Eyewear sales drive the majority of sales at most eyecare businesses across the country. Thus, the right merchandise mix of optical frames and sunwear is a crucial key to success.

In fact, an impressive 81% of ECPs’ total dispensary sales are comprised of Rx-ready optical frames (excluding sunglasses, sports eyewear, safety glasses, etc.)—a 14% increase over 2016. And, for over a quarter of ECPs (26%), this number has increased since 2015.

Want to know what your peers (and competitors) are merchandising—and what’s selling through? Get an exclusive, insider view here via the results of EB’s annual 2017 Frame + Sunwear Focus Group Study.

The Merchandise Mix

The statistics reveal a changing landscape in the optical. A full 74% of ECPs say they have increased the amount of mid-range products they carry in the last three years, and 61% say they have increased the number of high-end products carried.

Currently, more than half of ECPs’ assortments are focused on mid-range products (51%), 21% is value-priced product, and 28% of their mix includes high-end eyewear.

As for inventory, the biggest group of respondents (27%) say they display between 251 and 500 frames—while 25% say they display between 751 and 1,000.

The winner for the fastest-growing product category? Rx sunwear is the clear champion, with an impressive 43% of ECPs saying it’s their fastest-growing category. Computer/technology eyewear was the runner up, with 22% of ECPs saying it is their top-growing product.

Get a broader look at the EB survey results here.

43% Percentage of ECPs who say Rx sunwear is their fastest-growing product category

Business Strategies

Eyecare professionals are adeptly handling the challenges and opportunities of their eyewear product mix today. Get a bird’s-eye view here with these revealing numbers from our Frame + Sunwear Focus Group Study.