perfect eyeglasses without assistance in the measurement and selection of frames, lenses and coatings. Progressives lenses and lined bifocals need to be adjusted to make them perfect and online cannot do that. Finally, they have no quality standards because they do not measure the segment height of progressives or match base curves or do any real suggestion as to the needs of the patient. They are simply robbing the public that is unaware of the importance of the measurements.Yes they are denying the public of the services required to make a perfect vision required instrument that is a prescribtion. Them Thiefs....onliners.

    CNG

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    because their eyeglasses are always off
    ALWAYS? How exactly do you know this?

    Good lord man, we get it, you don't like on-liners. You've made your point over and over and over again.

    Have a beer.

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    OptiBoardaholic CNG's Avatar
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    yes always... do onliners measure take precise measurements no. Are their eyeglasses always wrong.Yes. They have to be because without precise measurements they are wrong. Now what kind of quality control do they have? None...So yes they are producing substandard products...Them Thiefs...

    CNG

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    I really don't have to much of a problem with them doing what they do. Majority of the frames I carry the patient will not be able to write down the model number, and purchase online. I can compete with frame direct pricing if the patient would like me to price match as well. I treat my patients well, and for the most part they treat me well. The online opticals cannot compete with my level of service, and the quality work we do. I am not in this business for the 20-60 price range sales. I will do complete pairs for as little as 60.00 but not any less unless I can tell the patient just doesn't have the money and truely needs to see. My advice is find your niche and run with it.

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    Quote Originally Posted by CNG View Post
    yes always... do onliners measure take precise measurements no. Are their eyeglasses always wrong.Yes. They have to be because without precise measurements they are wrong. Now what kind of quality control do they have? None...So yes they are producing substandard products...Them Thiefs...

    CNG
    Respectfully, I disagree.

    You assume that the patient has not been provided an accurate PD by his eyewear professional. And that is your first mistake. I'd hazard a guess that at least 70-80% of all on-line eyewear buyers have a written PD from their original purchase. And for single vision, in most cases, nothing else is necessary.

    For bifocals, I'd say that maybe 50% of the time the seg height is going to be accurate as supplied by the onliner. For progessives, probable closer to 30%.

    That's still nowhere near 100% wrong all the time.

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    OptiBoardaholic CNG's Avatar
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    I guess you are a real optician? I imagine that you take precise measurements and do quality checks on your eyewear adjust them and repair them...that is great...onliners do not. They are as false opticians as a 3 dollar bill! Yet people are happy to save by buying substandard products from online based on a PD taken in front of the mirror and guessing a seg height. They are robbing the public from quality services.Yet we seem to have admitted defeat of this unethical and possibly illegal practice of a profession that is licensed in almost every location where there is a large population. They argue that is in the best interest of the public to have competition. The public is unaware that only quality eyeglasses can be made in person by taking precise measurements. I would dare to say that all eyeglasses made online without any assistance are in one shape or other wrong. I would argue that ALL Progressives and lined bifocals purchase online are wrong.

    CNG

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    I've also seen a lot of glasses made wrong by brick, and mortar opticals.

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    OptiBoardaholic CNG's Avatar
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    Mike you assume something that you are biased. You are very well aware that eyeglasses without proper measurements are wrong! Stop trying to convince us in this board out of all places that eyeglasses made online are right without proper measurements adjustments etc.. I do condone your form of business of being online as negating quality service to the public. At least in a brick and mortar store you can always go for the tie....

    CNG

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    Again, what about all the glasses made wrong from brick and mortar shops? I've been amazed what I have seen from chains, walmart, and etc etc. The online places might of been able to make a better pair of glasses.

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    OptiBoardaholic CNG's Avatar
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    In a brick and mortar location....Chances are that if you are in a licensed state that you can complain...chances are that they will remake them...chances are that they will try by all means to solve your problem and trouble shot their error or the doctors error. If a brick and mortar makes mistakes and they have the ability to do fine work ...imagine going blindly (no pun intended) without proper measurements like on-liners have to go. On-liners cannot troubleshoot errors, cannot adjust, cannot take precise measurements. On-liners can only take the money and produce substandard products.

    CNG

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    Thats why you get what you pay for when going cheap and buying online. I've seen plenty of glasses made wrong from physical stores and the problem was never taken care of. Are you getting a lot of people in your office who bought glasses online, and they were made wrong? That sounds like the perfect time to explain what they did wrong and create a loyal customer.

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    Quote Originally Posted by CNG View Post
    Mike you assume something that you are biased. You are very well aware that eyeglasses without proper measurements are wrong! Stop trying to convince us in this board out of all places that eyeglasses made online are right without proper measurements adjustments etc.. I do condone your form of business of being online as negating quality service to the public. At least in a brick and mortar store you can always go for the tie....

    CNG
    Biased? Yes, I am. I've made no bones of the fact that I support on-line purchasing. I just think you are off-base in your claims of measurements being wrong. Please don't make this argument about me.

    There are many physical stores that screw up eyewear, most notable 'America's "Best"'.

    And, quite honestly, I don't care whether or not you "condone" my business. The only folks that matter are those who are happy for the service I provide for them, a service I might add, which has been refused by far more opticians than I'd care to mention, only because I sell glass lenses. I've heard all the lies about how unsafe glass is, and why the patient needs to wear plastic, even to the point of lying to the patient that they can get exactly the same "filter" in plastic as in glass (and please keep in mind that I only sell specialized filter eyewear). So, please, with respect, take your phony "outrage" elsewhere and learn how to compete with the on-liners. They aren't going to be going away any time soon, if at all.

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    OptiBoardaholic CNG's Avatar
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    We have our share of wrong Rx from online. 100% of the time is the wrong seg height. Followed by inducement of vertical prisms. Base curve selection is another problem that is common. The sneaky bast...also do not put the laser markings in their progressive making it hard to trouble shoot for prism. We do it many times to prove that our doctor was not at fault. It provides a time to discuss the benefits of real life opticians. See the younger people will do the online ordering because thats simply is their nature. Older people are wiser and will order from a brick and mortar. The most common optical child abuse is when mothers orders online eye glasses for kids...yet they go to a brick and mortar store for her progressives. Then because she has rapport with us expect us to adjust and trouble shoot her kids eyeglasses for free. When they are wrong they are wrong no matter who makes them, but the chances are astronomical that online eyeglasses are wrong.

    CNG

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    Looks like you are looking real hard for errors. Wish you the best success in todays ever changing marketplace. Stick to the same ideas and sink, or adapt and thrive.

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    Quote Originally Posted by MikeAurelius View Post
    I've heard all the lies about how unsafe glass is, and why the patient needs to wear plastic, even to the point of lying to the patient that they can get exactly the same "filter" in plastic as in glass (and please keep in mind that I only sell specialized filter eyewear).
    Although I am not a fan of glass lenses personally...lying to patients and refusing them is just plain low. Patients need to get the CORRECT information and make their own decisions about their purchases.

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    OptiBoardaholic CNG's Avatar
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    Troll, I have been a business owner for over 15 years and making money the honest way. i do not take chances on my patients or second guess their eyeglasses position (high on the nose or low?), I do my work with ethics, I stand behind all my eyeglasses and contact lens fits. Now are you a business owner? or are you an employee who simply likes to collect a paycheck or are you an on-liner who simply takes advantage of the current situation to make as money as fast as possible no matter how many people you neglect in order to make money?

    CNG

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    I've been in the field for about 12 years now, and I am 31 years old. I started in the surface lab, and worked my way up to ABO optician that manages an optical for a Opthamologist currently. I do plan on eventually opening my own store in some fashion within the next few years. Maybe I will start something online just for you.

    I'm guessing you carry a decent amount of Luxottica products?

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    Quote Originally Posted by CNG View Post
    Troll, I have been a business owner for over 15 years and making money the honest way. i do not take chances on my patients or second guess their eyeglasses position (high on the nose or low?), I do my work with ethics, I stand behind all my eyeglasses and contact lens fits. Now are you a business owner? or are you an employee who simply likes to collect a paycheck or are you an on-liner who simply takes advantage of the current situation to make as money as fast as possible no matter how many people you neglect in order to make money?

    CNG
    In this business, you should know there are no such things as absolutes. If you look for something wrong with ANY pair of glasses (with the possible exception of Barry's glasses), you will find it.

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    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter Barry Santini's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MikeAurelius View Post
    In this business, you should know there are no such things as absolutes. If you look for something wrong with ANY pair of glasses (with the possible exception of Barry's glasses), you will find it.
    Au so-very-contraire...I make screw-ups just like everyone else.

    B

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    Underemployed Genius Jacqui's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Barry Santini View Post
    Au so-very-contraire...I make screw-ups just like everyone else.

    B
    OMG

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    Ophthalmic Optician
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    Nobody is perfect, and even an online retailer could accidentally make a pair of glasses that is not wrong.

    You've all heard them, but I like to say them so...

    "Even a broken clock is correct twice a day"

    And...

    "Even a blind squirrel..."
    Ophthalmic Optician, Society to Advance Opticianry

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    ABOM Wes's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Barry Santini View Post
    Au so-very-contraire...I make screw-ups just like everyone else.

    B
    There was that time you thought you were wrong, but you weren't, so you were wrong about that?
    Wesley S. Scott, MBA, MIS, ABOM, NCLE-AC, LDO - SC & GA

    “As our circle of knowledge expands, so does the circumference of darkness surrounding it.” -Albert Einstein

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    One eye sees, the other feels OptiBoard Silver Supporter
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    Quote Originally Posted by OPTICALTROLL View Post
    I've been in the field for about 12 years now, and I am 31 years old. I started in the surface lab, and worked my way up to ABO optician that manages an optical for a Opthamologist currently. I do plan on eventually opening my own store in some fashion within the next few years. Maybe I will start something online just for you.

    I'm guessing you carry a decent amount of Luxottica products?
    I find it hard to believe that you are employed by an eye physician. You misspelled the name of their profession twice now, once in your "intro thread" and again in this thread.

    Quote Originally Posted by Johns View Post
    Nobody is perfect, and even an online retailer could accidentally make a pair of glasses that is not wrong.


    I've refused every offer that I've received from folks on the net who wanted me to fill their Rx and mail them the eyeglasses for one simple reason- it can't be done properly without a hands-on fitting experience.

    Consumers- I can make eyeglasses that measure exactly to your doctor's prescription, and still be able to make your vision blurry, your head and eyes hurt, and make you dizzy or feel like your walking uphill. I can flush your money right down the toilet (minus my take), but the Rx will still read exactly as ordered. I believe this is what CNG is saying. Caveat Emptor.
    Science is a way of trying not to fool yourself. - Richard P. Feynman

    Experience is the hardest teacher. She gives the test before the lesson.



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    Quote Originally Posted by Johns View Post
    Nobody is perfect, and even an online retailer could accidentally make a pair of glasses that is not wrong.

    You've all heard them, but I like to say them so...

    "Even a broken clock is correct twice a day"

    And...

    "Even a blind squirrel..."
    can see his nuts??????...
    Eyes wide open

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    Master OptiBoarder MakeOptics's Avatar
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    All a blind squirrel needs is optiboard, enough nuts in here for the fattest squirrel.

    If competeing with onliners is the focus of a business just close down now and save yourself the trouble.

    Opening an online optical is a great idea, you can quickly bilk customers of their hard earned cash and they get the same level of quality as most b and m shops, licensed state or not.

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