RESEARCH | FRAMES FOCUS GROUP STUDY
Eyewear Intel
How are your peers merchandising—and selling—Rx eyewear and sunwear? Our exclusive 2016 Frames Focus Group ECP survey digs deep to reveal what’s really happening in the optical
BY ERINN MORGAN
Eyewear—and the right product mix—is a critical component of any optical business’ success. In fact, a full 67% of ECPs’ total dispensary sales consist of Rx-ready optical frames (excluding sunglasses, sports eyewear, safety glasses, etc.). For a third of ECPs (33%), this number has increased since 2015.
Want to know how your peers are choosing—and selling—eyewear and sunwear? EB’s exclusive 2016 Frames Focus Group ECP survey provides an insider look into the hugely important role of eyewear today.
33%
Percentage of ECPs who have seen an increase in sales in the Rx-ready optical frames category (excluding sunwear, sports, and safety glasses) over the past two years.
THE ASSORTMENT
The numbers paint the picture. More than half of ECPs’ assortments are focused on midrange product (51%), yet a full 30% of their mix includes high-end product. At the same time, most ECPs (31%) say they display between 751 and 1,000 frames at the same time—this number increased by a respectable 5 percentage points from 2015.
See more of the picture in our survey results here.
75%
Percentage of ECPs who have seen an increase in sales of polarized sunwear over the past two years.
Top 10 Purchase Drivers
What criteria are most important to you when considering which products to purchase for your business? ECPs in our study rated the following features in order of importance when buying optical frames and sunwear.
1. Construction quality
2. Styling
3. Performance
4. Return policy
5. Material
6. Proven popularity
7. New, innovative designs/materials
8. Price
9. Recommendation/relationship with rep
10. Fill a void in your offerings
BUSINESS STRATEGIES
How do ECPs handle the different nuances of their eyewear product mix? Learn more here with these telling statistics from our Frame Focus Group Study.
60%
Percentage of ECPs who have discounted products more often due to online competition
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