Since more people are riding bikes, climbing cliffs, and skiing mountains to stay active, the market is becoming flooded with sport-specific sunwear.

Yet, because this eyewear has technical features that require a knowledgeable salesperson to explain the benefits, merchandising them demands a strategic plan. That's why I decided to go under cover to find out which retail channel does the best job selling sport-specific sunwear.

I snooped around at five different retail channels: A sport specialty store, a department store, a sunglass specialty store, an independent optical store, and an optical chain store. Then I rated each store from one to five (one being the lowest score) in three categories: service, visual merchandising, and breadth of assortment. The retailer with the highest total score got my unofficial best performance award. To remain fair, we kept retailer names anonymous. After all, the stores were clueless to the fact that I was there to expose the good, the bad, and the ugly. And as sneaky as I tried to be, I was forthright about one thing. I really do play tennis. That said, I found it surprising that not one sales associate recommended sport sunwear that was engineered specifically for tennis. Instead, all the sales associates offered me general sport styles that usually had polarized lenses and snug-fitting frames.

Another point to note, most sales associates did not utilize the top-down selling technique. Most often, they opened their pitch with, "all our sunglasses are 20 percent off today." Why not stress the technology behind the product? That way, consumers can justify spending full price once they understand how that technology will enhance their performance. The price for a pair of sport sunglasses averaged out to be $75 to a $100 at every retail channel.

When it came to assortments and visual merchandising, the sunglass specialty store got the highest scores. As far as service goes, the optical chain and optical independent stores won out.

And who won the best overall performance award?

Read on to find out.

Sport Specialty Store

Location: A suburban mall

Although sneakers and sporting goods take center stage at this retail outlet, store planners were smart to place a glass-enclosed display case full of sport sunglasses adjacent to the cash register to encourage add-on sales. The assortment was small but focused. There were three popular sport brands that had a synergy going with the other branded merchandise on the sales floor. The display was under lock and key since the sunglasses were priced between $65 and $135.

I had to flag down sales help. When a sales associate finally offered assistance, I explained that I needed a pair of sunglasses for tennis. He gave me a clueless look before pulling out an $85 style that he claimed sold best at the store. I told him that's very nice, but is it good for tennis? He pointed out that the wrap silhouette offered total coverage and the light weight of the frame made it comfortable. So I tried it on and commented that it didn't look good on me.

The sales associate then randomly pulled out a couple of other styles from other brands without giving me any information on the technical benefits of the lenses. I asked him again if there were any styles engineered specifically for tennis? He said no; they don't carry anything like that. Then he locked up the case and left. Let's hope he does a better job selling sneakers.

Report card

Service: 2
Visual Merchandising: 3
Assortment: 3
Total Score: 8

Department Store

Location: New York City

At this store-dubbed the largest department store in the world-looks can be deceiving. The retailer dedicates a significant amount of space to sunwear. In fact, the square footage is probably comparable to many optical stores. There were about 12 display towers, each showcasing a specific designer brand. The problem was, I saw only one tower with a brand that is noted for sport-specific sunwear. When a sales associate approached me, I told her I was looking for sunglasses to play tennis. She promptly offered up a very snazzy-looking pair of $75 designer wraps. I asked her if they had polarized lenses. She replied, "The polarized lenses are for driving only. They're not for anything else. The polarized lenses are only for driving sunglasses." My response was, "but what about all the polarized sunglasses advertised for boating and fishing? What about all these high-tech sunglasses I see in magazines for sports? Don't you have anything like that?" She replied, "No. We don't have any high-tech sunglasses. We only have fashion." And she was right about that.

Report card

Service: 3
Visual Merchandising: 3
Assortment: 2
Total: 8

Location: Strip mall in a small city

When I walked into the independent optical store, I was greeted politely by a salesperson who pointed out that all plano sunglasses were 20 percent off. However, the assortment was a bit skimpy. Brands were mixed together in no particular order along a wall. The sales associate did recommend polarized lenses and even utilized a visual aid to show me how polarized lenses cut glare and enhance visibility. To the sales associate's credit, this was perhaps the most powerful tool that helped me realize how polarized lenses could indeed help improve my tennis game. The problem was, even though the lenses were great, I couldn't find a frame that looked good on me. So I left convinced that if I could just find the right frame that also had polarized lenses, I would be fully equipped to maximize my performance on the courts.

Report card

Service: 5
Visual Merchandising: 4
Assortment: 3
Total: 12

A Sunglass Specialty Store

Location: New York City

When I arrived, the store was very busy and even though sales help was slow in coming, the tremendous sport sunwear assortment combined with clear signage helped lead me to what I was looking for. Freestanding cases had placards that identified specific styles described as having the 'best value, best polarized performance, best coverage, best protection and best new style.' When a sales associate approached me, I gave her my story about needing tennis sunglasses. She immediately lead me toward the premium priced polarized lenses and said simply, "These are the best." Since they were $150, I asked her why they were so pricey. Without answering the question, she led me to a lower priced collection. Then I spotted a style that I knew was engineered specifically for tennis and asked her if they would be appropriate for tennis. She just said no. So I asked her again what made the premium-price polarized lenses so expensive. At that point, another customer said they wanted to purchase a pair of sunglasses and she said she would get right back to me. Since she wasn't willing to explain what I would be getting for my money from the premium polarized brand, I left the store.

Report card

Service: 3
Visual Merchandising: 5
Assortment: 5
Total Score : 13

Optical Chain Store

Location: Suburban mall

As soon as I walked through the doors, a sales associate was there to greet me. When I told her that I needed sunglasses for tennis, her first question was, prescription or non-prescription? After telling her I wanted plano sunglasses, she lead me to a long wall covered with sport sunglasses that were arranged by brand name. Even though the signage wasn't as well thought out as the sunglass specialty store, the assortment looked impressive. Selected brands were 20 percent off. She explained that if I chose a metal style, spring hinges would be best and that lenses should be polycarbonate to prevent breakage. She also pointed out that brown lenses would provide better clarity so I could see the ball more clearly.

I asked her about polarized lenses, at which point she lead me straight to the same premium brand that had been pushed on me at the sunglass specialty store. But this time, the sales associate utilized a visual aid, which explained in simple language why these polarized lenses were superior and what I was paying for. I finally found exactly what I was looking for: 

Report card

Service: 5
Visual merchandising: 4
Assortment: 5
Total: 14

The Bottom Line

What I discovered from this secret shopper exercise is that a store can offer great service, but if there isn't a broad assortment of product to choose from, it won't matter. The customer will learn about the technical features from the salesperson, then buy somewhere else. Similarly, a retailer can have enticing visual aids and a huge assortment, but there still needs to be a knowledgeable salesperson on hand in order for the store to clinch the sale.

The purpose of this exercise is to make you more aware of the weak link at your own business-whether it's service, visual merchandising or assortments. Once you've identified which category needs improvement, you're on the way to becoming a winner in the sport sunwear retail arena. EB