How to compete with the likes of EyeBuyDirect and Warby Parker?

[kawasakiguy37]

I recently gave a patient their full prescription including PD. They were very upfront and paying cash and I don't like to alienate potential future customers.

How do you recommend I compete with online retailers like EyeBuyDirect and Warby Parker? They have arguably decently fashionable frames and to the average consumer seem to be a much better value.

In particular this patient was telling me how happy they were they could get an MR-8 lens added for a mere $30.....at a supposedly professional lab.

What do you all think? I am seriously considering trying to upsell some of these people into shelling out the cash for the cheaper frames and then bringing them to me for the lenses and adjustments.

[Lelarep]

Has been discussed. Search. Otherwise, pray.

[Chris Ryser]

I recently gave a patient their full prescription including PD. They were very upfront and paying cash and I don't like to alienate potential future customers.

How do you recommend I compete with online retailers like EyeBuyDirect and Warby Parker? They have arguably decently fashionable frames and to the average consumer seem to be a much better value.

You did the right thing. Once you accept the facts t even your biggest suppliers as Lux and Essilor have embraced the on-line retail market and have become their largest operators you will not be able to fight them. This is already a world wide fact.

The only way out, is to drop the selling retail prices and charge for services as rendered, per experience level and as remuneration at your own pricing system and value.

This way the on-liners will even refer their problem cases to a good optician.

[Chris Ryser]

Has been discussed. Search. Otherwise, pray.

No need to pray ........................all you have to do is to adapt to a situation, you have to live with in the future.

This subject has been been discussed before, but the situation is changing at a rapid speed. On-line purchasing is getting more and more accepted by the general public in many sectors of the economy.

Accept the facts, see my above post and adapt to the best idea, before everybody else will.

[Kujiradesu]

I have just recently had a number of patients bring in Warby Parker frames to have new lenses put into. IMO the quality of these frames are seriously lacking. The resiliency of the zyl in frame fronts is nonexistent. However, telling someone that across the dispensing table just makes you look like an @$$^ø<¢. How do you get around this? If i knew I'd tell you.

[iaxbbcp]

going along with what Chris said about charging for our services, here is an article brought to my attention by one of our Doctors in our practice. We are contemplating using this strategy.
http://optometrytimes.modernmedicine...rchased-online

[Quince]

"In fact, the American Optometric Association (AOA) bought 200 pairs of glasses from the 10 most popular online eyewear vendors and tested them. The results are shocking. They found nearly half of the eyeglasses (44.8 percent) had incorrect prescriptions or safety concerns.1"


This is a great quote from the above link. I'm more than happy to explain this to patients who want to know why they should shop local instead. Aside from that- online can never provide service with a smile! Go above and beyond with patience and attitude. Offer the most unique and highest quality frame choices. Make the price difference about value, not revenue.

[Chris Ryser]

"In fact, the American Optometric Association (AOA) bought 200 pairs of glasses from the 10 most popular online eyewear vendors and tested them. The results are shocking. They found nearly half of the eyeglasses (44.8 percent) had incorrect prescriptions or safety concerns.1"

I wonder at what date that has happened. The main on-liners today are owned by some of the largest optical companies, known for good quality lenses, frames and lab work.

They would never get themselves into a bad name by delivering 50% unacceptable Rx work.

[Quince]

I wonder at what date that has happened. The main on-liners today are owned by some of the largest optical companies, known for good quality lenses, frames and lab work.

They would never get themselves into a bad name by delivering 50% unacceptable Rx work.

Original article is September 6th 2016


https://www.thevisioncouncil.org/sit...port-FINAL.PDF
November 7th 2015

[kawasakiguy37]

"In fact, the American Optometric Association (AOA) bought 200 pairs of glasses from the 10 most popular online eyewear vendors and tested them. The results are shocking. They found nearly half of the eyeglasses (44.8 percent) had incorrect prescriptions or safety concerns.1"


This is a great quote from the above link. I'm more than happy to explain this to patients who want to know why they should shop local instead. Aside from that- online can never provide service with a smile! Go above and beyond with patience and attitude. Offer the most unique and highest quality frame choices. Make the price difference about value, not revenue.

Original PDF Is here:

https://www.aoa.org/documents/public...ses_Online.pdf

To quote an older article:

The AOA study published in 2011 with the Optical Laboratories Association and The Vision Council reinforces the drawbacks of online orders. The study concluded:

• Of 200 glasses ordered online, only 154 pairs were received;
• 44.8 percent had incorrect prescriptions or safety issues;
• 29 percent had at least one lens fail to meet required prescription;
• 19 percent of adult lenses failed impact resistance testing; and,
• 25 percent of children's lenses failed impact resistance testing.

[Quince]

Original PDF Is here:

https://www.aoa.org/documents/public...ses_Online.pdf

To quote an older article:

The AOA study published in 2011 with the Optical Laboratories Association and The Vision Council reinforces the drawbacks of online orders. The study concluded:

• Of 200 glasses ordered online, only 154 pairs were received;
• 44.8 percent had incorrect prescriptions or safety issues;
• 29 percent had at least one lens fail to meet required prescription;
• 19 percent of adult lenses failed impact resistance testing; and,
• 25 percent of children's lenses failed impact resistance testing.

So these stats are fairly dated.... I would sure hope the accuracy has improved five years later- but I do not know this to be true....

Thank you for properly tracing this!

[Chris Ryser]

Original PDF Is here:

To quote an older article:

The AOA study published in 2011 with the Optical Laboratories Association and The Vision Council reinforces the drawbacks of online orders.

That makes more sense. The info could have been based on this information.

With Lux and Essilor now operating the largest online opticals world wide, plus the largest ownership of RX labs I do not believe that they would supply inferior quality work.

They have been around for too long and do know the optical business.

[Lelarep]

As has been said, given the rapidly evolving nature of the online marketplace for eyeglasses, a study of Rx quality done in 2011 might as well have been done a decade or two ago. The AOA should commit to reproducing this study every five years to make sure the results stay relevant.

[rbaker]

"How to compete with the likes of EyeBuyDirect and Warby Parker?"

You can't . . . Don't even try.

Instead, concentrate on practicing the craft to the best of your ability with everyone who comes to you for service. Charge a fair fee for all your services. Be kind and respectful to everyone. Don't argue or berate those who wish to go elsewhere and keep your door open to them.

Know that if they chose to get they glasses from a schlock house they will be back. Just be patient. In the end they will have learned a lesson and be your best customers.

If you chose to harass and belittle them and give them the impression that you do not have their best interests at heart they will not return when they find that their $9.95 internet specials suck.

The consumer is the ultimate arbiter of "quality!"

[Paul Smith LDO]

Honestly, I can say that I have yet to meet one on line frame that did not have serious flaws in their fabrication, misaligned hinges and temple cores, hexing at the frame front, and as someone pointed out the resiliency in the zyl. I took one in recently, patient acknowledged that the lenses I did for him several years ago were much better and wanted my recipe. I spent 30 minutes trying to get the damn thing to align the way I wanted. It wasn't worth the 30.00 I charged him along with the cost for the FFSV lenses but I told him that I would do this for him one time only. Lesson learned, no more lenses only into on line non adapts.
The best answer for those customers of yours who ask, ADEQUATE Vs OPTIMIZED, HAND MADE FRAMES Vs MASS PRODUCED JUNK, VALUE Vs DISPOSABLE. Show your best product, explain how it's made, let them feel the quality, instruct them on how to care for quality acetate and that they last for years when cared for. Appeal to those who are environmentally conscientious. I have my customers come back to me for service on their frames.
STOP GIVING AWAY THE STORE. Charge 50.00 for outside adjustments, 10.00 for screws, 15.00-20.00 for nose pads and explain the value they would have received had they purchased product from you.

[Chris Ryser]

STOP GIVING AWAY THE STORE. Charge 50.00 for outside adjustments, 10.00 for screws, 15.00-20.00 for nose pads and explain the value they would have received had they purchased product from you.

Whatever you charge is your own business and you can keep also future customers away by asking too high a price.

Frames sold online are most probably the same ones or close to what you are selling. Today anybody can do a search on the web and go on http://alibaba.com and ask for eyeglasses. Then you can view: View 265,439 Product(s)

When you ask for optical laboratories you will get:
7197 Selected Supplier(s) offering their lens products.

However those online companies do buy direct and not through a local distributor who has to carry all the warranties and right to return the products whenever it pleases the retail customer.

The internet has changed the way of doing business through the instant ability to find information on any type of supplies you want, wherever they come from.

Anybody in our professions should be aware what is available when and where, these days. It is all public. If the consumer can do it, you should also be informed on what is going and available on on a wider base, than just this Continent.

The major 2 optical manufacturers as Essilor and Luxottica are now today's largest owners of online Rx eyewear suppliers, which are now spread on across the globe.

You can check that out by going on my optical companies internet listing on my website by scrolling to the bottom end of the page at:
http://optochemicals.com/web_listing.htm

[LENNY]

That makes more sense. The info could have been based on this information.

With Lux and Essilor now operating the largest online opticals world wide, plus the largest ownership of RX labs I do not believe that they would supply inferior quality work.

They have been around for too long and do know the optical business.

The glasses are made by the same lab at the same standards as private jobs delivered to ODs.
I would love to see the same purchases from local opticals and see how do they compare....

[Chris Ryser]

The glasses are made by the same lab at the same standards as private jobs delivered to ODs.
I would love to see the same purchases from local opticals and see how do they compare....

The Essilor owned former Coastal and now renamed Clearly had a complete in house lab in Vancouver. I have been told that E has closed it, kept an edger or two and has kept a skeleton staff and sends all jobs out. Probably to other E labs or even overseas.

That standard argument that onliners are selling inferior quality lenses and or frames, looks and is like old hat that has been used over the last 8-9 years by opticians and or ODs.

It is most probably also a very invalid one too.

[Tallboy]

Most lenses finished by large automated labs look like crap unless one of like 2 or 3 experts are the ones walking them through. Throw in my service and attention to detail (and our winning personalities) many people choose us over any number of cheaper venues. I'm just going to keep my nose to the grindstone and do the best I can and treat people with respect and make a name for myself and pray. I am not charging for outside adjustments... yet. Mainly because I get very very few of these and usually they come along with someone who is buying a new pair or is in dire straits financially anyway. If it becomes a regular thing I will definitely start charging for those services.

[Chris Ryser]

Most lenses finished by large automated labs look like crap unless one of like 2 or 3 experts are the ones walking them through. Throw in my service and attention to detail (and our winning personalities) many people choose us over any number of cheaper venues. I'm just going to keep my nose to the grindstone and do the best I can and treat people with respect and make a name for myself and pray. I am not charging for outside adjustments... yet. Mainly because I get very very few of these and usually they come along with someone who is buying a new pair or is in dire straits financially anyway. If it becomes a regular thing I will definitely start charging for those services.

It looks like you don't plan ahead of what to do when it hits you like pile of rocks............................

When its hits the pockets, because people look for less expensive glasses they see on a daily basis all over the internet advertised, and buy them, every time you did not sell the pair.

At 27-28 million pairs sold on the web this year, as projected, somebody must have lost a sale, just because they did not adapt the simple recipe to change the way of charging somewhere around cost and plus service.

[Tallboy]

I totally would Chris if it occured more than 5% of the time. There is no reason for it. Maybe if I get busier and it happens I will, I am very much a "destination shop" people come to me to be serviced by us. Maybe one day I will have more foot traffic outside our door but for now its medical referrals and my optometrist partner's patients. The people that leave never come back for repairs etc. If the do its almost always with a story about how they shouldnt have gone somewhere else.

I totally agree with you and Paul's model though and will one day implement it most likely

[Chris Ryser]

I get your point, and hope you are one of those that will not get any backlash through the internet competition.

I see many of the local smaller chains advertising advertising 2 pairs of glasses for the price of one. That is a down pricing of 50%.

[Uilleann]

Frames sold online are most probably the same ones or close to what you are selling.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

Oh man, that is the FUNNIEST thing I've seen possibly all year! The brands, and the QUALITY couldn't possibly be more different. It's like something the Trump itself might say!

[Quince]

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

Oh man, that is the FUNNIEST thing I've seen possibly all year! The brands, and the QUALITY couldn't possibly be more different. It's like something the Trump itself might say!

+1 There is NO way they are even touching the quality and designs we hand pick FOR OUR PATIENTS. We are often shopping for repeat patients when buying frames or just picking what our clientele asks for. The time we spend on quality control for lenses won't be comparable either. I have worked in the 'fast food' of optical and they will pass the ugliest looking lenses in a heartbeat as long as they can justify the tolerances.

I'm in the same boat as Tallboy- we don't nickel and dime people who have bought online because it is certainly not effecting our revenue.

[Quince]

I was reading through some comments the other day for an article referencing things people should ask themselves before buying online. I had to stop because I was getting so riled up over the mass ignorance. You can't blame people for not understanding the inner workings of an industry, but I soooo badly wanted to create a log-in just so I could try and clear up some key points. I decided against it (most of the comments were almost a year old anyways...) but the major points that need to be addressed when patients ask "Why should I shop here instead of online?" stood out as such:

-'They were so cheap I don't care about (insert) problem.' (Just sad...)
-'I'm not paying a 400% mark-up!' (That [exaggerated] increase is paying for a multitude of services and people to render such services. Not unlike a hospital.)
-'I don't want Lenscrafters to have my money!' (Lux owns how many online retailers now? Shop local small business if you want your money to go somewhere far and away from Lux.)


http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-pros...ine-1445351350

... ahhh I feel a little better.