Online Optical: Bitter is not Better

After receiving a third request today for a pupillary distance measurement, I feel the need to get a few things off my chest. But first, the most important fact that opticians need to face is this: online sales of eyeglasses are NOT going away.
As a licensed optician, the choice is mine. I can either take the emotional approach that 75% of my peers take:
Never give out PD measurements, period. Educate on the evils of buying online:
Unwanted prism, child labor, cheap materials, permanent eye damage, loss of employment for yourself and even unpatriotic support of communist countries! After the tirade, a cheerful "have a nice day."
Or, I can take a more cerebral/business building approach:
Yes, I will take your measurements because I want you to see well. Taking measurements yourself by looking in a mirror is horribly inaccurate. I ask questions, "Where are you puchasing your glasses?" "What type of frame did you see on their site that you liked?" "What is the total cost of the glasses?" " What kind of lenses are included for that price?" and "Lets pull up the website and take a look."
Then I tell them I will give them their pd only if they let me price an equivilant frame and lens package. I write the price on my business card, along with their PD. I'll also invite them to return with the glasses so I can inspect them to make sure they were made correctly.
Believe it or not, I've converted 10% of these requests into real sales. In fact, I had two customers return with the Warby Parker frames they purchased online to buy lenses at more than twice price from me! Why? Simple: Show respect for your customers, don't lecture, be knowledgeable about the different online offerings/shortcomings and most importantly, demonstrate your extraordinary customer service and passion for eyewear. It works for me.