Independent Lab ethics

[johntricity]

Yes! I have been accused of worse.

The retail Opticians are probally not aware of all the politics that go on in the background. For example the increase of "Gray" market Varilux products has been stagering.

Gray market products are Varilux lenses being sold by unauthorized labs. These lenses are coming into the US from Canada and South America, not though the normal channels set up by Essilor.

Many Opticians Say "so what" it's still a Varilux lens. Varilux is not only a lens but also a complete marketing and merchandising program. An optical can get referals from Varilux advertising and Co-Op from Varilux only if they are purchasing from an authorized lab.

Recently we found out that we could purchase Varilux Comfort lens blanks for 20% less on the Gray market than the price we pay for the blanks from Essilor. As you would assume that created quite a heated conversation with our Essilor Rep.

We have made the decision the stay an authorized lab because, for now, it is the proper method of distribution.

Hoya is another topic altogether, Our Lab was the first independant lab distributor in the US about 3 years ago. Shortly after they purchased a lab in our area, they took away our distribution. There excuse was based on the fact that we were selling more Varilux that Hoya and and they did not want any lab to sell both products because it made them look bad.

Zeiss has it's own politics and delayed making us a distributor while making a local competor a distributor.

Now Shamir is knocking at our door.

Excuse my rambeling and poor spelling, just wanted to give insite to our lab world.......John Z.

[Texas Ranger]

John, thanks for the insight; I think in the optical world(in the whole world), Essilor is by far and away the largest company, and Hoya is perhaps next; and they are way ahead of all the others. and at that level, there just has to be some corporate ego/competitivness. like Walgreens/Eckards; Lowes/Home Depot, natural rivalry. So, I think they just decided to mutually not have distributors carry each other's lens designs. tough spot for the guys in the middle, like independent labs. you have to pick which team you're gonna play for, at retail, we don't have the same problem, except for the high-end designer lines like Cartier, LA Eyeworks, etc, that there is an unaffordable buy in for the average shop.

[Chris Ryser]

In the mid 60's and early 70's American Optical manufacturerd their world famous TYLLIER LENSES.

At some point they also packaged these same lenses in an envelope they called AMOCO lenses and sold them a lot cheaper into South America, Mexico and Canada.

When confronted they claimed that it was cheaper to make different envelopes for the lenses than re-design other curves for a cheaper lens.

[John R]

Chris Ryser said:
In the mid 60's and early 70's American Optical manufacturerd their world famous TYLLIER LENSES.

At some point they also packaged these same lenses in an envelope they called AMOCO lenses and sold them a lot cheaper into South America, Mexico and Canada.

When confronted they claimed that it was cheaper to make different envelopes for the lenses than re-design other curves for a cheaper lens.

How times change now this very company makes its lenses in one of the said countries as its cheaper.....