buyer’s forum

paint It …

Amy Spiezio

Nails and eyewear. The connection may seem tenuous at first. But if you think about it, a visit to a nail salon has some similarities to a visit to a dispensary, and some of the same considerations will ensure customer loyalty for both places.

ROI. Return on investment might not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of nails and eyewear, but it’s something that might be on customers’ minds nonetheless. Part of the reason that nail polish has surpassed lipstick in sales, some beauty experts speculate, is because a manicure lasts for up to two weeks while lipstick is gone with your first sip of tea. Likewise with quality eyewear. People seek quality eyewear that will last the longest.

SELECTION. Even if clients come into the nail salon every week and pick the same French manicure in blush and white, they expect to visit and enjoy a feast for the eyes. They will peruse the polish wall, enjoying every color of the spectrum and consider every trend covered before asking for “the usual.” Every once in a while, however, they may opt for something completely different or an extra pedicure. In an optical shop, having a timely variety of shapes, colors, and styles on your frameboards is critical to make your standard sale, and perhaps even to build unexpected sales into your retail equation.

Q: How much do fashion trends influence trade show purchases?

■ Not at all. We’re in the vision business, not the fashion business.
■ Quite a bit. Eyeglasses and sunglasses are important fashion accessories for our patients.
■ It’s part of the equation, but I never forget that the end application is good vision.