What about the Chain Stores?

With over 18 years in the optical industry, I've seen them come, and seen them go. In recent years, the emphasis of the chain store is not for a quality product, but for "the cheapest product at the cheapest prices"
But is this the best for your eyes? Lets explain the operation of a few of the bigger chain stores, and let you be the judge...

1. Specsavers:

The new kid on the block. Advertised repeatedly as an "Independent" optical chain, when in reality nothing could be further from the truth.
Specsavers has operated in the UK for over 20 years, selling "mass produced, no-name" products to the public. They are franchise stores which, while physically 'owned' by the optometrist or dispenser who purchased the franchise, have strict rules on who they must purchase their stock through (ie. Specsavers head office), and who they can't (ie. everyone else). Thus, they are anything BUT independent optometrists! Given that a large percentage of their gross profits, not to mention all their wholesale goods, go to their franchise head office in the UK, forget buying Australian Made and owned at Specsavers!

They tout a whole range of "benefits", from fixed price specs to "specs as cheap as $59". However, lets look at these products and specials in a bit more detail:

$59 specs: A pure garbage product. If you want to waste your money, do yourself a favour and make a contribution to the Red Cross, or the Salvo's, where your money can do some real good. It's a pipe dream gimmick designed to lure you into the store. Would you buy a new car for $2000? Course not! You'd have to be suspicious of the quality. So, take a bit of good advice, and don't even consider touching $59 specs, because you'll get exactly what you pay for...rubbish!

European Designer frames: Not European DESIGNER LABEL frames, mind! These are Chinese produced frames, with "European designer" names that Specsavers have created, to give the impression of a true European brand label designer product. They cannot be bought anywhere else, for the very simple reason that no one else has ever heard of the label, and no one else would really want to touch it!
Seen a Gucci, Prada or Calvin Klein frame (or, indeed, any other REAL designer frame) in Specsavers? You never have, and you never will. Would you buy a Gooci, Praba, or Kelvin Klane frame? Course you wouldn't! The name itself means nothing...it's the real company BEHIND the name that matters, and not some designer names an executive in London coins up to sell Chinese frames as "European designed"!

Pentax lenses: Now, THIS is a goodie. Do a web search on google for "Pentax Lenses", and see the association with "Pentax cameras". Not really very close, is it? Even better, try and find a link to their head office? Hard, isn't it!
In Australia there are many high quality lens manufacturers selling to the optical retailer. Hoya, Rodenstock, Carl Zeiss, Essillor...to name a few. But who in Australia has heard of "Pentax"? This is Australia...not Asia or the UK. . See if there is a direct link to Pentax itself? In my Australian Dispensing Guide, which lists every lens currently available to independent optometry in Australia, Pentax is not featured...whatsoever. No one else in Australia sells Pentax lenses, because no one else in Australia has ever heard of them. You see, Pentax is a proprietary name under which Specsavers source their lenses, generally from Asia. It has absolutely no direct affiliation with Pentax Australia, who primarily sell cameras and camera accessories.

So, why buy off Specsavers?
Damn good question! They tout themselves as being a cheap store, with easy to understand pricing so you "know what you're getting before you start". But that simply doesn't work in real life. Personally, I access hundreds of different types of spectacle lenses, from a dozen or more suppliers. This allows me to specifically customise the choice of the most suitable lenses to you, personally...only AFTER testing your eyes, and knowing exactly what you need. If it was as easy as choosing what options you want on a pricing board, you could probably buy your specs at McDonalds!
Would you like fries with your specs? Only 3 pounds extra!

So, I put a proposal to you. Get a price at Specsavers, then bring your prescription and lens choices to us, for a quote. Once you add up all the overpriced options they offer, they can beat us on pricing only on the cheapest options, and only then because they sell the cheapest quality at that price.

2. OPSM/Laubman and Pank/Budget Eyewear/ Precision Eyewear...(and probably some I missed, since there are so many):

Same company, different name. Or is that names? I tend to forget, since there are so many.

All the above stores are owned by Luxottica, a huge multinational Italian frame manufacturer, who have been actively soaking up chains of optical stores across the world for years. All profits go overseas, and the bulk of the frame sales are also made from overseas suppliers. Benefits to Australia...very little.

So, what's the benefit of Luxottica products? Sure, they have a great range of frames to choose from...IF you're willing to pay the hugely inflated prices for them. Same with their lenses. In fact, given an opportunity, I'd put my own business directly next to a Luxottica-owned store any day, since we beat them on pricing before even offering a discount!

Do me a favour, please! Get a price at a Luxottica store, whether it be OPSM, Laubies or Budget...then come to me and get a REAL quote. Most people who do will never go back. No one likes paying too much for spectacles.

3. Optical Superstores:

Frames up to 70% off retail!! Free specs with little or no out of pocket expenses to MBF and Medibank Private clients!
Sounds too good to be true!!
COURSE it is!

The standard Medibank private rebate for spec frames is $60, and MBF isn't much better. What sort of frame do you REALLY think you can get for $60?? Do you REALLY believe you can get a designer label frame for $60?

Oh, you can, in fact. Provided you don't mind buying deleted models, with no warranties, and no spare parts availability in the event of damage or failure of a component. I mean, come on! It amazes me how gullible someone needs to be, to believe that you can get a designer label product, at 70% off the normal prices, and have it be current stock? It probably COSTS double what they sell it for, and you can be assured they're not giving it to you for less than it costs, while making no profit! Sure, if you want deleted, old stock, the go right ahead. Just be very, very careful with it, since it'll be the only one you get :)

However, to their credit, Superstores ARE Australian Owned. They might sell cheap, deleted stock at vastly inflated markup prices, which the subsequently discount heavily, but at least the profits stay in Australia, unlike Specsavers or OPSM/Luxottica.

OUCH!!! All this sounds terrible!!

Do all these things sound horrifying?
Well, optics is a business like any other. It's profits that keep us all operating.
The truth hurts sometimes...but not as much as the hurt of buying cheap, garbage glasses.
But that doesn't mean you have to be ripped off, getting a good pair of glasses.

So, our advice is simple:

1. Deals that are too good to be true, probably are (This advice works well in everything in life ;).
2. Ask for the specifics of all manufacturers warranties on frames, lenses AND coatings BEFORE purchase, since it's too late afterwards.
3. Don't be fooled with flashy advertising slogans such as "European designed". They mean nothing.
4. Shop around, and compare prices and quality. Again, cheap frames generally mean cheap quality. But by no means does super expensive pricing mean high quality.
5. Buy Australian! Our economy needs supporting HERE, not profits going to the UK or Italy. Independent optometrists are Australian owned, and locally operated, so support the businesses that support the local economy. Independent optometrists!

Our biggest business builder isn't advertising, or discount promotions, or the like.
Our biggest business builder is the word of mouth praise and referrals from our other existing happy clients.
That's what we're here for.
Happy, satisfied clients.