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Eyecare Business

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The Pursuit of

Small eye sizes can equate to big sales-if you know how to target the market

By: Lindsey Aspinall Getz, Karlen
Eyecare Business September 1, 2007

The Pursuit of

Small eye sizes can equate to big sales—if you know how to target the market

By Lindsey Aspinall Getz

The fashion industry has clearly caught on to the fact that one in three Americans today is overweight; and the plus-size market has grow into a $32 billion business. But in the effort to compensate for expanding waistlines, there is a group that has been left in the shadows—petites. Neglect of the petite market has left small-sized shoppers browsing through the kids' section. Search any fashion board online and you'll find lots of complaints from smaller-sized women about finding clothes that fit.

Plenty of sporty frames are available for the petite athlete. Adidas' Supernova frame, from Silhouette, is specifically designed for small faces (shown above). Osprey from Costa Del Mar, wraps comfortably, even on narrow faces (left)

Amy, a New York City writer, even bases her blog, "Some Small Sense," on it. This 4' 10" woman records her mission to find clothes that will fit her 87-pound frame. "I live in New York City, a place you can find anything and everything," she writes. "So something as simple as clothing that fits me should be a cinch, right? It's the fashion capital of the world!"

STOCKING UP

While it's great to have a wide array of inventory that will cater to all sizes, it's not always feasible for the small business owner. "You can't be everything to everybody," says Jordan Rosen, OD, of Midlothian Optometric Center in Richmond, Va. "You simply can't carry every line and have to take a stand somewhere."

Luckily, more and more companies continue to add petite sizes to their already popular lines. Stephanie Seeley, optician at Young Vision Care in Glenwood, Iowa, says she works with several eyewear collections that carry petite line extensions.

In addition, though petites traditionally dislike being sent to the kids' section, lines coming out for youngsters with more adult-styling, take some of the pain out of browsing through tween and teen sections.


"Some of the frames intended for kids actually come with all the adult features, including sunclips," adds Seeley. "They have all the advantages of the adult version and, besides the smaller size, aren't even made to look like a child's frame."

Shown clockwise from top: bebe style Eye Liner from Signature Eyewear is currently the company's top-selling frame; Juicy Couture style Glamour Girl from Sàfilo Group proves that the most fashion-forward sunwear is available to petites; Calvin Klein style ck691 from Marchon is designed for small faces; Jones New York style J203 from REM Eyewear appropriately uses multi-laminate colors to eliminate the heaviness a zyl can give a petite face

Pleasing Petites
LOCATION. Take a look at where your merchandise is placed. According to Petite Personal Shopper, a website for the smaller set, many retailers place their merchandise too high for petite shoppers to reach. Many petites also complain that smaller sizes are often placed in a corner or hard-to-find area since they don't comprise the majority.
FIT. Petites' biggest complaint is finding items that fit. Many clothing manufacturers trim production time by cutting garments shorter instead of proportionately reducing all elements. Take the extra time to make adjustments and be sure that your patients' frames fit properly. They'll remember the extra care you took when so many other retailers wouldn't take the time.
STOCK. Petites on Petite Personal Shopper complain that the most fashion-forward clothes are often not available in smaller sizes and have to be special-ordered. Plenty of the most fashionable frames are available in petite sizes—make sure you have some on hand for your patients to try.
A History of the Market
■ The petite market gets some attention fin the retail marketplace, but products initially lack the style and appeal of other segments.

■ As manufacturers catch on that petites want trendy clothes, too, the market grows. By 2005, the sales of petite clothing reaches $10 billion, says NPD Group, a market research firm.

■ Stores begin to expand their petite sections. Banana Republic launches stand-alone stores catering entirely to petite customers.

■ While the petite market's demands were once being met, today, many argue the market is currently at a standstill. With the focus being shifted to the plus-size market, many petites feel they've been shortchanged.

FITTING CHALLENGES

Finding a frame that centers the eyes can be difficult, says Lisi Baer, manager, and Bette Thomas, optician, of Gilbert Eyecare in Norfolk, Va. For proper fitting, the frame needs to have a narrow bridge and a small eye size, the pair observes.

"I often steer my petite patients toward semi-rimless styles,"says Seeley. "On a semi-rimless frame you can extend the B measurement down so that you can get as many millimeters as you need."

Custom-made frames are another option, adds Rosen. Having frames designed specifically for their face—especially when they are accustomed to wearing things that don't fit right—may be worth the extra cost.

Finding a frame that doesn't overpower the patient is also crucial, add Baer and Thomas. Either a metal frame in a bold color or a thin plastic in a soft color would be a good choice for a petite.

As far as shape, Baer and Thomas say that round and tear-drop styles aren't a good match. Soft rectangle and oval shapes tend to work best for petite patients.

Bottom line? The key to success lies in the fit. If you take the time to find a frame that works, you'll likely gain a repeat customer. EB

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