Invisible Retailers Unite To Make Themselves Seen
The Age
Sunday June 12, 1994
AUSTRALIA'S independent optometrists are the invisible retailers.
Banned by government regulations from using any form of advertising, optometrists have been forced to find other ways of marketing their products and services.
Melbourne-based optometrist, Mr John Jennings, said that optometrists used to be believe advertising was the only way to combat the competitive volume of optical dispensers such as OPSM, Budget and Vision Express.
``We have not managed to get the legislation changed, so we have had to find other ways of marketing ourselves," he said.
About four years ago, Mr Jennings and some colleagues in the Australian Optometrical Association joined forces to form Australia's Independent Optometrists. Today, the AIO has 225 members.
Mr Jennings is its Victorian director.
``We wanted to provide our customers with all the benefits offered by the chainstores," Mr Jennings said.
``AIO can achieve savings by buying and marketing as a group, which are then passed on to the customer," he said.
As well as bulk buying, AIO aims to promote the personal service its members can provide and their importance as health care professionals.
``Eyecare is not a commodity, it is a health issue. For example, a proper eye examination is one of the only ways of detecting diabetes," Mr Jennings said.
As a group, the AIO, whose administration is financed by a levy on all members, has been able to engage international eyecare marketing consultants to advise on developing the business.
More recently the group has bought a range of eyecare and eyewear products that are exclusive to their members.
Although unable to advertise, members of the group can be identified by the AIO green and grey stripes on their shop fronts and the packaging of their eyecare products, such as contact lens solutions.
The marketing group also uses eyecare health-related brochures to distinguish AIO members from chainstore retailers, Mr Jennings said.
© 1994 The Age
