Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site u1100a.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!whuxlm!harpo!decvax!bellcore!allegra!ulysses!gamma!pyuxww!u1100a!joec 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.