Lens/Glasses supplier?

[thecgrblue]

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I was driving by the 1800-contacts office the other day and had the thought "Where do optometrists gets their contacts/lenses done?".

I hear that some doctors see a decline in the optical sales due in part to more inexpensive alternatives from the 'big box' suppliers. This is obviously not going to go away, so is it possible to embrace it? i.e. buy the patients contacts from 1800-contacts, or give them the choice of the dirt cheap glasses you can get online?

Certainly the quality won't be the greatest, but as long as you are upfront and tell them about a cheaper alternative you can purchase for them you might as well try to stick your hand into the pockets of the big guys.

Possible?

 

[JMU07]

People who are willing to spend $300 (or more) on a pair of glasses are completely different than people who want to go online and spend 7 bucks. Ever seen KHE talk about how the Ritz Carlton isn't worried about the Super 8 down the road? Same concept. Some people are cheap and want cheaply made products. Others would rather spend more for the better quality product that'll last longer. Know what I mean?

 

[jc812]

I see where the OP is coming from. Especially with non-specialty contact lenses, patients can just go to 1800contacts.com and purchase the SAME EXACT (no difference in quality) product that their optometrists are selling but for much cheaper.

As far as specs are concerned, I have seen offices that will generally offer quality frames but have a section that is more affordable. This way, patients can choose how much they really want to spend on their glasses. Even CHEAPER patients can go online, but soon realize that the quality of both frames and lenses (no coatings, heavy, etc) are very bad for $7. Add on all the stuff they want and the price goes up.

I notice that patients will purchase their contact lenses online more often than glasses online. There are many difficulties with purchasing specs online.. first and foremost is the inability to see them on your face!

 

[thecgrblue]

People who are willing to spend $300 (or more) on a pair of glasses are completely different than people who want to go online and spend 7 bucks. Ever seen KHE talk about how the Ritz Carlton isn't worried about the Super 8 down the road? Same concept. Some people are cheap and want cheaply made products. Others would rather spend more for the better quality product that'll last longer. Know what I mean?

I totally understand the concept and believe it to be true. I'm just saying...why not run the Ritz with Motel 8 in the backroom, haha.

 

[stonegoat]

I see where the OP is coming from. Especially with non-specialty contact lenses, patients can just go to 1800contacts.com and purchase the SAME EXACT (no difference in quality) product that their optometrists are selling but for much cheaper.

As far as specs are concerned, I have seen offices that will generally offer quality frames but have a section that is more affordable. This way, patients can choose how much they really want to spend on their glasses. Even CHEAPER patients can go online, but soon realize that the quality of both frames and lenses (no coatings, heavy, etc) are very bad for $7. Add on all the stuff they want and the price goes up.

I notice that patients will purchase their contact lenses online more often than glasses online. There are many difficulties with purchasing specs online.. first and foremost is the inability to see them on your face!

I don't agree with this. I only offer mid to high-end frames and lenses. I don't bother with the cheap crap, and don't really want the type of patient that wants cheap crap in my office

 

[socal2014]

I don't agree with this. I only offer mid to high-end frames and lenses. I don't bother with the cheap crap, and don't really want the type of patient that wants cheap crap in my office

Maybe if you actually had other practices to compete against, and not be in the middle of no were, then I'm sure you would welcome the "cheap crap."

lol.

 

[stonegoat]

Maybe if you actually had other practices to compete against, and not be in the middle of no were, then I'm sure you would welcome the "cheap crap."

lol.

Actually, I have two independent opticians within a short walk from my office that offer the cheap crap already. Plus online vendors. Your posts continually demonstrate a high-level of ignorance regarding optometric practice. May I suggest another career path? ....perhaps you could manage a sunglass kiosk in a mall? Sounds more like your thing.

 

[socal2014]

Actually, I have two independent opticians within a short walk from my office that offer the cheap crap already. Plus online vendors. Your posts continually demonstrate a high-level of ignorance regarding optometric practice. May I suggest another career path? ....perhaps you could manage a sunglass kiosk in a mall? Sounds more like your thing.

I didn't know opticians were also optometrists. Is this the year 2050!?

Plus, I don't think you're in a position to give advice, seeing as you have virtually no OPTOMETRIC competition. I mean, I too could open up a PP in the middle of nowhere and be successful.

A friend of a friend told me that docs who can't handle competition usually seek to practice in rural communities. Was that the case, stonegoat? 🙁

 

[stonegoat]

I didn't know opticians were also optometrists. Is this the year 2050!?

Plus, I don't think you're in a position to give advice, seeing as you have virtually no OPTOMETRIC competition. I mean, I too could open up a PP in the middle of nowhere and be successful.

A friend of a friend told me that docs who can't handle competition usually seek to practice in rural communities. Was that the case, stonegoat? 🙁

There are two other optometric clinics in my community. Your friend is wrong. Docs who like skiing, hiking, kayaking , fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, and don't like traffic jams, excessive crime, and urban indifference practice in rural communities.

Do I like the fact that there are no commercial entities within a 3 hour drive? HELL YA!

My town has an active theatre, recreation complex, is 20 minutes away from world-class downhill skiing, and boasts over 70 restaurants and pubs, and is busling with American tourists....middle of nowehere??? I think not.

 

[Haystack]

My town has an active theatre, recreation complex, is 20 minutes away from world-class downhill skiing, and boasts over 70 restaurants and pubs, and is busling with American tourists....

....and has a thriving recreational herb and pharmaceutical sub-culture complete with burned out draft dodgers and 60 y.o. hippies.

There are certainly lots of positive things to practicing in more isolated communities like this from a lifestyle perspective if you're not into the urban thing. I might add, and this is the case in Canada and the U.S., that if you are willing to retire the O.D. with the primary practice in a rural community by paying him a fortune, you will have an automatic thriving practice that is 'fully booked' from day one and you don't need to pat yourself on the back for achieving this. That's because all your patients and their parents and grandparents always went there and they wouldn't dream of going anywhere else, especially because there are just not that many alternatives anyhow.

 

[stonegoat]

....and has a thriving recreational herb and pharmaceutical sub-culture complete with burned out draft dodgers and 60 y.o. hippies.

There are certainly lots of positive things to practicing in more isolated communities like this from a lifestyle perspective if you're not into the urban thing. I might add, and this is the case in Canada and the U.S., that if you are willing to retire the O.D. with the primary practice in a rural community by paying him a fortune, you will have an automatic thriving practice that is 'fully booked' from day one and you don't need to pat yourself on the back for achieving this. That's because all your patients and their parents and grandparents always went there and they wouldn't dream of going anywhere else, especially because there are just not that many alternatives anyhow.

You are correct...it's so much better to advise new grads to work in over-saturated urban centres and start their practice from scratch, and downplay the better options that may be out there.

This forum is FILLED with negative ODs (or would be ODs) who can't stand someone who is happy and makes a lot of money in this profession. I DO pat myself on the back. The practice I purchased and the practice I now run, have little in common. I've improved everything about it, but yes, buying an established practice is the best way to hit the ground running.

I'm done wasting my time on this forum.

 

[socal2014]

There are two other optometric clinics in my community. Your friend is wrong. Docs who like skiing, hiking, kayaking , fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, and don't like traffic jams, excessive crime, and urban indifference practice in rural communities.

Do I like the fact that there are no commercial entities within a 3 hour drive? HELL YA!

My town has an active theatre, recreation complex, is 20 minutes away from world-class downhill skiing, and boasts over 70 restaurants and pubs, and is busling with American tourists....middle of nowehere??? I think not.

Yes, those clinics are 3 hours from your practice, as you stated in another thread. That's a long ways away, so you still don't have much of a competitor, unless you count those opticians who only dispense.

So we agree then. Being successful in a rural setting is not a great accomplishment.

 

[Shnurek]

Hey Stonegoat where do you reside? Canada? Which part? I was just wondering because I also want to practice in a rural setting in the future. I like all those pros of living outside of an urban environment you mentioned. The only reason I am going to SUNY is because the in-state tuition is only 19k and I will graduate with no debt. After that, I'm getting the heck out of NYC lol.

 

[KHE]

I've seen plenty of rural practices with no competition around for miles completely die.

I've seen urban practices with competition off all types all around thrive tremendously.

Rural vs urban IMHO plays little into whether a practice is successful or not. It probably is slightly easier to succeed in an rural setting but it's faaaaar from any sort of guarantee.