The end could be near

[drk]

It's a crap post.

Saying that we sell overpriced chinese junk? And we did it hiding behind regulation? And that we are somehow getting our just desserts at the hand of crap onliners?

Absolutely the post was crap.

[Tigerclaw]

Wow. Just wow...

Like I said before: ELEVATE.

[drk]

Warby works for the reason Tiger says. It's the truth.

[ml43]

Warby works for the reason Tiger says. It's the truth.

Not only those reasons, but they know their target market, they know how their target market shops, and they know how to market the crap out of themselves to their target market.

[eeopti]

Warby works for the reason Tiger says. It's the truth.

My issue is not with the validity of what he said, but how he degrades people. I mean come on, not all millennials are broke and ignorant. He hits below the belt, and based on the little bit I've been exposed to I feel sorry for anyone that has to work with him.
That aside, I do agree with him that high end store fronts or ODs are not competing for the same client as WP.

[rbaker]

I'm offended by the term "Joe optician", because it implies opticians are all men.

rbaker refuses to rise to the bait.

[Tigerclaw]

Not only those reasons, but they know their target market, they know how their target market shops, and they know how to market the crap out of themselves to their target market.

Lots of kids' first cars wereSaturns and Yugos. Lots of kids' first watches were cheap LCD's. Warby will not last. Nobody wants to drive their first car to their first job... 20 years later.


And, Barry, if you think the middle man has been ripping people off and apparently we are all just absolutely BANKING from our eyewear sales (ignoring that LansCrafters sells for a higher median than independent OD's nationally), what does that say about your job? It's hard to make the case that we need qualified staff/opticians when you can be replaced by a keyboard (not my position, btw). You really should take a look at an OD's budget sometimes.

[Tigerclaw]

My issue is not with the validity of what he said, but how he degrades people. I mean come on, not all millennials are broke and ignorant. He hits below the belt, and based on the little bit I've been exposed to I feel sorry for anyone that has to work with him.
That aside, I do agree with him that high end store fronts or ODs are not competing for the same client as WP.

I didn't mean "ignorant" in the pejorative sense, and they will be the first to tell you about how "broke" they are, especially when you ask them why they have worn the same pair of contacts for 6 months. I tend to be a bit abrasive because I don't believe in mincing words. I call it like I see it, and tiptoeing around, at least to me, is insulting to the current audience.

[ml43]

Lots of kids' first cars wereSaturns and Yugos. Lots of kids' first watches were cheap LCD's. Warby will not last. Nobody wants to drive their first car to their first job... 20 years later.

Without dealing with absolutes, I agree the current business model of WP is not a sustainable one.
They are more of a fashion company right now, and fashion is like music.
What is in today, could be easily out tomorrow without any notice.

I'm sure most people who shop at WP would like to shop at places like OSA if they had the money.

[drk]

My issue is not with the validity of what he said, but how he degrades people. I mean come on, not all millennials are broke and ignorant. He hits below the belt, and based on the little bit I've been exposed to I feel sorry for anyone that has to work with him.
That aside, I do agree with him that high end store fronts or ODs are not competing for the same client as WP.

Well, we shouldn't be harsh, that's true.
But realize, just by pigeonholing someone as a "millenial" in the first place is an sweeping, unfair generality in itself.
So it's not "wrong" to make generalizations about their characteristics, in general, right?

Individuals clearly vary. So what if you were born around year 2000? Does that make you like everyone else? No.

Personally I think this whole marketing thing is total flim-flam. I know lots of people who are about 20-ish and, yes, they are a product of their environment, but they're clearly just young people who are trying to make their way around. I feel sorry for many of them, because they're getting abused by insane tuition, predatory lenders, a super-weak job market, and an unconscionable amount of unfunded liabilities they're on the hook for. What's more, the college profs are predators in more ways than you know.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...ught-they-are/
I should take this off topic. Sorry.

[eeopti]

Well, we shouldn't be harsh, that's true.
But realize, just by pigeonholing someone as a "millenial" in the first place is an sweeping, unfair generality in itself.
So it's not "wrong" to make generalizations about their characteristics, in general, right?

Individuals clearly vary. So what if you were born around year 2000? Does that make you like everyone else? No.

Personally I think this whole marketing thing is total flim-flam. I know lots of people who are about 20-ish and, yes, they are a product of their environment, but they're clearly just young people who are trying to make their way around. I feel sorry for many of them, because they're getting abused by insane tuition, predatory lenders, a super-weak job market, and an unconscionable amount of unfunded liabilities they're on the hook for. What's more, the college profs are predators in more ways than you know.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...ught-they-are/
I should take this off topic. Sorry.

I don't think classifying someone as a millennial is unfair. It's a generation demographic. I also see the value in making generalizations about demographic characteristics from a marketing perspective. But it should be done with tact.
You bring up valid points about the job market they face, and the obstacles they face with higher education. I'm a little confused though, don't you support licensure and the education requirements to achieve it? What you outlined has been one of my points exactly on not requiring education as a prerequisite for obtaining a license. The job market is weak. Tuition is high. Why block someone from progressing in their career because they can't afford to go to school?

[drk]

I don't pretend to insert myself in opticianry standards (vis a vis certification vs. licensure, etc.). I just want it to be a regulated profession that we can all depend upon.

[drk]

Without dealing with absolutes, I agree the current business model of WP is not a sustainable one.
They are more of a fashion company right now, and fashion is like music.
What is in today, could be easily out tomorrow without any notice.
.

This is astute in my opinion.

First of all we are witnessing a huge bull market on plastic geekster glasses. The only thing in my lifetime that compares was the huge rush into small, oval/ round tortoise metal frames in the mid-90's.

A lot of this plays off that.

[idispense]

Who has studied WP enough to say with accuracy, not presumption, how WP was able to reach their market so quickly and be in a back order position so fast out of the gate ?

[obxeyeguy]

What you outlined has been one of my points exactly on not requiring education as a prerequisite for obtaining a license. The job market is weak. Tuition is high. Why block someone from progressing in their career because they can't afford to go to school?

I sure hope your only talking about us bottom feeding opticians here. I always wanted to be a heart surgeon, and cut the hell out of that frog in high school biology, can't understand why they won't give me my MD license.

[Bill West]

It's a crap post.

Saying that we sell overpriced chinese junk? And we did it hiding behind regulation? And that we are somehow getting our just desserts at the hand of crap onliners?

Absolutely the post was crap.

I totally agree.

[Bill West]

this is important, harry. Please folks, call your local representatives, and tell them to support the bill currently in the general assembly sponsored by senators curtis and others to keep our license in place. Once this is over, then we will talk about the future of nc opticians. The ncoa was a part of the problem here. If they had not fought their own state board for the last several years, the board could have raised fees, and been on solid ground. But the leadership of ncoa, most who have been in place for decades, spent thousands of members dollars, and made the state board do the same. This did not need to happen and is the reason we are in this mess. Personalities.....probably on both sides, wanted to be in control. Who suffers? The poor optician, as usual. The ncoa has done good things, and are necessary for our advancement, but did you know that only about 25% of the opticians in the state now belong? And even with the significant growth they talked about in their email today, it is still less than 30%. Some changes need to take place there, as well. Lets get this bill through, and then lets work to improve the ncoa. New blood is clearly needed in leadership positions.

maybe you should have stuck around. Women and children first.

[Bill West]

this is ridiculous. The license requirements only benefit optometrists by limiting experienced optical professionals from entering the market on their own unless they can pass several tests and obtain a degree. Most occupations with the same earning potential do not have such stringent requirements. And being in a moderate to low salary occupation, most people who would become an optician cannot afford the tuition and fees associated with getting a license.

It's a skilled trade that can be learned through hands-on experience and shouldn't be so heavily regulated. Beyond all of this, being licensed does no mean you will be earning more income. There have been several articles and research done on licensed vs non licensed opticians, and a license does not equate to a higher salary. License requirements just limits those with hands on knowledge from entering the workforce and benefits optometrists. Sorry, but it's true.

total b.s.

[Tigerclaw]

1 licensed optician isn't necessarily better than 1 unlicensed optician, but 1,000 licensed opticians will always be better than 1,000 unlicensed opticians.

[ml43]

Who has studied WP enough to say with accuracy, not presumption, how WP was able to reach their market so quickly and be in a back order position so fast out of the gate ?

A study now would be close to pointless, imo.

Until they are a public company, we won't know their true numbers.
and even public companies lie about numbers.

I also wouldn't call five years quickly for a mostly Ecommerce company that only sells one product.
Most decent private practices will rise faster than that.

I will say this though, marketing.

I willing to bet they spend about 200-1000% more on marketing per pair sold than the majority of private practices.

And they market themselves, thus creating a brand.
you don't see lux this or E that anywhere on their website.
You won't even see WP or E in the same sentence, for very good reason.

[Speed]

What about Durham Tech? What advice for a potential student?

[idispense]

A study now would be close to pointless, imo.

Until they are a public company, we won't know their true numbers.
and even public companies lie about numbers.

I also wouldn't call five years quickly for a mostly Ecommerce company that only sells one product.
Most decent private practices will rise faster than that.

I will say this though, marketing.

I willing to bet they spend about 200-1000% more on marketing per pair sold than the majority of private practices.

And they market themselves, thus creating a brand.
you don't see lux this or E that anywhere on their website.
You won't even see WP or E in the same sentence, for very good reason.

A totally useless answer. The only hopeful insight you offered was the word "marketing"

[ml43]

A totally useless answer. The only hopeful insight you offered was the word "marketing"

Touché

wait till they are public, then Chris will give you all the info you need.

[idispense]

[QUOTE=ml43;506383]Touché

wait till they are public, then Chris will give you all the info you need.



Why ? How would going public explain what they accomplished before going public ?

[VisionAiry]

total b.s.

Fantastic argument B.W.

You've got more than that...