LADIES FIRST

Ladies First: SUN AND SPORTS EYEWEAR FOR WOMEN

An inside look at the new female consumer—plus four tested tips on how to position your sports sunwear products to the fairer sex

BY ERINN MORGAN

lOOKING FOR FRESH AIR AND A NEW PERSPECTIVE IN TODAY’S CHANGED ECONOMY, MORE WOMEN ARE GETTING ACTIVE OUTDOORS THAN EVER BEFORE. In fact, of the nearly 142 million people (ages 6+) in the U.S. who participated in outdoor recreation in 2013, a full 45 percent were female, according to The Outdoor Foundation Outdoor Participation Report 2013. That equates to nearly 64 million girls and women who are outdoors—and in need of the right sports gear, from running shoes to sunglasses.

“Women are buying more sports eyewear today—and especially prescription sunwear,” says Michele Coughlin, vice president and buyer at Bay Hill Eyecare in Orlando, FL. “It’s because women are more active now, and not just at the gym doing aerobics—they are running or cycling and doing races. In our area, the number of women I see in everything from marathons and triathlons to 5k races is huge.”

Adds Tom Buell, owner/optician at Tom’s Sportique Eyewear in Boulder, CO, which has a sports sunwear assortment focused about 40% to women and 60% to men, “We’ve always been really strong on the ladies’ side with sports sunwear, but I’ve also seen women’s outdoor participation really grow. You used to see groups cross-country skiing or hiking and it was two women and eight men, but today it’s more like 50/50.”

A CHANGED CONSUMER

But, wait. Before you run out and target this growing market with new product and pricing, it’s critical to know that the female consumer has changed dramatically in the years since the start of the “Great Recession.”

According to Bonnie Ulman, co-author of “Hustle: Marketing to Women in the Post-Recession World,” today the new female consumer expects far more from the brands, products, and retailers she chooses to do business with. “She is savvier and that is pretty scary for brands and retailers, especially mom-and-pop stores,” says Ulman.

Why has this consumer’s attitude and shopping persona shifted from pre-recession?

“For quite some time before the recession, consumers were in acquisition mode,” says Ulman. “Shopping is fun, it’s creative, and we often feel emotionally like we were doing a better job at being a mom, a wife, and a person if our environment is pleasing. When the recession hit, it left us unprepared; and, as a way to protect and insulate ourselves, we moved into editing mode, divesting ourselves of anything that doesn’t deliver value.”

Image courtesy of Smith Optics

Image courtesy of Oakley

Image courtesy of Rudy Project

Source: Oakley, Inc. and QMobius

Today’s female consumer scrutinizes the products she’s considering, asking if they are durable and long lasting (e.g., Can I wear this every day?) or if it’s a special treat (Is it going to make me feel really good?).

“As a retailer, you really have to think about what it is that you’re delivering to her; is this a really high-quality everyday pair of glasses, or is this a really fun gotta-have-it item? Both have a place in the post-recession woman’s world,” says Ulman.

WHAT SHE WANTS

What does your active female customer want from her sunwear today? Here’s a guide to four of the key things she’s likely looking for:

1 FUNCTION & FASHION

Today’s new female consumer wants it all—style, performance, and bang for her buck. “They want something fashionable, but it also has to perform, be comfortable, and stay on your face, plus have a quality lens to go in it,” says Coughlin.

Even the more hardcore female athletes still demand style in their sunwear. “Most of the ladies that we see come in are hardcore triathletes or skiers,” says Brian Dobson, lab manager and dispensing optician at Classic Optical in Salt Lake City, UT, “but they are still very demanding about the style. We also see customers who are more fashion-focused and less hardcore, but they still want sunglasses with an attitude—they want to look like they could rip down a mountain on their bike standing on the handlebars. Basically, they all want it 50/50—function and fashion.”

2 PRESCRIPTION SUNWEAR

Most eyecare professionals say that the lion’s share of the sports sunglasses they sell to women is prescription sunwear. “We have seen an increase in women customers for sports eyewear,” says Cheryl Copeland, manager/buyer at Table Mountain Vision in Golden, CO. “We sell about 90% of our sports eyewear, however, with a prescription—we just don’t sell that many planos.”

At Tom’s Sportique Eyewear, Buell says that he primarily uses his brand’s proprietary, in-house prescription programs for the sunwear he sells to active customers. “These programs are fantastic and they also give a lot of opticals the ability to take the question marks and fear out of working with wrap sunglasses,” he says.

3 LENS TECH

Technology isn’t just for men. Today, performance-focused women want the same bells and whistles as their male counterparts. “Almost everyone asks for polarization, photochromic technologies, and even different lens tints for different activities,” says Buell.

Costa style Isla

adidas style Tycane Pro

Bollé style Bolt

Cosmetics also come into play in lenses for the ladies. “One of the hottest lenses we do for women is the Drivewear photochromic polarized lens,” says Buell. “And, we finish it with a backside AR and a Zeiss cool blue mirror on the front surface. This reflects high energy blue light plus it kicks up the contrast a bit and adds a slight yellow tint to the lens.”

4 INSPIRATION

Though a second pair of Rx sports sunwear may seem like a tough sale to make, some ECPs say they have success when the discussion begins in the exam room—and even before.

“Our process starts from the time we schedule their exam,” says Classic Optical’s Dobson. “We ask them to bring in their old prescription eyeglasses and their sunglasses when they come in for their exam with the doctor. This starts the conversation.”

At Table Mountain Vision, Copeland says the optometrist typically recommends that active patients (both female and male) get a pair of prescription or plano sports sunwear for their activities.

“We second that notion when they come out into the dispensary and talk about their lifestyle so we can help them out,” says Copeland. “Having a great selection of sunwear also really helps.”

A Woman’s Prerogative

A statistical look at what today’s new, post-recession female consumer wants—and feels.

Percent of women who say they were surprised by the severity and duration of the Great Recession:

Percent of women who say they are less loyal to companies:

Percent of women who say they have lost confidence in companies, institutions, and brands:

Percent of women who say they are slower to make a decision:

Statistics courtesy of “Hustle: Marketing to Women in the Post-Recession World”

Who is Your New Female Customer?

Find out in our Q&A interview with Bonnie Ulman, co-author of “Hustle: Marketing to Women in the Post-Recession World” and chief insights and planning officer at M Booth.

EYECARE BUSINESS: How would you describe the new, post-recession female consumer?

BONNIE ULMAN: She is a master at surveillance—she can very thoroughly assess what she needs, what she should expect to pay for it, and how to go about shopping for it and purchasing it. From lipstick to laundry detergent to Botox, she does her homework.

EB: Why has her attitude and shopping persona shifted from pre-recession?

ULMAN: This is the woman who was caught off guard by the severity and the duration of the recession. We knew it was coming, but we didn’t know it was going to hit us like a freight train. A lot of women didn’t know it would be devastating, so, as women, we pulled up our bootstraps and said, “OK, I have to find a new way to secure the wants and needs of my family now.”

EB: How has her attitude changed about shopping, the purchasing process, and her engagement with retailers?

ULMAN: For today’s woman, shopping is now about the transaction and not about the relationship. Before, retailers went after the holy grail—that is, the relationship and brand loyalty—but that’s not realistic anymore, at least not right now. Those brands and retailers and products that will be the most successful are those that are comfortable delivering a great transaction.

When it comes to eyewear, it’s not like laundry detergent—you’re not buying this on a weekly basis; you’re buying it just once a year, so retailers have to offer a spectacular experience. And then you want to inspire her to come back again in the future.

It’s a part of a hustle economy. She’s surveying the transaction and also seeing if she can find a better price. She’s going to be distracted by a better offer and a better experience.

EB: Does this consumer expect a deal on most everything she purchases?

ULMAN: She absolutely does. Resources like Groupon, Rue La La, etc., have allowed this woman who got burned to still get a high-end, couture handbag or ultra-premium eyeglasses at a discount. So today it makes her feel as though she’s been taken for a ride by retailers if she’s not getting a discount.

What this means is that we have to work even harder to have a relationship with her.

The single-location stores usually don’t have the ability to offer the discounts that a volume retailer can offer; so, you have to offset that with things that she can’t get or things she desperately wants. She needs to get the very best customer service, a hand-written thank you note after the purchase, and a fair return policy. Or, you’re going to teach her how to care for her glasses or what you’re seeing for next year’s trends so she can plan for a new style.

EB: What might she expect from a retailer she frequents because of a medical need, such as an optical shop or optometrist’s office?

ULMAN: Yes, it is different for this market. She comes in to have her eyes checked once a year. This is your one chance to get in front of that consumer if you do no other marketing to her. You are providing service and value, which even extends to her expectation for the exam. If that does not go well, she will not stay and purchase product or she might not come back again.

Warby Parker is an example of a brand that is uniquely and well positioned for the post-recession woman. You get five days to try five pairs, and you don’t have to pay a penny if you don’t like any of them. It makes it very easy to express your personality, and it’s really tapped into the lipstick effect.