focalise eyewear blog

Price Tag Shock

According to the American Review of Optometry price is a primary concern for many patients when choosing lens options. In fact, 27% cite “good price” as an important reason for choosing their current lenses.

It seems many customers suffer from what might be called price tag shock when it comes to choosing both lenses and frames.

Given that the average cost of a pair of glasses in America is around US$300 - not unlike Australia - it's not surprising that customers make compromises with their glasses choices.

Project VRM

What is VRM?

“Project VRM is a research and development project of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University. Its purpose is to study and support the development of tools that provide customers with both independence from, and engagement with, vendors. Think of VRM as the way customers relate to vendor CRM (customer relationship management) systems.”  The project is headed by Internet legend Doc Searls.

Whilst offering online prescription eyewear is perhaps not a pure VRM tool, we think there are some parallels.

Is Buying Glasses Online a Good Idea?

Not according to Liz Defranco who makes the following comments:

“…you need to consider certain issues when you buy glasses online, because every pair of glasses is a custom-made item. Not only are there different designs and materials of both frames and lenses and different lens treatments, but everybody's head and eyes are different, too. So you or an optician must make various measurements for a proper fit. An advantage of going to a traditional optical store is that an optician can walk you through the process. Sometimes, he or she will do this so smoothly that you're not even aware of all the choices. When you order online, you have to make each decision on your own, and it can seem overwhelming.”

Hmmm...she has a point.  But hang on, what if you knew that Liz was commenting out of self-interest? That she's an instructor in an opticianry program in New York City and is a regular contributor to eyecare trade periodicals, covering spectacle lenses and eyewear retailing.

A Designer Speaks

Appearing in the London Times today: French eyewear designer Alain Mikli trained as an optician, but decided that designing would be more fun. He started his brand in 1978 and opened his first boutique in Paris in 1987. He was the first to specialise in high-end frames by the likes of Jil Sander, Sonia Rykiel and Donna Karan, and his own dramatic, colourful and high-quality designs are worn by celebrities such as Uma Thurman, Bono and Kim Cattrall.

Alain has some top glasses tips...

The Real OPSM

Who's behind the "Australian" retail giant that is OPSM?  And for that matter what about other "Australian" businesses like Laubman & Pank, Budget Eyewear, Kays Optical, Precision Eyewear and Sunglass Hut?

The answer is one company, and it's certainly not a 100% Australian-owned and operated company.

They're the world's biggest eyewear company, the Italian-owned Luxottica.  Their founder, Milan-based Leonardo Del Vechhio is worth over $10 billion.

So, how do you feel about continuing to send over your hard-earned Aussie dollars to line Leonardo's pockets?

How is the Ku Klux Klan like a Group of Opticians?

One of our main aims is to give out information about the true cost of glasses in Australia, and for that matter, the true cost of glasses anywhere else in the world.

Let's start by comparing the Ku Klux Klan and Opticians.

What might they have in common and how can it help you save hundreds of dollars on glasses?