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Some optical chains, unlike many other dispensers, have chosen to commit themselves to the sunwear business in hopes of garnering some of the profits from this growing category. By most accounts, the strategy is working and they are turning out to be formidable competition for department and sunglass specialty stores.

Even those that are not putting their full energies into sunwear are acutely aware that they could increase their business by doing so. "It's an area that definitely needs some attention to be successful," says Gary Sheer, president of Alvernon Optical, which has seven locations in Arizona and New Mexico. "We all get busy and don't always promote as well as we should."

In general, however, many say their assortment, merchandising, and business with sunglasses is strong. "It's an important category, and its important to merchandise our stores more in a fashion way than an optical way," says Robert Marc, owner of Robert Marc Opticians, with five locations in New York City. "Even for the folks who are buying optical frames and not sunwear at the time, it's important for them to see the fashion trends in an exciting way. The fact is that sunwear has grown over the years and nowadays it's a major part of the business both from an image and a fashion standpoint."

The Strong Points

Within the sunwear area, chain retailers say that plastic frames are selling particularly well, as are rimless styles. Additionally, most say that tinted lenses have themselves become a new category for sales.

Marc calls tints "the biggest change over the last year. Whereas tints used to be considered a specialty item-or used for merchandising in the store-now the customer will buy a tinted lens as a first pair as opposed to third or fourth."

In fact, Marc says that eyewear with tinted lenses account for about one third of his total frame business-optical frames and sunglasses account for the remaining two thirds.

At Alvernon Optical, polarized lenses are what's creating the buzz. "From the glare standpoint of driving, it's a sin not to mention the features of polarized pro-ducts to your customers," says Sheer. "We have displays and demos at each dispensing desk. If any dispenser does not have those, I would encourage them to talk to their reps and seek them out." In other niche areas, many chains point to sports sunwear as a winner. "Sports eyewear has been our best bet in the past year," says Jenny Phillip, senior buyer at ShopKo, which has 160 optical locations (in its 163 stores), throughout 16 states from the Midwest to the west coast. "That's what our traffic is interested in-sports sunwear."

Even the high-end fashion mix at Robert Marc Opticians finds a spot for sports sunwear-they stock the Oakley and Maui Jim lines. "We need to offer that option to consumers," Marc says.

Alvernon Optical also does a big business with Oakley frames, and Sheer is a proponent of having his staff wear and become familiar with the features of the sports frames they are selling. "Unless you wear some of the products yourself, how can you boast or brag about them?" he asks. "I am a polarized progressive wearer-for fishing-and it doesn't take me much to sell them to a customer."

Prescription sunwear is another niche that chain retailers say is particularly strong. "We do a huge business in Rx sunwear," says Marc. "And sales in prescription tints are through the roof. It's been a huge boost to business because people feel that it's another thing they want to have in their wardrobe."

Finally, some say that clip-on sunlenses are the fastest-moving segment of their sunwear business.

"Probably about 10 to 15 percent of our frames come with clip-ons," says Phillips. "But we also have a program with Hilco that has a sun clip which will fit most any frame. They have three to four generic shapes in a variety of eyesizes. We are also investigating a custom clip-on program."

Strategic Planning

Even if you stock the right product, have the appropriate merchandising, and know your customer, it is still essential to have the proper strategies for selling. One strategy for increasing patient awareness of the options is to involve the doctor at the point of the exam to discuss products available.

"I find it helpful to have a specially-designed prescription blank on which the doctor can check off which areas he's discussed with the patient and that he recommends," says Sheer. "Then the dispenser can say, 'The doctor has checked off to discuss sunglasses more in depth with you.' It definitely gives the issue more weight when the doctor talks about it with patient."

Some even choose to follow the strategies laid out by other chains, capitalizing on their advertising and marketing powers. Sheer says Alvernon has been successful in following LensCrafters' $99 special for prescription sunglasses. "You don't need to copy the other chains, but you can certainly use their ideas to formulate packages in your own style."

Price Points

And, of course, everyone has his own price strategy. Some shoot for the high end and some for more moderate prices, all depending on their customer.

"Everyone in this business needs to examine their demographic and what other items their customer is buying-such as accessories-in what price category," says Marc, whose prices range from $250 to $500 for sunwear. "It's important to realize what's going on around you." With locations on Madison Avenue in New York City's upscale shopping district, Marc knows his customer is willing to pay a higher price for an exclusive specialty frame.

Sheer says his assortment ranges from $50 to $300. His locations carry some unbranded product, but he believes that in sunwear you also definitely need the brands. Therefore, his stock includes Revo, Ray-Ban, Boll�, Oakley, and Costa del Mar.

And at ShopKo, the assortment ranges from $30 to $150. "The median is $80," says Phillip. "We are concentrated on branded product-like Serengeti, Boll�, Gargoyles, Harley-Davidson, Uvex, and L.A. Gear."

Looking to sunwear's future, the outlook on the chain side of retailing is quite positive.

"I think sunglasses as a category should grow," says Sheer. "People certainly have the money now because the economy is good. If you're not doing it, it's because you're not selling it up."

"If optical retailers are not doing sunglasses or these other niches like Rx sunwear and tints," says Marc, "they are losing out on so many things that could be increasing their business. And I'm afraid to say that if they don't consider adding those categories to their frame mix, they will lose their customer." EB

Erinn Morgan is the fashion and market editor of Eyecare Business. For commentary on this article and thoughts on other issues affecting chains, contact her at Eyecare Business, 535 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 104-A, Norwalk, CT 06854-1722 or e-mail erinnmo@aol.com.