Another reason to avoid Luxottica

[opticianjoe]

A couple of years ago I recieved a letter from Luxottica threatening to close my account if I sold RayBan below their MSRP, right now, lenscrafters is advertising 40%off all frames INCLUDING RayBan. I guess they don't need to play by their own rules.

[SeaU2020]

Of course. Just like before Chanel was Lux, it was really exclusive...if you didn't "get in" while they were opening accounts, you can NEVER have it. So now it's in the LC's too. Remember the motto "what's good for the goose (lux) is good for the goose."

[CalCal]

I complaint about this to Lux for years and all they have no control over another different division. Can which LC store has the look to meet Chanel's standard? But practically all LC shops carry that brand

[DanLiv]

I complaint about this to Lux for years and all they have no control over another different division. Can which LC store has the look to meet Chanel's standard? But practically all LC shops carry that brand

I know this makes no one happy, but technically Lux frame vendor and LensCrafters (Lux Retail) run independently. Sure, the money all goes the same place, but they are separated like Taco Bell/KFC/Pizza Hut (all owned by one company). Private folks who carry Ray-Ban have a contract with Lux frame vendor, which includes the no discount clause. LensCrafters does not contract with the same vendor we do, they do mass corporate-to-corporate purchasing, which certainly wouldn't include such nitpicky stuff as no discount clauses. The frames in LC are not supplied directly from Lux frame vendors, they are secondary market supply from LC frame warehouses. LCs will often have disco stock, and they do not do manufacturer frame warranties (because some of the frames on their shelves can be more than 2 years old). It's the same secondary market as all the online vendors that buy bulk at ridiculous discount. We are the primary market and deal directly with Lux frames, and have to take or leave their stipulations. If we offered to buy 10,000 Ray Bans, I'm sure they would waive the no discount clause.

LCs don't individually have to meet designer standards either. Lux Retail division makes those decisions, not the frame vendor. Chanel, Tiffany, Burberry, all that stuff gets distributed around to LCs based on LC's own marketing decisions. Again, we are beholden to the frame vendor's contracts with the designers, LC doesn't buy from them.

I did work for LC for many years, that's how I know. They do still exclude some brands from their sales, like Oakley and Maui Jim. I guess Ray Ban just became too lucrative to *not* include in promotions.

[Uilleann]

Ray Ban was that way even before the buyout a decade ago. Their Aviators and Wayfarers were always the excluded styles anytime there was a sale at Sunglass Hut (also pre-their own buyout by Lux.) And Oakley, well, they've always been some crazy sort of special in their own tiny minds. ;)

[David_Garza]

As if anyone needs another reason to avoid Suxottica.....