On the Rise

Color kicks in, consumer confidence rises—things are looking up for the frame market

By Amy Spiezio

It's only been three years, but for many the boom days of 2008 seem like a long-lost dream. Instead of buying full wardrobes of eyewear, patients are seeking multi-purpose pairs. Instead of going for the high-end end options, value eyewear has entered the forefront. But all is not lost for dispensers. Consumers used the grim bust years as an opportunity to reassess their financial situations and create a firmer economic stance that includes less debt and a new look at buying.

With their new budgets at the ready, consumers are cautiously stepping back into the retail arena, and while unemployment is still a major economic factor and the recovery is at a slow pace, economic analysts indicate that there is a recovery underway.

How can one tell that recovery is on the way? Read it in the eyewear trending today.

RETRO UPDATES: When times are tough, fashion leaders head back to their closets to see how they can make their previous seasons' favorites fresh again. Add to that the “Mad Men” craze and you have all the makings of a history lesson in optical come to life.

But lately, those styles in optical are moving forward. What was once a duplicate of a historic frame is now beyond an exact reproduction. Designers are instead using retro as a reference or a little wink as they introduce more tech-savvy remakes with shape alterations for a more flattering fit in materials such as titanium and high-quality acetate.

COLOR: The United States is notorious for its love of eyewear in the trinity of colors: Black, brown, and tortoise. But color options are expanding as more buyers find hues such as blue, green, and purple in budget-friendly styles. Since buyers are sticking to the very conservative basics in their clothing, they are seeking more zing in their accessories, including their eyewear. Particularly if it's priced right.

TECH: While today's technology may have pragmatic roots, these new offerings are providing fresh talking points that move patients away from pricepoint focus and into other considerations. Practical and technical advances include adjustable and changeable temples and lenses that are far more functional than earlier attempts. FB

Getting Confident

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which measures consumer opinions on the economy, increased in February. The Index now stands at 70.4 (1985=100), up from 64.8 in January. The monthly Consumer Confidence Survey is based on a probability-design random sample and is conducted for The Conference Board by The Nielsen Company.

Says Lynn Franco, director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center: “The Consumer Confidence Index is now at a three-year high (Feb. 2008, 76.4), due to growing optimism about the short-term future. Consumers' assessment of current business and labor market conditions has improved moderately, but still remains rather weak. Looking ahead, consumers are more positive about the economy and their income prospects, but feel somewhat mixed about employment conditions.”

Welcome Back, Lattes

Good financial news for optical retailers may only be a fancy cup of coffee away.

When the financial world began to tremble, luxury items were targeted as the first things to go on financially focused hit lists.

Personal finance writer David Bach set up a very specific example of wasted spending—the daily expenditure for coffee—which became known as the “latte factor.”

So for two years, people walked on by Starbucks and other coffee companies, giving their home machines a new lease on life.

Recently however, takeout coffee has made a comeback, and Starbucks not only posted a 9.5 percent net revenue increase but also raised its prices on small coffee drinks for the first time since 2008.