Today, a famous brand name on a pair of glasses or sunglasses is certainly not enough to become successful. Mondottica Netherlands proves it as it has to close its doors at August 1st. Despite a great brand package with names like Cacharel, Ted Baker, Hackett, Pepe Jeans and Converse (from the popular All Stars), the company isn’t able to make it in The Netherlands. It used to cooperate with Click Company which closed its doors some years ago already and now it’s done for Mondottica as well. A few years ago I visited the Ted Baker headquarters in London. Nothing more exciting and inspiring as the interior and the vibe at this “ugly brown building” but already then I noticed that Mondottica wasn’t able to translate any of the brand’s features into its eyewear. And the same is true for all the other brands of the group. Unfortunately Mondottica is not the only one. For a range of “brands” in our industry it is exactly the same. Licenses without “soul” and without any added value doesn’t have a future in a world where the consumer looks at either the price or the authenticity. In addition and even worse, they harm the authenticity of the stores which sell them. Because stores are like brands. Those who don’t want to compete on price but refuse to put money and energy in brand and store experience neither distinguish themselves with an authentic, with love and care composed collection, the matching look & feel, the fun at the work floor, a superior know how and most of all a smart communication of all this, don’t have a chance to survive in this heavily competitive retail environment. And for all those opticians who think after reading this; this is not for me because I do all these things he mentions…just have a look at websites and Facebook pages of real nice stores like www.hutspotamsterdam.com or www.huntingandcollecting.com. Don’t forget to check their amount of Facebook friends which illustrate their popularity and aren’t bought with easy and cheap give-away promotions. These stores are prototypes of the independent stores of the future and so, of the independent opticians of the future as well. Have fun with what you are doing, show passion, know why you choose distinctive collections and share your fun about it with your clients who all become your friends. The optical industry offers many opportunities. I’m curious who grabs them first.
