Patient Sues Lenscrafters for Reportedly Withholding Pupillary Distance Request

"A Jersey City man alleges he was refused his eyewear prescription information and has filed a class-action suit. Blane Friest filed a complaint in May in the U.S. Superior Court of New Jersey - Essex County against Luxottica Group SpA, Luxottica USA LLC, Luxottica Retail North America, Inc., The United States Shoe Corp., Lenscrafters and John Does citing violation of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act, Truth In Consumer Contract Warranty and Notice Act and the New Jersey Antitrust Act." That's the beginning of a recent Legal News Line post. "According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Dec. 22, 2014, he purchased prescription eyewear from Lenscrafters. In July 2015, the plaintiff contacted Lenscrafters to ask about the pupillary distance used in the glasses that he bought, but the defendant allegedly refused to give him this information. The plaintiff holds the defendants responsible because the defendants allegedly refused to give an important piece of information to the plaintiff despite knowing about the regulation from the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs stating that consumers have the right to obtain vital information such as the pupillary distance from licensed ophthalmic dispensers." Read more.

500 More LensCrafters Popping Up in Macy's/Macy's Sunglass Hut's Going to More Than 1800

"The world’s largest eyeglass maker has signed a deal with the U.S. department store chain Macy’s to open up to 500 LensCrafters optical retail centers inside Macy’s," notes NewEurope. "Macy’s and Luxottica already have a deal that has put 670 Sunglass Hut’s in Macy’s department stores, with the number tripling in the last six years. The companies said in a joint release that the latest deal builds on that 'seuccessful relationship.'
The first LensCrafters will open at a Macy’s location by April, with 100 slated to open by the end of the year [2016]. Luxottica’s chief of markets, Adil Khan, said the optical industry 'has incredible growth potential in North America.'" Read more.

Luxottica Loses 2nd CEO in Almost As Many Months

“Luxottica Group SpA (LUX) slumped in Milan trading after losing its second chief executive officer in little more than a month, raising questions about the ability of the world’s largest eyewear company to attract top talent in the future,” reports Business Week. “The shares fell as much as 10 percent to 36.86 euros amid a flurry of analyst downgrades. The decline was the steepest on an intraday basis since Oct. 27, 2008. Citigroup Inc. cut its recommendation on the stock to neutral from buy. Enrico Cavatorta, who was appointed co-CEO last month following the departure of Andrea Guerra, plans to leave, Milan-based Luxottica said late yesterday.” Read more.

“The founder of the Luxottica luxury eyewear maker has taken over temporarily as CEO amid management turmoil that has tanked the company's stock,” according to an Associated Press report on Yahoo! News. “The company said chairman Leonardo Del Vecchio will handle executive duties until two co-CEOs, one for operations and product, the other for markets, can be appointed together.” Read more.

Two Luxottica Brands Win Clios

One month ago, two Luxottica brands picked up Clios. Ray-Ban's 2013 advertising campaign, "Never Hide," took the Grand Clio in the Out of Home (OOH) Category. The Lenscrafter "My Look Magic Mirror" campaign also went home with a Clio in the OOH category. The Clio Image Awards 2014 are part of the Clio Awards for the advertising, design and communication sector. Read more.

The marketing recognition pick-me-up came about a month before the rebroadcast of the October 2012 60 Minutes story about Luxottica's domination of the U.S. eyewear market. The only real difference between the June 2014 and October 2012 60 Minutes story came with the close. It mentioned that Luxottica and Google teamed up to design and market specs with Google Glass, ancient history in the world of digital journalism. Click to read about DVF and about the Google-Luxottica "partnership."

LensCrafters Launches New Advertising Campaign

LensCrafters will encourage consumers to stop and marvel at the vital role that eyes play in their emotional life, personal identity, and overall health with a new global marketing campaign, entitled “Take a Stand for Quality Vision Care.” The program reportedly will focus on what LensCrafters is calling its passion for celebrating the eye and acting as a partner in total vision care—the synergy of trusted eye care and exceptional eyewear. The campaign will begin in the U.S. Sunday, February 2. It will prompt the viewer to reconsider the eyewear retail category and who they trust to care for their eyes. It will inspire the public to seek a qualified partner who understands the importance of the eye, not only to vision, but also to the entire life experience. The campaign features striking imagery paired with bold, provocative language that pulls at the emotional essence of eyes and the preciousness of sight. It expresses the experience of staring deep into someone’s eyes and getting lost, finding their humanity and gauging their spirit. Read more.

FL LensCrafters Loses $580,000 in Sunglasses to Thieves

“A shady theft ring that targeted eyeglass retailer giant LensCrafters made at least $580,000 from illegal sunglass sales on eBay within 13 months, authorities said,” says the Sun-Sentinel. “Officials said the group of thieves — most of them from South Florida — hit LensCrafters across the state with distraction thefts, pocketing pricey sunglasses valued as high as $1,000 each. They have conducted at least eight heists in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties and in Central Florida. The first store to be hit was in Boynton Beach on Nov. 18, 2012.” Read more.

Man Sprinkles Ashes Near Eye Store

"Police say no charges will be filed against a grieving man who sprinkled some of his dead fiancee's ashes near an eyewear store, causing a Florida mall to be evacuated and shut down for two hours," reports the Miami Herald. "Sarasota police Lt. Pat Ledwith says a man on Tuesday sprinkled some of the ashes in places that were special to the couple. Officials say the woman had a connection to LensCrafters in the Westfield Southgate Mall and because of that, the man released some of the ashes there on Tuesday." Read more.

Soldana Becomes the New Face for LensCrafters

"Zoe Saldana has lent her name to a few campaigns including Calvin Klein underwear and Avon, but now she can add specs to her list as the new face of LensCrafters for the eyewear brand’s new myLook campaign," reports the New York Times.

LensCrafters Taking on China's Retail Eyewear Market

China Daily reports that "after the aggressive purchase of three Chinese optical companies for an estimated 600 million yuan ($95.24 million) since it came to China at the end of 2005, US-based LensCrafters is launching a new concept store under the name of LC+.The outlet will be the flagship store of the giant high-end retail chain owned by Luxottica Group S.p.A., the world's largest eyewear company, whose most famous brands include Ray-Ban, Persol and Oakley Inc. It also makes sunglasses and prescription frames for designer brands such as Chanel and Prada. Luxottica also produces sunglasses branded Burberry, Polo Ralph Lauren, Stella McCartney, Tiffany, Versace, Vogue, Miu Miu, Tory Burch and Donna Karan. Read more.

California Opticians Can't Offer Eyewear and Exams from Same Store, Say Three Judges

"The 9th Circuit on Wednesday upheld California laws that prohibits opticians from offering examinations and eyewear in the same shop," according to the Courthouse News Service. "Under the state's business codes, only optometrists and ophthalmologists can offer their patients such one-stop shopping. In a federal complaint, the National Association of Optometrists and Opticians, LensCrafters and Eye Care Centers of America said that the law violated the commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution, which gives Congress the sole power to regulate interstate commerce. U.S District Judge Lawrence Karlton in Sacramento found the laws discriminatory, but a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit disagreed and reversed in 2009." Read more.