News

Rethinking Delivery

New Approaches to Eyewear Channel Launched at VEW

In order to stay competitive amid changing consumer expectations, and to provide better efficiencies for the ECP, optical is thinking outside the box when it comes to delivering eyewear. At Vision Expo West last month, several new Rx delivery programs were launched, indicating a shift toward looking outside the traditional channels to provide quicker service, specialty products, and/or attracting the online consumer.

CONCIERGE SERVICE. QSpex officially opened its newest Optical Service Center in New York City, bringing the total number of centers to four. The company also announced plans to open 12 more in major U.S. markets and select European locations within the next year, beginning in January 2016. The centers allow local ECPs the ability to offer their customers same-day Rx service—and even concierge service. Patients have the choice of picking up their eyewear back at their ECP’s office/shop or having it delivered by QSpex via an ABOC optician to their home or office within hours (what QSpex calls its “fast-TraQ” service).

[Shamir Insight opened a similarly regional microlab last year, InoTime, using conventional processing equipment and offering three-hour turnaround. For info, see April, 2014 EB.]

Using a combination of proprietary touchless transfer technology and a manufacturing process using monomers and molds, QSpex can fabricate premium Rx eyewear in hours versus the days or weeks it can take in conventional Rx surfacing and fulfillment, the company notes. QSpex also announced a “blu-bloQ” monomer that removes nearly all of the HEV portion of the light spectrum.

INFO: QSPEX.COM

(l-r) QSpex’s Danny Cruz, Ledessate Infante, and CEO Brett Craig open the QSpex Optical Service Center in New York City

ONLINE LENS SALES. PFO Global launched what it is calling “the industry’s first disruptive online model” that will allow consumers to pick out and prepay for their lenses. The company’s new JustTheRx.com website has the goal of “reseeding” clientele lost through online eyewear sales back through the ECP’s office.

The program hopes to direct consumers shopping for online eyewear to its “Just the Rx” site, at which they can receive information on and choose their desired PFO-branded lens material, AR coating, and proprietary lens designs; pay for them; and receive a voucher to take to their ECP to pick out frames. The ECP will use the voucher at PFO Global’s “Get The Rx” website and order the lens through PFO’s lab using P-O-W and other frame measurements taken at the office.

The goal of the program is to provide ECPs with full exam fees and frame revenue from consumers who might otherwise opt for online exams and/or eyewear purchases. ECPs will also receive $25 for each single vision order ($50 for PALs) as a “thank you” for participating in the program.

INFO: GETTHERX.COM, PFOGLOBAL.COM

PFO Global’s Rudolf Suter, left, and Jeff LaPlante announce the launch of their new lens ordering website

FRAME/LENS. Digital Eye Lab (DEL), a division of ABB Optical Group, launched EZConnect, a new service for ordering a complete pair of eyewear from the lab. For the introduction, DEL has partnered with Silhouette International in support of the launch of Silhouette’s new adidas performance Rx program.

Through the program, ECPs will use an online portal to order eyewear and digital Rx lenses at once, eliminating the need to send frames to the lab. The frames stay in the optical, ready to be coveted by the next consumer.

According to Silhouette, the goal is to eventually add its optical frames to the EZConnect program as well.

INFO: DIGITALEYELAB.COM/ADIDASRX, 866-866-867

(from left) Silhouette’s Jan Cory, Digital Eye Lab’s Scott Pearl, and Silhouette’s Heinz Pichler and Barry Jones celebrate the launch of EZConnect

LICENSE LINEUP

Marcolin Group and Moncler S.p.A. have signed a worldwide exclusive license agreement with luxury brand Moncler for the design, production, and distribution of men’s and women’s sunglasses and eyeglasses, as well as ski masks for men, women, and children. The license will be effective from January 2016 until December 2020, with the possibility of a renewal for an additional five years. The launch of the first eyewear collection is expected by March 2016.



Marni and Marchon signed a new global licensing agreement that will see to the development, production, and distribution of the Marni Eyewear collections under the design and creative direction of Consuelo Castiglioni. The two companies plan to launch the new men’s and women’s lines in Spring/Summer 2016, with a full range of styles for both optical frames and sunglasses.



Safilo Group and Alpargatas, the Brazilian footwear, clothing, and accessories company and owner of leading global brands, announce their new global havaianas eyewear license running up to 2021 and renewable upon mutual agreement. The collection will be designed, developed, manufactured, and distributed by Safilo, starting from the second half of 2016.



Brando Eyewear has announced a license agreement with Alyson Magee. The license can run until 2022. The first collection of sunglass and optical frames will launch in the fall of 2016.



Match Eyewear announces a 10-year global license agreement with Judith Leiber to develop both ophthalmic and sun collections for Judith Leiber Couture as well as the newly created JL by Judith Leiber. Both collections will be distributed in the optical channel next year.

Laura Bush Named Person of Vision

Laura Bush

Prevent Blindness has chosen former First Lady Laura Bush as the recipient of the 2015 Prevent Blindness Person of Vision Award. The award will be presented at the Prevent Blindness Person of Vision Dinner on Nov. 5 at the Drake Hotel in Chicago.

The award recognizes an individual for outstanding leadership and dedication in the field of vision and eye health. Bush has been a longtime champion of children’s literacy, and she is an advocate for the importance of healthy eyesight to help a child succeed in school and beyond. The chairperson of the 2015 Prevent Blindness Person of Vision Committee is Mary Blankenship Pointer, chair, Prevent Blindness Finance Committee. Individual tickets for the event may be purchased for $500 or $5,000 for a table of 10. Event sponsorships are also available.

INFO: 312-363-6014, SCORBETT@PREVENTBLINDNESS.ORG, PREVENTBLINDNESS.ORG/PERSONOFVISION

NEW TRANSITIONS AWARDS

Transitions Optical, Inc. has announced the opening of a new Transitions Innovation Awards Program for 2015, with five new categories recognizing both individuals and companies from the U.S. and Canada for their innovative efforts to support the Transitions brand over the past year.

Open to independent ECPs and practices, optical industry professionals and educators, national and regional retailers, and optical laboratories, the Transitions Innovation Awards categories include:

2015 Transitions Brand Ambassador (Individual-only award)

Best in Growth Achievement

Best in Training

Best in Marketing

Best in Patient Experience

“We’ve evolved our awards program to better credit our partners for the innovative approaches and strategies they are taking,” says José Alves, general manager, Americas, Transitions Optical. “Our hope is to showcase efforts all of our partners take to unite, educate, and serve our customers and each other.”

Nominations for all Transitions Innovation Awards will be accepted online (at TransitionsPRO.com/Awards) through October 31. To enter, candidates must complete a nomination form and detail their 2015 efforts in the following evaluation areas: commitment and inspiration, goals, plan and creativity, and impact and results. Nominees are welcome to enter more than one category and can self-enter or can be nominated by a lab, lens manufacturer, industry colleague, or other industry organization representative.

Up to three finalists in each category will be honored during the 2016 Transitions Academy, held February 3-6 in Orlando, FL, where the winner will be announced. All finalists will be invited to attend the Transitions Academy event, and winners will receive funds for an employee celebration and marketing and public relations support.

INFO: TRANSITIONSPRO.COM/AWARDS, CSERVICE@TRANSITIONS.COM