The mayhem of 2020 has everyone scrutinizing once-trusted institutions. For eyecare professionals, it’s an opportunity for a Do-Over to deliver where online sellers cannot. Learn more from our experts from this October issue feature article where we reveal 7 critical strategies, plus insight from additional industry leaders.

WENDY BUCHANAN

“I thought I could do this. I could make [style consultations] an experience online. I already had experience with Zoom because I teach, do webinars and meetings. I knew the platform well...Now the virtual has become a mainstay.”
 
Wendy Buchanan is a licensed optician, image expert, educator and founder of Perceptions Eyewear, a Toronto-based mobile eyewear boutique. She is also creator of the Be Spectacular training program for image and eyewear fashionistas. perceptionseyewear.com/ | bespectacular.com/


BRIDGITTE SHEN LEE, O.D., FAAO, FBCLA, FEAOO

“The optical industry as a whole needs to improve online patient shopping abilities and experiences for optometric practices. The choices are still limited with how I envision the experience should be.”
 
“Let’s join the game. Be part of the solution. Who says we have to have either brick-and-mortar or online? We will have both. I think the future of all optometric practices is both.”

Bridgitte Shen Lee, OD, FAAO, FBCLA, FEAOO, is co-founder and CEO of Houston’s Vision Optique.  She is an international educator on ocular health, contact lens, dry eye disease, social media and ocular aesthetics.
visionoptique.com | visionoptique.com/team/dr-bridgitte-shen-lee/


GARY BLACK 

“We have to humanize the digital experience. Every decision we make with our online store is how do we make it more ‘human.”
 
“For us, going online was a natural extension of what Black Optical stands for: curating emerging brands and offering them to our discerning clients.”
 
Gary Black is founder and president of Black Optical with shops in Tulsa, Oklahoma City and Dallas and an e-commerce website that launched in 2014. blackoptical.com/

 
KATHY KIMPLE

“Take a page from the playbook of successful omnichannel retailers and note how they innovate and deliver superior customer content and experiences. Of course, look at Warby Parker. Look also at retailers like Sephora and Ulta—they augment selling products with in-store services and offer an experience.”
 
Kathy Kimple is chief retail officer at consultancy FitForCommerce, whose 2020 Omnichannel Retail Index published in July benchmarks retailers’ and brands’ online performance. fitforcommerce.com/ 

 
CHRIS WALTON

“Become the local eyeglass aficionado.”
 
Chris Walton is co-CEO of consultancy Red Archer Retail and Third Haus retail innovation lab; he is also a former Target vice president who led its Store of the Future project. red-archer.squarespace.com/ | thirdhaus.com/en | omnitalk.blog/


SUCHARITA KODALI
 

“You don’t need anything sophisticated but you should have your assortment online so people can pre-shop and find your products. I don’t see a lot of local opticians with inventory on their websites.”
 
Sucharita Kodali is vice president and principal analyst at Forrester, covering retail, digital, omnichannel and e-commerce. She is a former marketing executive for Saks Fifth Avenue. forrester.com/sucharita-kodali

THORTON MAY

“Retail employees are hiding behind Plexiglas bunkers sporting headgear that resembles a tragic mating of a 7^th grade Halloween costume and an over-caffeinated futurist’s idea of what a 23^rd century casino croupier might wear. Every first responder and frontline health care worker needs fit-for-purpose eyewear. Get out there and start designing eyewear that keeps us safe.”
 
Futurist Thornton May is co-founder of the Digital Value Institute think tank. An anthropologist, author, lecturer, and founding member of the Internet of Things World Forum, May was heralded as “one of the top 50 brains in technology today” by Fast Company magazine. digitalvalue.institute/

ASHLEY MILLS

“Unlike 2009-2019, when most online eyeglass consumers were ‘commodity’ shoppers who used  to buy from larger chains or department stores, the COVID-19 crisis is causing more ‘medically oriented’ customers who used to shop at independent eyecare providers to move to the Internet in greater numbers for their eyewear needs.”
 
“The 2020 online eyeglass shopper is typically older, comes from a higher-income household, has insurance or managed vision care benefits and will look for higher-end or premium products when buying eyewear online and not be as concerned about searching for a low price.”

Ashley Mills is the CEO of The Vision Counci (TVC), bringing more than 20 years of progressive trade association management, marketing, and leadership experience to the role.