buyer’s forum
Amy Spiezio
Frame buying is a complex mix of mathematics and gut feeling. It’s about knowing your audience and knowing what your staff can comfortably sell. This month’s frame features look at two very different ways of buying frames, both extremely effective—when used conscientiously.
In the travel retail market, the name of the game is turns. Whether the product is scotch, socks, or designer sunglasses, duty retailers want product that sells quickly, consistently, and with little selling on the floor.
Within the optical market, however, eyecare practitioners tend to finesse the situation a bit more, creating an environment with eye-catching eyewear that may not leap off the shelf, but may very well build sales.
What are you to do? Cherry pick the best of both worlds by borrowing what works best from both sides of the selling world.
NUMBERS. Are you tracking your numbers? Do you have a standard turn expectation and if those expectations aren’t met do you move the product off the board and out the door? In the travel retail world, products have a time-sensitive deadline to meet sales goals. If those marks are not hit, you can bet that the product is given its ticket to ride out of town.
ATTENTION GRABBERS. Do you have what Silhouette’s global head of travel retail Joel Jelderks refers to as the Sunglass Wall of Death, with all of your product mixed on a backlit board and nothing popping out of the crowd? If your shoppers experience a monolithic expanse without something to lock on, they may simply walk on by.
DISPLAY. Increasingly, manufacturers are working with their clients to create unique displays. Consider buying in and enjoying the customized product centers for your ease of use and patients’ ease of use, too.
| Inventory Question of the Month |
|---|
How much do you think about frame turns? - Turns are everything. If it doesn’t move, it’s out the door. Please email your responses to executive editor Amy Spiezio at amy.spiezio@springer.com, or cast your vote at the EB Facebook page: www.facebook.com/eyecarebusiness |
AROUND THE GLOBE
INTERNATIONAL TRENDS
This month, Eyecare Business takes a close look at the Duty Free and Travel Retail universe to examine how sunglasses are finding a new international sales niche.
When it comes to sales, the Global Duty Free and Travel Retail Sale 2011 report by Generation Research reveals that sunglasses fell just short of the top 10, but are in the top 15 product categories and have passed wine in popularity.
| TOP 15 | |
|---|---|
| 1. Women’s cosmetics | $6,264M |
| 2. Women’s fragrances | $5,341M |
| 3. Confectionery | $3,135M |
| 4. Cigarettes | $2,814M |
| 5. Men’s products | $2,662M |
| 6. Scotch whisky | $2,368M |
| 7. Accessories | $2,359M |
| 8. Leather goods | $2,324M |
| 9. Jewelry | $2,324M |
| 10. Watches | $1,821M |
| 11. Sunglasses | $1,273M |
| 12. Still wine | $1,210M |
| 13. Cognac | $1,163M |
| 14. Electronic equipment | $1,124M |
| 15. Fashion and clothing | $1,101M |
What’s travel retail?
According to the Global Duty Free and Travel Retail Sales 2011 report, there are a few sales channels with varying degrees of importance.
| Airport shops | 60.6% |
| Airlines | 5.9% |
| Ferries | 5.3% |
| Other shops and sales | 28.3% |
Where are the sales?
| Europe | $15,603.3M |
| Americas | $10,542.4M |
| Africa | $555.5M |
| Asia & Oceania | $16,017.1M |
| Middle East | $2,381.7M |
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