FEELING KIND?

And now for something completely different. One online retailer of Rx eyewear—DavidKind.com —is focusing on partnering up with eyecare professionals, instead of merely competing with them.

The company is offering an ECP Partnership Program, which enables participants to give their patients the option to use David Kind’s online home try-on experience. ECPs also receive the David Kind collection to sell in-store—and they receive a “dispensing fee” for each customer referral that purchases eyewear in-store or via DavidKind.com . ECPs also receive a listing on the David Kind website.

Friend or foe? According to the company, the goal is to partner with eyecare professionals so they can still profit from, and continue to oversee the eye health of, those customers that prefer to purchase online.

“In the age of Amazon, consumers expect to purchase most everything online,” says David Barton, founder of David Kind. “Our ECP Partnership Program offers a solution for optometrists to help increase sales…and [provide] the highest level of care.” ecppartnerships.davidkind.com

Pearls of the Orient

EB pinpoints 4 inspired trends from the Hong Kong Optical Fair

a wealth of new products met more than 16,000 buyers from 103 countries at the 25th edition of the HKTDC Hong Kong Optical Fair in November. The Fair, which featured a record-setting 800 exhibitors, saw a full 7% increase in attendance over 2016. EB spotted four key eyewear product trends at this year’s show:

TREND: Chunky, colorful acetate frames were abundant, with standouts featuring colorblocking—with mixes of hues, textures, and opacities.

TREND: Retro style continued its reign, with cat-eyes, ’50s looks, and aviator styles at the fore. But, these classic shapes are updated with modernity—such as silhouettes crafted of wire forms and laser-cut ornamentation.

TREND: Metals in every hue are having a moment, with yellow and rose gold (in both shiny and matte finishes) as clear standouts. Another detail making a comeback is delicate stamped metal rims.

TREND: Texture + ornamentation showed up via unconventional materials, with frames crafted with everything from denim and fabric to wood veneer. And, frames were also ornamented with jewelry-like elements from metal to semi-precious stones.

—Emily Teel

Education on Track at OMS

eyecare Business and its sister publication Optometric Management hosted more than 400 eyecare professionals at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resort for four days of industry-renowned optometric education, peer networking, and information on how to thrive in today’s competitive optical environment.

The 14th annual Optometric Management Symposium (held Nov. 2-5) offered a total of 60 CE credits to O.D.s, opticians, and staff provided by some of the most respected presenters in the industry—plus an exhibit hall, engaging panels, and networking opportunities. The educational track featured an expanded Global Specialty Lens Symposium track as well as tracks in clinical management, clinical business, and retail strategies.

Eyecare Business sponsored the Retail Strategies Track, a highlight of which was the Retail Strategies Panel, moderated by EB Editor-in-Chief Erinn Morgan and featuring highly respected experts in optical retail and merchandising, who shared market insight and strategies to help attendees thrive in today’s increasingly competitive lanscape. Panelists were Edward Beiner, owner of 12 high-end retail locations; Henri Blomqvist, CEO of Safilo North America; Holly Rush, CEO of Costa and former president of Luxottica Wholesale, North America; and Eric White, O.D., high-volume optometrist and recurring best-practices winner.

A popular addition to this year’s event was the social media booth, where attendees could take animated photos of themselves for sharing and posting.

Next year’s OMS will take place Nov. 1-4, 2018, again at the Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resort.