Gearing Up

Simple ways to put some serious retail power behind your sports eyewear selling

By Lindsey Aspinall

Sunwear is often purchased as an impulse buy, and it may seem to sell itself without a strong presentation or merchandising. However, second-pair selling can be easily ramped up with the right angle�and promoting sports sunwear is just the slant you need.

One key to selling sunwear as a second pair is diminishing the notion that sunglasses are only an accessory or a strictly a fashion choice. Inform your patients that sunwear does triple duty as a medical device, sports equipment, and style statement.

Year-Round Protection

Discussing the dangers of UV rays, no matter what the time of year, can help make sunwear as a second pair sale a no-brainer. �The world is led to believe the only time they need sunglasses is in the summer,� says Lois Anderson, co-owner of The Optical Shop in Brookings, S.D., �I tell them that the winter is actually their worst enemy.�

There are plenty of opportunities to sell winter sports eyewear such as sunglasses or goggles for snowshoeing, skiing, or snowboarding. The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) reported there were a 58.9 million national skier/snowboarder visits in the U.S. last year, a new record.

Eyewear as Equipment

Sports sunwear should be consistently positioned as a necessity when discussing how it improves performance. �Always stress the importance of polarized lenses for glare,� says Lisa Wessel, Spectrum Eyecare in Jamestown, N.Y.

�We have a lake nearby and a lot of patients own boats, go fishing, or do water sports, so having a sunglass that can allow you to look into the water without the reflection of the sun is a very strong selling point,� she adds.

Timing your advertising on the cusp of an upcoming sports season will help put the idea in peoples� heads that they need the right frames to go with their sporting gear. �We advertise a few times a year to hit the pre-fishing or pre-hunting seasons,� says Anderson.

Banish Gender Biases

Getting out of the mind frame of associating particular sports with gender can also improve your selling ability. For instance, don�t assume women shoppers wouldn�t be interested in a polarized sunglass for fishing. Plenty of activities are still believed to be �men�s sports,� Before you jump to conclusions, consider the following findings.

The National Sporting Goods Association released a recent survey revealing there are more than 3 million women hunters in the U.S., accounting for 16 percent of active U.S. hunters.

In the 2007 Annual TRIPADVISOR Travel Trends Survey, more women and men said they planned to participate in outdoor activity this year.

According to an Outdoor Industry Foundation study, there are nearly 3.5 million women who fly fish in the United States�up by 200,000 since last year.

The Palmero Viejo from adidas Originals, by Silhouette, is a sporty, chic option for stylish athletes

The Rule of Three

Where you display sunwear is crucial. Keeping it in several different areas is a great way to position it for a second pair sale. Multiple locations also ensure that customers can�t possibly miss seeing it. Keeping product spread out in various display areas can be made easier by deciding on a number of locations you will commit to keeping sunwear stocked.  �We stick by the rule of trying to position sunwear in at least three different areas of the store,� Anderson says.

�We don�t have all our sunwear in one place,� says Wessel. �We have it spread out along with our ophthalmic frames, placed in key positions. You can be standing with customers helping them pick out ophthalmic frames and can make an easy segueway into talking about sunwear.�

Adds Anderson: �If you put sunwear in just one area and the customer never ventures over there, they will never even get a chance to see it.�  EB

Safety eyewear and sports sunwear both come in a variety of shapes, colors, and styles, making them cooler than ever to wear. Photo in sidebar: Leader style

T-Zone from Hilco. Above, top to bottom: Hummer style H365 from Signature Eyewear; Nautica Drifter from Marchon; and Arnette style AN04077 from Luxottica Group. Below: Street Series style Slik from Wiley X

Second Pairs for Safety

There is another important factor that should always be brought up when selling second pairs�safety. Each year, hospital emergency rooms treat nearly 40,000 victims of sports eye injuries, according to Prevent Blindness America. Consider the following points from �Moms Team,� a publication that creates awareness for parents about youth sports. Also, consistently address the importance of protective sports eyewear�especially with parents.

Eye injuries are said to be the leading cause of blindness in children.

Sports are the major cause of eye injuries in school-age children, with up to 16 percent of injuries occurring to children under the age of 16.

Objects that are smaller than the eye socket cause the most devastating eye injuires (i.e., paintballs, ski poles, and sticks).

The most effective treatment for sports-related eye injuries is protection. Wearing protective eyewear may prevent as many as 90 percent of all eye injuries.