US Vision wholesale

**pknsbeans** · 02-24-2018, 06:23 PM

I received a postcard from US Vision. They have apparently moved into wholesale. US Vision subleases opticals from JCP, some Sears (at least as of a few years ago) and a couple other places. From my personal experience, the lab work was maybe slightly better than Davis. Are their stores doing that bad?

**Lab Insight** · 02-25-2018, 07:39 AM

Originally Posted by pknsbeans

I received a postcard from US Vision. They have apparently moved into wholesale. US Vision subleases opticals from JCP, some Sears (at least as of a few years ago) and a couple other places. From my personal experience, the lab work was maybe slightly better than Davis. Are their stores doing that bad?

Its simply another case of vertical integration. All large corporations are doing it as a matter of self survival. Say so long to loyalty and service.

**Don Gilman** · 02-25-2018, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by Lab Insight

Its simply another case of vertical integration. All large corporations are doing it as a matter of self survival. Say so long to loyalty and service.

Don't have to be a large Corporation to practice self survival. Got to think outside the box!

**Chris Ryser** · 02-25-2018, 03:44 PM

Originally Posted by Don Gilman

Don't have to be a large Corporation to practice self survival. Got to think outside the box!

Yes, you have a good point and by working hard you can be successful for a long time. I have done it myself, but it is a continuous fight to win out, until you are lucky to sell out a a good price at some later date.

**Lab Insight** · 02-26-2018, 06:27 AM

Originally Posted by Don Gilman

Don't have to be a large Corporation to practice self survival. Got to think outside the box!

You are correct Don. But U.S. Vision is not a mom and pop shop.

**Lab Insight** · 02-26-2018, 06:29 AM

Originally Posted by Chris Ryser

Yes, you have a good point and by working hard you can be successful for a long time. I have done it myself, but it is a continuous fight to win out, until you are lucky to sell out a a good price at some later date.

Then your customers complain that you sold out. It's a vicious but required cycle if one ever wants to cash in on their efforts and retire.

**ajonesgirl** · 02-27-2018, 04:47 PM

Dear Lord! I would hope they're doing that bad. I managed a JC Penney for about six months. The quality of the lab work was far worse than Davis, imho. When I asked my manager how jobs could possibly make it out of final inspection with lenses in upside down, right lenses in the left eye and totally wrong prescriptions, he informed me they only inspected about 1 out of 10 jobs. They he lectured me on my "slop" rate being too high, because I returned too much. As far as I know, they still own BJ's Optical, too.

**pseudonym** · 02-28-2018, 01:33 PM

Testify! I worked for US Vision for 3 years. Worst lab work ever. Too many lab remakes, and they put you on remake probation (my term, they called it something else) where you have to e-mail details to area manager for every lab remake. They want to know exactly how far off axis it was, how much vertical prism etc. THEN they inspect it and very often they call your store to argue with you that it is "within tolerance." They try to wear you down to the point where you'll just dispense it as is. I chose to quit the company and never looked back.

**ajonesgirl** · 03-06-2018, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by pseudonym

Testify! I worked for US Vision for 3 years. Worst lab work ever. Too many lab remakes, and they put you on remake probation (my term, they called it something else) where you have to e-mail details to area manager for every lab remake. They want to know exactly how far off axis it was, how much vertical prism etc. THEN they inspect it and very often they call your store to argue with you that it is "within tolerance." They try to wear you down to the point where you'll just dispense it as is. I chose to quit the company and never looked back.

And what about the secret shoppers? Was that going on while you were there? The president of the company would make copies of all the reports and send it to each store, totally belittling and berating anyone with a less than stellar report.

**pknsbeans** · 03-07-2018, 11:01 AM

I remember the secret shoppers. There were specific things the salesperson had to mention in order to get a good review. Something along the line of offering to schedule an exam, explaining the current sale, etc. I've only heard the employees speak of them. The people who maybe got belittled were the ones who really didn't help the customer in any way. When I first started, they had some terrible progressive work. Vertical prism in probably a third of the jobs. It got better towards the end of my time there. The rx rechecks for vertical prism were incredibly frustrating, since the staff didn't know how to find it in the lensometer.