Its a great idea, Mike. And its a risk. But any great idea is risky. I say "go for it"! In the meantime, here are my thoughts:
Have you considered attempting to partner with some of the larger onliners, such as Zenni or Goggles4U? Perhaps they would be willing to use you as a satellite, supplying you with samples of their stock and/ or providing you with a discount code for your customers. You provide the eye exam and then have several computer terminals set up for your customers to use to order their glasses. You provide assistance with ordering and adjustments for an additional fee... Or perhaps you have package deals, such as Eye exam only (they go home and order their own) for $49, Eye exam and glasses ordering assistance (you assist the customer with their order) for $59, and Eye exam plus eyeglass ordering (you do the ordering) for $69. That way, the customer can decide how much they want to be involved. If you set up shop in Minnesota, I'd be your customer for life! :-) -Kathy On Oct 20, 10:18 pm, "Chuck Knight" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > OK, let's start at the beginning. All businesses come down to service...or > even more fundamentally, selling. So, please define for me what you are > selling. > > What is your product? And, what is its pricing structure? What costs will > be incurred in the process...for example, if a pair breaks while you're > adjusting them, do you rely on the warranty, or do you just eat the cost > yourself? > > On a different but related note, will you work a deal with the online > retailers? Given the volume you'd be sending them, a commission would not > be an unreasonable arrangement, perhaps even *on top* of what you're already > charging. Many of them already have affiliate links...some small amount of > money is made through this list, through affiliate links with the various > retailers...that money goes, very openly and transparently, to Ira. > > -- Chuck Knight > > On Mon, Oct 20, 2008 at 10:51 AM, powrwrap <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > It's an interesting idea. You'd need to have volume to make it work. > > How will you advertise? More important, WHAT will you advertise? > > Ultimately, word of mouth advertising would drive the business but it > > would take months or years to build that up. > > > I'm envisioning a $125 - $150 package deal (single vision lenses) more > > for progressives. Eye exam, consulting, and you or an assistant > > helping the customer to choose frames and then placing the online > > order for the customer. Post sales support would be adjustments. You > > could have a good selection of frames at your store and then have the > > close equivalents quickly referenced online. > > > I think most people are leery of ordering glasses for themselves. > > Someone with expertise would remove that fear. I think people would > > gladly pay someone to do the technical aspects of ordering glasses. > > I'm a satisfied Zenni customer, I'm accustomed to getting progressives > > for around $50. But if I was clueless as to online ordering of glasses > > and someone offered me an eye exam and a pair of progressives for > > $150, I would jump on it. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Check us out at the oft-updated http://www.glassyeyes.com! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "GlassyEyes" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/glassyeyes?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
