Why eyeglasses? Well, the primary reason that it's eyeglasses is timing. My eyeglasses broke and I was looking for new pair and came smack dab up against Luxottica's near monopoly of the eyeglasses industry in the United States.
Secondly, I *NEED* to be able to see. I need eyeglasses. I didn't consider eyeglasses to be an optional or luxury item. I don't *NEED* to buy perfume (some may argue), jewelry, or eat at a cafe. I look at these things differently. The soda I pay $1.50 for is only "worth" a few cents, but I don't need it -- and my body really doesn't. It's a vice. As an life-long eyeglasses wearer, I'd only had prescription sunglasses twice for a total of 3 of my 30 eyeglass-wearing years. I think I was luckier than most. The reason? The overpriced nature of the eyeglasses market. Most importantly are the last couple of reasons. You can't write about things you don't have a passion for. I get a dozen email a day from people telling me their stories and how thanks to the information on the site, they can see or that their children can now see through unscratched lenses. An email just the other day from a mother almost constantly upset with her child for losing or breaking his glasses, has solved the problem by ordering 4 pairs for the price of the last single pair. Less stress. It all started with a blog post on my personal site that had an average daily readership of less than 100. Twenty-four hours later and 50,000 viewers and I realized that my research could be useful for others. Two-and-a-half years have passed since that point and many, many thousands have had their eyes opened. Thanks. - Ira On May 31, 11:09 pm, clarity <[email protected]> wrote: > Dear Ira, i am also a cheapo at heart.I hate paying too much for > anything and i apreciate your motivation here. > However i wonder WHY you have decided to single out he optical > industry. > I have worked in 3 industries in my life, one being optical. > The mark up on glasses was no higher than any other retail item i have > ever sold. > In fact (in Australia) many items have a higher markup than optical > goods, including anything you buy to eat at a cafe, and also > alcohol.But of course people LOVE to eat and drink so no complaints > there!! > Seems people are happy to pay mark up on things they WANT but not on > things they need. > So my concern is this, that there is an alternate motive (financial) > for this site. > > For if you are really just trying to help the comsumer why not make > more sites exposing more rip off industries. (which in truth would be > almost 100% of industry). > My entire life when i buy a product i pay the mark up.Jeans, > cosmetics, cars, perfume, jewelry. ETC. > Now the industry i am currently working for is almost under attack for > over charging.Yet every time i go into a shop i pay the same %age of > mark up that the store i work in charges. > So why should we as an industry feel bad? > What REASON is there, knowing what i KNOW about other industry mark > ups for me to feel like i have "done something wrong, unethical or > immoral. > Please explain as i am having a battle in my own mind. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Check us out at the oft-updated http://glassyeyes.blogspot.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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
