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From: joec@u1100a.UUCP (Joe Carfagno)
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Re: Eyeglasses why so expensive
Message-ID: <777@u1100a.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 5-Feb-85 09:30:53 EST
Article-I.D.: u1100a.777
Posted: Tue Feb  5 09:30:53 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 10-Feb-85 03:44:12 EST
Organization: Bell Communications Research, Piscataway, NJ
Lines: 26

[Yum, yum, eat 'em up]
Having a spouse in the eyeglass business, I thought I'd ask her
and her boss "why eyeglasses are so expensive".  Here's what I found:
 
While the unit cost for a pair of frames are low, there is a
fair amount of overhead (rent/lights, the kilobucks for the lens
grinder and other opthalmic equipment).  This equipment is generally
required by law. The business is not "regulated" as one "net-goer"
mentioned, but the optician must be licensed by the state (at least
in NJ), so this makes the optician "skilled labor".  Add in the cost
of advertising, etc., and you have a high per-unit additional cost
which must be added to the price of the frames (and some profit is
only fair).  Don't forget business insurance, as well as salaries
and benefits for employees.
 
The markup in this business is no higher than others, so why single it
out. Next time you go to JCPenney, etc., and see a $150 suit marked down
to $49 (just one example), think again about markup.  Or maybe the next
time you see a doctor for 5 minutes and get charged $40.  The question
is valid, but I don't think a complaint is legitimate. Believe me, they aren't 
making alot of money in that business, and the traffic through the store
my wife works at is pretty high.
 
Joe Carfagno      {allegra, ihnp4, pyuxww}!u1100a!joec
p.s. remember, opinions like mine above are like belly-buttons
(substitute your bodily orifice of choice), everybody's got 'em.