I ain't even mad ... This company is in BOSS mode.



No idea if this guy is accurate but this was in the comments
I watched this clip and read all 207 comments and it's amazing to me how much the truth is overlooked. Yes, I am in the optical industry and I have some facts with me.

First, Luxottica is far from a monopoly. They ended 2011 with 2,822 stores. By comparison, Wal-Mart has 3,309 optical shops in their stores. If you take the top 10 retailers COMBINED (yes, Luxottica is #1 in $ sales), it still amounts to merely 24% of the optical market.

When it comes to frames, there are over 500 MAJOR frame manufacturers and thousands more when you count niche products, knock-offs, etc. Just like any business, the majority of the popular brands are controlled by a handful of companies like Luxottica, Safilo, and Marchon. However, if you walk into any independent eye care provider you'll see hundreds of frames to choose from -- and likely none or few will be Luxottica.

The reason Luxottica has such great visibility is that they own the best brands. The licenses for these brands are expensive. Also, their stores are in malls -- prime real estate that costs a tremendous amount in rent. The average person may walk past (or into) a Sunglass Hut dozens of times before even noticing their local optometrist. Their overhead costs are huge. Also keep in mind that there's a lot that goes into making frames and lenses. All those people you see in the video setting stones by hand and whatnot do not work for free. If you take the ingredients of a can of Coke, it probably amounts to about $0.01... but I am smart enough of a consumer to understand that the raw ingredients are not the major cost. There's distribution, marketing, advertising, and many other costs that go into the business... and then there has to be profit left over for the shareholders. This is capitalism at work. The bottom line is that people pay for Luxottica frames because they feel they are worth it, not because they are without choices.

I will also say that I work for a lab that processes nearly 900 pairs of eyeglasses per day. We deal with all kinds of frames from all over the world. Most frames are made in China now, just a simple fact of life... but Luxottica's frames are generally high quality. I have personally seen first-hand as someone who handles thousands of frames every week that there definitely is an element of "you get what you pay for". If Luxottica didn't keep high quality then the brands would not license their names to them, so Luxottica has a responsibility to these companies to protect the brand equity. There are no-brand frames that cost our customers less than $5 and you can tell. One side will be bigger than the other, or they fall apart, or the paint chips off, etc.

Consumers have choices. Sure, you can go into any drug store and buy a cheap pair of sunglasses for under $20. You probably are not going to get polarized lenses, or possibly not even UV protection or scratch protection. The frames will be cheap and flimsy, and they probably won't be very comfortable. But, if you don't care then that's fine. I buy jeans in the $30-$40 range. I know people who spend $300 on jeans, and I think that's crazy. I can see how people would think that about eyeglasses, too.

However, one thing I would preach is that when it comes to prescription eyewear in particular you really don't want to be penny wise and pound foolish. Think for a minute just how important your vision is to you. I would bet that if someone offered you $1 million right here, right now, for your eyeballs you'd probably turn them down. I know I would... and I would never trust an online retailer for something that important.

Lastly, I can't help but address some of the comments about Essilor, who I work for. This French company has done more to advance ophthalmic lens technology than all other companies combined. People have better vision today than ever, mostly thanks to them. I understand that people feel threatened when companies get large, but you need to look at why they got that way. Essilor is a leader in lenses because of their lens innovations. They are not evil, and they do not immediately remove lab management when they buy labs. In fact, they now look at the labs they buy as sources for talent. I sense some "sour grapes" on this message board and I think those people need to look in the mirror before blaming others for their problems.
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mx=headroom said:
How have you been here since 08 with 1000 posts and I have no idea who the fuck you are? To answer your question warby parker is dope and I would recommend them to anyone.
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heh, I guess I spend more time working than I do shooting the shit in forums.. Whenever I feel a little gay I stop in here.
 
So the company produces kickass designs for dozens of brands that millions around the world love. Nice job. They deserve kudos. That cunt should open up her own eyeframe company if she doesn't like it. It's not like the AMA that limits construction of medical colleges or taxi authorities that limit the number of taxis. As far as I know, anyone can open up an eyeframe design company.
 
I always wondered why there are so many opticians in this region of italy. I live like 70 kilometers away from that companys birthplace.
 
It's good to relize that I don't need to wear glasses and pay a lot. But the price is also dependant on the region and country. They are not that expensive where I live.
 
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