The options seem endless. Disney characters like Mickey, Minnie, and Donald. Looney Tunes, Flintstones, Marvel Comics, and Fisher-Price. Even the World Wrestling Federation has joined the fray. The bottom line is that kids' eyewear sporting the brands of characters popular with children are demanding more and more board space these days. 

"We do a tremendous business," says Dennis Chaiken, owner of Direct

 Optical in Farmington, Ill. "We probably have 800 kids' frames on display and about 10 percent of our board space is dedicated to kids. I sell an average of 100 pair a day in here and of that amount about 10 pair are kids' frames. The brand gives a line a lot of good credentials."

Child or Parent?

One point that dispensers make about branded children's eyewear is that they feel the brand often appeals much more to the parent than to the children. And through experience, dispensers have learned that many children prefer not to wear the characters or logos.

"Disney is a great example of this," says Katheryn Schramm, owner of three A Child's View optical shops in Orange County, Calif. "The kids didn't want the Disney characters on the temples, so the manufacturer took them off. It was really the character doll on the counter that got their attention, not the product with the characters on the temple." She notes that this is true mainly for kids aged nine and under. "Those 10-plus don't want Bugs Bunny frames anyway." [Schramm is the author of "Dispensing Pediatric Eyewear," published by Butterworth Heinemann.]

James Albright of Albright Opticians in Lancaster, Pa. agrees. "Many manufacturers have moved it to the inside just for branding," he says.

Style vs. Price

When it comes to design in these branded frames, there are two directions. On one side, kids want frames that mimic adult styles. "They are looking for product that has cool shapes for little kids but in the colors that their parents are looking for, too," says Chaiken.

Then there are the kids who want to be kids. According to Schramm, "It's colors that sell. They all want colors, bright colors."

Since the character brands offer something for each style group, there is something for everyone. The only remaining issue is price. Packaging seems to be a popular option.

Albright Opticians runs a special on all Fisher-Price frames with a prescription for $99. That includes singlevision and bifocal lenses in CR 39 
or polycarbonate. The pricepoint range for all kids' eyewear in the dispensary is $58 to $200.

Direct Optical also offers a package deal for certain children's frames, including several licensed brands.

"We have a one-price package for the frame, polycarbonate lenses with ultraviolet and scratch coating with one-year warranty for $59," says Chaiken. "And within that selection, I have a lot of brand-name products."

Role of Display

Many dispensers agree that a separate children's section within the dispensary can create a very successful business. And most say that it is particularly important to separately merchandise the branded character eyewear with point-of-purchase materials for maximum exposure.

"We have a separate section devoted just to kids with platforms for them so they can be at the same level as adults to try on frames," says Albright, who also has stuffed animals and toys in this section.

The same philosophy is seen at Direct Optical. "Everything is on tables or on the wall," says Chaiken "I don't like displays that keep frames locked up." Ensuring proper display and signage for character brands plus utilizing stuffed animals and toys from the manufacturers can lead to increased awareness of the special merchandise you have to offer in the dispensary. And with all the product to choose from, there is certainly a brand, character, and style to suit every child's (or parent's) desire. EB