Prices

Our prices are ridiculous! We are expected to "make plan" by selling overrated lenses, and pushing for anti-reflective coatings and special order jobs for each customer.

FRAMES
Our frames are so overpriced, and most of the time I wish I could tell the customer to just buy it online! I do understand that brands like Versace and Burberry are going to run more expensive, but their prices are so incredibly high (~$220-$325), and that's not even counting brands that my store doesn't carry (tiffany, chanel, etc). Those frames aren't made any nicer than normal priced frames. But that's just the high-end stuff, and if someone wants to shell out the money for it, then that is ok. What irritates me is our regular priced frames, and what the company is trying to do. We started getting new frames in such as "Lucky Brand" and trying to sell them for the same price as Anne Klein's and Vogue. I don't think our store has sold more than 3 of our new frames, because they are unattractive and customers don't like them.

I am all for the company getting cheaper frames to attract customers. That sounds like a smart business plan, to bring in the demographic of customers who fall just under our average price range. But no. These new cheap frames that we have, are REGULAR priced!

Not to mention, that our CLEARANCE section is such a joke. It would normally be a somewhat decent incentive to sell a multiple pair, but the only frames anyone can find in there are 10 year old frames that are speckled grey, perfectly round, and plastic. If we are lucky, we will have one decent frame in there. And if it is broken in the lab, then what? Nothing, the customer has to pick a new one out from one of the remaining SHITTY frames in the pile. Hell, our Gift of Sight frames are better than our clearance frames. Talk about customer service and "delighting the customer". What kind of sales idea was that, sounding like we want to "service" our fucking customers. I guarantee the last thing someone will walk out of our store with, is an orgasm. It'll be a kick the nuts with the prices.

The other big beef I have with new policies, is with shipping between stores. It is NOT ALLOWED anymore, and if we need it down to ensure customer satisfaction, it will sure as hell take some time. The GM has to send out an email asking our regional manager if it is "ok" that we get a frame shipped from another store. This is after we call the other store and see if they the frame. Sure, our warranty covers breakage for 1 year, but if your frame isn't in the store anymore, you are forced to pick out an all new frame. It'd be fucking pissed as a customer because for some peope, finding the right frame is very difficult. I know that my pair of glasses is the ONLY pair that has ever looked good on me (and I've tried on a lot while working there).

We can't do shipments to bring in a frame for a customer, instead we tell them to DRIVE to stores up to an hour away to find another frame. What kind of CUSTOMER SERVICE is that? Big old Luxottica can't afford to pay shipping on a small package containing a frame?

I'm sick of hearing about delighting the fucking customer, because when it comes down to it, we can't do anything to help them.

And that is just the rip-off you get when you buy a frame. It if breaks within that one year warranty, you still aren't guaranteed to get that same frame at half price. Not even if a store in our region carries it, you are either going to drive your ass down to another store, or are going to pick out an all new frame. My advice: check online, buy it for half the price, and come into our store to have us change out those lenses for you!

Next post: Lenses, Sale Incentives, Repairs

Introduction

I am a current employee at Lenscrafters, and I am tired of how we treat customers and force them into paying for things they don't need. I am also tired of this company and how horribly they treat their employees.

So I created a blog to vent my frustration at such a horribly run retail store.

I have worked for the company for over 2 years, and I have hated every moment of it.