AMDG75 Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 Read on the Autopia Forum that Optimum may be discontinuing some products. I have attached the link below. Is this true? Can someone speak to this? Does this relate to pro-installer lines, or all lines? This is not the first mention of changes at Optimum on detailing forums, so wonder if there is some truth to this. I have been addicted to Optimum products for years, as I'm sure just as others on this Forum are secondary to how well the products work. If things are changing at Optimum, please inform your loyal customers. If these are rumors, then please put them to rest. Thank you. https://www.autopia.org/forums/car-detailing/191798-optimum-polymer-technology-discontinuing-products.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron@Optimum Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 Optimum has discontinued Polish ll, Compound ll, and Poli-Seal because the Hyper Twins and GPS had replaced them with more modern technology. Optimum Finish frankly never sold well and Hyper Polish with a finishing pad provides almost the same results. The Optimum Clay Towel ran into trademark issues and we had to pull it. There have been substantial out of stocks, some can be blamed on the Corona Virus, some on warehouse turnover, and the rest due to increased sales. OPT has been running sales that have boosted movement at the same time ingredients and packaging became scarce. Not the best planning, but who could have predicted Covid 19? Dr G is back to working full time, we're staffing up in the warehouse and in the market place, and thanks to you, sales remain strong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heijneker Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 Whoo Whoop! Full steam ahead! Shame about the clay towel, really wanted to try that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TroyScherer Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 With all the changes in company Reps and mentioned or rumored changes coming to the dealer network / product lines which this original post was referencing. I keep hoping that it means moving back towards the Opti roots of making everything available to the true enthusiast customers that pushed them along in the early stages of the coating wars. Is there any chance or talks in making the coatings and other products that have been "Pro Only" available to the masses? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron@Optimum Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 I don't see Dr G selling the Pro line of products to enthusiasts anytime soon. That business has been healthy, in spite of a multitude of competitors, and I know he's concerned about misapplications in a social media world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron@Optimum Posted June 30, 2020 Share Posted June 30, 2020 If you call OPT, they can sell you a clay towel (just can't advertise) - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMDG75 Posted July 1, 2020 Author Share Posted July 1, 2020 Appreciateupdate/clarifications. Understandably, when a junkie hears rumors that his supply may dry up, he panics 😱 Obviously, I am pleased with Optimum products. Had Opticoat Pro professionally applied 6 yrs ago, and it is still holding up well. Better in fact than the Ceramic Pro applied 2 yrs ago to my wife's car. So pleased, that I have become an evangelist for optimum products, spreading the gospel to colleagues who share the clean car fetish. As mentioned, I have been addicted to ONR for some time, and more recently the instant detailer/enhancer, tire protection and the hyper seal products. Having a detached, unheated garage in NE Ohio, makes it challenging for a simple enthusiast who only hand washes our cars to keep things clean - but have found that a couple of 5 gallon buckets of warm water + ONR remains effective in upper 20 degree weather. So please---don't discontinue these. If you do, give us fair warning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heijneker Posted July 1, 2020 Share Posted July 1, 2020 I sure can speak for that junkie part haha. I've been on vacation for a couple of days now, cleaned the cars the night before the trip, and layed down some fresh Opti-seal, OCW and Tire Bond. It was so relaxing after a day of stress. After about 500 km on the cars with some rain-driving, I'm REALLY itching for some ONR right now..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TroyScherer Posted July 4, 2020 Share Posted July 4, 2020 On 6/30/2020 at 4:21 PM, Ron@Optimum said: I don't see Dr G selling the Pro line of products to enthusiasts anytime soon. That business has been healthy, in spite of a multitude of competitors, and I know he's concerned about misapplications in a social media world. That is slightly disappointing to hear but not a surprise. I was able to use the early version of Opti Coat before it was Pro. I think it might have been Opti Guard at the time. It really was one of the best coatings out and available. The real deal though is that it wasn’t hard to apply and it really worked. Part of me as a weekend enthusiast believes that while the “pro only” model sounds great the truth is that it is the polishing and prep that really matter in the final look. The perfect example was I was at a dealership yesterday and they now have a another well know brand and are offering it with a 5 year Ultra warranty. The issue is that the car they had it on as a show car was less than perfect. As a hobbyist I am always disappointed in these types of situations when I feel like I would and could do better and would rather do the work myself. The other thing I see is very little talk about the “pro only” offerings online. So you are counting on the shop to do all the selling. I would think getting it into the hands of enthusiasts and getting discussions going on would drive sales more. in the end I guess I really wish there was a way to get these products and use them for my own personal use. Ou would easily be able to tell since it would be 1 or 2 sales a year on the coating. Food for thought I guess, hoping that there would be a way to make things happen where everyone wins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setec Astronomy Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 20 hours ago, TroyScherer said: The other thing I see is very little talk about the “pro only” offerings online. So you are counting on the shop to do all the selling. I would think getting it into the hands of enthusiasts and getting discussions going on would drive sales more. in the end I guess I really wish there was a way to get these products and use them for my own personal use. You would easily be able to tell since it would be 1 or 2 sales a year on the coating. Food for thought I guess, hoping that there would be a way to make things happen where everyone wins. I don't know about the shop doing all the selling, there is a dealer/applicator listing on the Opti-Coat website; of course, the potential customer has to find the Opti-Coat website. I too would love to be able to get the pro coatings, but I think you are missing/forgetting the reason for the way things are, whether you agree with the premise or not--when OC 2.0 was available (which originally was said to be the same as the pro version, later said to be "watered down"), authorized pro installers felt they were getting undercut by "gypsy" installers who could easily buy a syringe that said "Opti-Coat" (2.0) on it and give a customer "Opti-Coat" with no warranty for a lot less than the authorized installers. So the decision was made to make the "retail" product less capable and call it something different (Gloss-Coat). I know it's frustrating when for the most part in the internet age, it's easy to get "professional" products for your personal use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TroyScherer Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 4 hours ago, Setec Astronomy said: I too would love to be able to get the pro coatings, but I think you are missing/forgetting the reason for the way things are, whether you agree with the premise or not--when OC 2.0 was available (which originally was said to be the same as the pro version, later said to be "watered down"), authorized pro installers felt they were getting undercut by "gypsy" installers who could easily buy a syringe that said "Opti-Coat" (2.0) on it and give a customer "Opti-Coat" with no warranty for a lot less than the authorized installers. So the decision was made to make the "retail" product less capable and call it something different (Gloss-Coat). I know it's frustrating when for the most part in the internet age, it's easy to get "professional" products for your personal use. I do remember that and the confusion/frustration it caused. I thought the naming convention was a large part of the problem and the did eventually fix that. I was a part timer and fought hard to get the proper pricing for the coating and in doing so I only did a handful of applications because I wasn’t willing to undercut the price and value. Over the time I have come to think that “Pro Only” is a bad model. Look at mechanics, painters, IT (computers), designers, and many other professionals. I can go buy the same tools, parts, hardware they do and use them all if I am willing to pay the money and put in the time and effort to learn how to use them properly. I have seen good and bad paint jobs from “professionals”. And I have seen so really good or bad details from professional detailers as well. I now look at it and think that a company like Opti could sell the Pro Only products directly to consumers if they wanted to and then could control the process a little more to help make them feel comfortable. They would have a full list of people and applications if they wanted to offer the warranty. But if it were me I would only offer the warranty through the pro with the insurance backing and just the coating to the ProSumers that put I the effort to get it. I don’t think many would go out of their way to order directly from Opti when then can just do bulk orders from the wholesale warehouse sites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron@Optimum Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 Obviously you are welcome to your opinion, Troy, but this is Dr G's business model and he makes the call. I've felt that some "Pro" products should be sold to the public and have suggested it, but have not been successful. I can tell you David has some strongly felt opinions on his business model, and is not one to change easily. Some of his experiences with Opti-Coat 2.0 influence his mind set... TroyScherer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tug Bankert Posted July 7, 2020 Share Posted July 7, 2020 If you offer pro products to everyone they can no longer be titled pro. Boosting sales is not the goal when offering something like a permanent coating like pro. It is literally clear coat in a syringe. The standard will not be held by enthusiasts who install it who are not selling it for a profit. I can guarantee that enthusiasts will leave high spots galore and it will look terrible. Pro is only regarded as something special because it is not available to all. The minute it becomes at hand then it looses its place of honor. No Soap 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron@Optimum Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 Several observations - in retrospect naming Optimum's first retail ceramic Opti-Coat 2.0 was a mistake, made customers think it was the better product. That's why we reformulated and renamed it Gloss-Coat. Another problem was unscrupulous installers selling 2.0 as the Pro product at lesser prices and devaluing the whole line. Optimum is NOT a marketing company and our reputation is word of mouth, forums, and other social media. That in part explains why we separate the pro from retail. As Tug stated, Pro products require better prep and more care in installation. Bad applications of Pro Plus and other coatings could easily result in a social media nightmare. And while the people who post on this forum are talented enough to handle pro products, I talk to others every day who would struggle and most likely fail. Finally, Dr G has a loyalty to the Pro Installers who've supported Optimum through the years and keeps some products for their use to help them succeed. habs33 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tug Bankert Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 Bad installations is exactly what would happen. Good point, Ron. When you designate something as pro and limit those who can get it funnels out the people who just want to play and the serious pursue it with a vehement passion. No Soap and Ron@Optimum 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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