SELLING SUNWEAR

SUNWEAR SELLING STRATEGIES

Got UV protection? Get the best tips and tricks for bumping up your Rx sunwear sales in the dispensary, including details on employing new lens technology, the latest Rx programs, and selling tools to help boost retail sales

BY ERINN MORGAN

Is your prescription sunwear business growing? A full 40% of eyecare professionals point to Rx sunwear as their number-one, fastest-growing category, according to the Eyecare Business Market Trends Study 2014.

“It’s an untapped market,” says William J. Curran, Jr., ABOC, owner of William J. Curran & Sons Opticians in Drexel Hill, PA. “Now, most eyecare professionals realize, ‘Hey, this is a market and the customer is already right here.’”

The key is to carry appealing prescription sunglass styles—and to present them to the patient. Nearly 70% of ECPs say they currently offer Rx sunglasses in conjunction with each prescription eyewear purchase (an increase from 61% in 2012), according to a recent Eyecare Business survey. This is a perfect way to get started growing a second-pair business.

“We offer the Rx sunwear option to anyone wearing a corrective lens,” says Curran, who notes that customers are responding. “Over the last few years people are starting to realize that sunglasses are not a luxury, they’re a necessity—and there’s been a lot of media coverage of the need for eye protection from UV. In our store, people are definitely buying more prescription sunglasses.”

Oliver Peoples style Delray Sun with gradient tint lenses

Escada aviator style SES860 from De Rigo Vision USA

Vuarnet style Glacier features mineral glass lenses

Wiley X style Legend is a new entry to the Street Series collection

Shamir Insight’s X³ sun program offers customized Rx sun lenses in any frame

Here, we check in with three ECPs who’ve had success in selling prescription sunwear to get their best quick tips and tricks for boosting sales of this category.

OWN IT

According to Bret Hunter, owner of the Denver-based Sports Optical—where 75% to 80% of customers walk out the door with Rx sunwear—having a good selection of Rx-able sunglasses is your first key move.

“It’s not worth it if you have just one line or just 20 sunglasses,” he says. “But if you have one or two cases to show the products off, it really gets people excited.”

PLACE IT

“My father used to say you can’t sell the things you don’t have,” says Curran, who is a second-generation optician. He adds that in order to sell Rx sunwear successfully, you have to have a solid selection of nice styles, great colors, and cool shapes located in a convenient spot where it’s easy to try on.

“We also put a selection of sunglasses next to each of our dispensing tables so they’re easy to reach for people to try them on while they’re waiting for an adjustment,” says Curran. “When I put them there, our sunglass sales really shot up. People want something to do while they wait.”

ASK IT

At The Village Eyeworks, which has two locations in the Phoenix area, manager Steph Royden, ABOC, NCLE, says they approach the selling of Rx sunwear by first asking patients about their lifestyle. “We ask, ‘Do you do any outdoor activities or sports, get dressed up, or drive around town?’” Royden says. “Then we pull sunwear appropriate to their lifestyle and show them some great options for their needs.”

A shield brings the drama: Marchon’s Karl Largerfeld style KL868S

AND THEN THERE’S PLANO…

Prescription sunwear isn’t for everyone. Which is why plano sunglasses can also hold their own in your dispensary.

According to William J. Curran, Jr., ABOC, owner of William J. Curran Opticians & Sons in Drexel Hill, PA, customers are more aware than ever of their need—and desire for—style-honed, UV-protecting sunglasses. “There are more people like celebrities wearing sunglasses than ever before and the frame manufacturers are also doing better designs for sunwear,” he says.

While the optical shop stocks a healthy selection of plano sunglasses in store, they’re also making a push with sunwear sales online. “A good portion of our website (WilliamCurranOpticians.com) is devoted to selling plano sunglasses,” he explains. “People can call us to order, or order sunwear right from our website.” Curran Opticians features numerous sunwear styles online and offers a PayPal checkout system. “We also offer something that large online retailers cannot—personalized customer service. “People can call us anytime or email us and we get right back to them.”

Hunter adds that he also asks customers if they drive in the morning or at a time when they experience glare and direct sunlight. “Almost everybody drives a car and experiences glare, so driving glasses are a pretty easy sell,” he says.

GET PROGRESSIVE

At Curran Opticians, the majority of Rx sunglasses sold feature progressive lenses. “A lot of people come into us wearing plano sunglasses and also wearing readers, so we always say, ‘What do you do when you’re on the beach or driving in the car?’” says Curran. “So we suggest progressive sunwear and they ultimately love it.”

PACKAGE IT

A simple pricing format for prescription sun lenses can be a boon to this business. “Almost all of our lenses are packaged,” says Hunter, who notes that his average frame and lens sale for Rx sunwear ranges from $400 to $600. “A mirror is an add-on, but we don’t charge for UV and we don’t charge for a scratch coating—we try to make it easier for the person,” says Hunter.

Many of the proprietary prescription programs, such as Rudy Project’s comprehensive program with Shamir Insight and Vuarnet’s new impact-resistant mineral glass Rx sun lens program, deliver the manufacturer’s unique, performance-oriented lenses in an Rx format. According to Royden, whose average lens price for progressive sun lenses is $650 to $700, these companies typically have a suggested retail price for their frames and lenses.

PROMOTE IT

There’s no question that selling the second pair can be a more challenging endeavor. Which is exactly why some ECPs choose to make their proposition a little bit sweeter. “We have a promotion going on for those who purchase a pair of prescription eyewear where they get $100 off a pair of Rx sunwear,” says Curran. “That usually pays for the frame so a lot of people want to jump on this.”

For those who decide to wait on this offer, Curran Opticians sends them a thank-you postcard after their ophthalmic eyewear sale that also extends the $100 off Rx sunwear offer for an additional 30 days.

“We see a lot of business from this—it’s a win-win for everybody,” he says.

SELL UP

While ECPs will benefit from package pricing many Rx sun lenses and features today, there are certain add-ons that can be a benefit to both your patients and your bottom line. “We’ve seen a huge increase in different colored mirror sales,” says Royden. “Now, I have 26 samples of mirrors that I can show to patients.”

Hunter also promotes the many benefits of polarized lenses to Rx sunwear customers. “We also suggest they get impact-resistant lenses—a vehicle airbag moves at [up to] 200 miles per hour.”