Is anyone here familiar with the Nike I.D. program? You can pick from a set assortment of Nike shoes. You are then allowed to pick the base color, trim color, sole color, etc and you finish it off with a personalized I.D. stitched into the heel.

I have looked into building my own Nike's for a while now and just the other day when I went back it hit me. Why hasn't Okaley initiated a program like this for regualr consumers such as ourselves.

It would be so easy. Give us 10 frames, say, the M, Fives, Half Jackets, Monster Dogs, Juliets, Zero, Unknown, etc. Fill it out with wires and ladies styles. Give an assortment of frame colors to choose. Some stock colors and some exclusive to the program. Lens color choices and Metal Icon color choices. Earsock and noise piece colors choices when applicable. We then get to select from the set frames and colors and build our very own sunglasses. Then charge a 20% markup from the normal price of a comparable pair to make the program worth having. Then they could have a label created a la the Ducati line badging the glasses as part of this line.

It sounds so simple and so worth doing. If you haven't seen Nikes go to www.nikeid.com and build a pair. You don't have to buy what you build.

So, does anyone else think this a good idea? I like this better than having exclusive lines like the Stretchline. Here's for hoping Oakley knows about us by now and maybe reads this for some thoughts.

Phil Barket (kingphilbert - 7/30/2004 1:30:34 PM)
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Phil, that is a splendid idea. I remember taking a peek at Nike ID a long time ago and thinking it was great. There are so many color combinations that look great but are not offered by Oakley.

Who on the Forum has contact with Oakley Reps? I think that would be a good way to get the message to Oakley.

Ed Chiu (eddyc - 7/30/2004 3:26:23 PM)
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I have put in a call to my Cali Boys, my oakley guys, and spoken to one of the best sources possible. This program would be great and can be done. The problem is THIS, Oakley is unorganized. Oakley takes MONTHS to place all its items on the net, which is the place for virtual window shoppers. Oakley has looked into it, but Nike has already done this and if any of you know the feud between the companies, lawsuits and lost of money can change hands via Nikes legal assault team, LAT collection!
I will make sure the thought gets addressed however im sure they have already thought about it.

Jeff Ogden (K2snow - 8/4/2004 4:42:05 PM)
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Well, I do know that Oakley offers it's Build-To-Order (BTO)program, including Racing Jackets, Pro M Frames, M Frames, and Half Jackets. Choose standard frames and lenses (I guess you pick the socks too) and they custom build. The only problem is I'm not sure who offers this. thenorthernwave.com let you BTO Half Jackets, and they have a wicked selection of lenses (I think they have everything, incl. TiClear and VR28 Blue Polar). For those in the UK rubensmenswear offers it for M Frames as well. I think most reasonably large local dealers can also do this for you.


E C (EastCoast - 8/5/2004 7:06:31 AM)
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All Racing and Water Jacket were BTO since they had arrived on the scene. I never knew anyone offered the M and Half for the program though. This is really all Oakley needs to do, brand it under Build To Order. The I.D. Program was just an easy way to relate it. Let's hope for the best and maybe we can all be building our own signature Oakleys shortly.

Phil Barket (kingphilbert - 8/5/2004 8:48:01 AM)
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I guess that's why I had to add a million color combos to the database. It seemed odd that every frame color had every other lens color, when I've never seen those on the official site.

Dann Thombs (Dann - 8/5/2004 9:17:01 AM)
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This thread has been sent to Oakley and they are looking into it and said they would give me a response in coming days. Yes the BTO program does exist, however a closer program would be the collegiate collections. 3 frames, many colors of lenses, frames, icons. THis is the start!!!

Jeff Ogden (K2snow - 8/5/2004 4:36:50 PM)
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Hmm, I wonder if Oakley knows about this site. You'd think with the money they put into market reasearch, someone would have tripped accross it. Here's hoping for an extended BTO program anyway.

Dann Thombs (Dann - 8/5/2004 6:00:07 PM)
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Dann... The answer is this. Since i found this site, i have brought it to some of the best people in Oakley. ALL of my in house people know about it as well as the elite. I have made sure that they look at it once a week, atleast, to keep upto date on our desires and thoughts as CONSUMERS! Thanks for making it....

Jeff Ogden (K2snow - 8/6/2004 1:43:44 AM)
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Wow, great work!

(Isotope - 8/6/2004 4:30:20 AM)
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Jeff, thanks for making the Oakley folks aware of The Oakley Review. I hope they are impressed with what Dann has created here, and the incredibly loyal following that we all have for Oakley products.

Here's an idea: Have the members of this Forum be real-world new product evaluators. I'd do it for free as long as I got to keep a sample or two :-) We all have great opinions here (both positive and negative), so I think Oakley would get some good, honest feedback.


Ed Chiu (eddyc - 8/6/2004 8:21:53 AM)
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I figured something like that would be useful, since we're the ones putting down the cash for every pair, unlike the sponsored athletes who get free pairs to promote. The main reason I started this site, was to get real world opinions of the glasses and other products, whether they be nice reviews, or honest ones letting others know of a real bomb.

So in short, yes I hope we all get a complimentary pair :P

Dann Thombs (Dann - 8/6/2004 8:30:43 AM)
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That would be a great idea put they already have something like this. They have their contracted athletes who try things out and give their thoughts as well as their infield sales reps. Each rep is given a demp product and told to wear it, show it, abuse it. Then they are suppose to build an evaluation of the product and get it back to HQ

Jeff Ogden (K2snow - 8/6/2004 12:55:28 PM)
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yeah dogs - I could be the asian or international Oakley tester- see how my environment affects em hah

Tre Go (trego33 - 8/6/2004 1:06:37 PM)
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I don't know about everyone else, but I've never seen a sales rep. I wear my Oakley's everywhere I go... work, to the mall, on stroller walks with my kid :-). Seems like people like us would be able to show the products off to a wider audience.

That said... how does one go about becoming a rep? My job is pretty dull.

Ed Chiu (eddyc - 8/6/2004 2:39:45 PM)
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Phil clued me in on this a while back, and it's pretty near impossible. You have to be an ex-athlete or inherit the job from another rep by doing groundwork below him. Or something like that.

Dann Thombs (Dann - 8/6/2004 2:53:04 PM)
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I will support Dann on that. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE. Ive worked for an account for 4 years and love my job, however ive interviewed and been approached numerous times about a REP position, but Oakley hand picks their guys. Im next in line somewhere and will definetly keep trying, but i know this company very well, so hopefully i get my chance.

Jeff Ogden (K2snow - 8/6/2004 9:57:34 PM)
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All good news. I had wondered if Oakley knew about us or if any reps were amongst us. Let's sit back and see whay happens.

Phil Barket (kingphilbert - 8/8/2004 8:45:25 PM)
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I don't have any expectations, but it'd be cool if they took notice.

Dann Thombs (Dann - 8/9/2004 9:50:37 AM)
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Yeah, Jeffs right Oakley are very disorganased, well maybe not disorganised, but not in any hurry, last time i was down in Icon house (Oakley UK HQ) the guys weere just sat there in an office (Similar to in matrix 1 with the dividers just throwing an american football around to each other, then i went up to the RX lab and they were all playing LAN unreal tournament.

In regards to BTO, as long as you are prepeared to pay the extra £150 (Sorry not sure what that is in dollars) you can ge almost any frame with almost any lens cos you just get what is called a planeu RX, i.e. a prescription pair without a prescription. that way you can get any frame that oakley do RX's in (Which is most) with any non-red lens (they don't offer any of the red lenses: +red, VR50, Ruby, Ruby clear etc in prescription)

Ryan Arbabi (Ryan - 8/17/2004 7:22:52 AM)
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Jeff,

If you don't mind me asking, what do you do and what is your connection to Oakley? Your choice of words sounds very sophisticated. "contacted my people, let the elite know, etc"

sygyzy (sygyzy - 8/24/2004 3:48:37 AM)
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I work for a large account in Florida but talk to Oakley people everyday. I also do work for many baseball and football players so i have the athletic reps too. I have been trying to get in with Oakley forever. Tough cookie to crack!


Jeff Ogden (K2snow - 8/24/2004 5:47:01 PM)
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