Dec. 28, 2021 —When examining optical sites, do patients see what they are looking for?

To gain further insight into top websites, we checked in with Mark Clark ABOC, MBA, vice president of digital solutions at Modern Optical International. Clark has been in the optical Industry for 20 years and has owned his own private office. He has an MBA in health care administration and is an ABO speaker.

Here, this industry insider shares top tips for enhancing your online presence.

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Over the past year, I have worked to help eyecare practices enhance their web presence, and I notice some common errors. There seems to be a disconnect between what the consumer is seeking and what the websites are offering. I believe that this is because SEO experts often encourage the use of articles and blogs to enhance SEO. This is a proven SEO strategy, but it should not be the focal point of a website.

A recent Internet Influence study from The Vision Council suggested that 69% of patients used the internet in some capacity in their last prescription eyewear, sunglass, or OTC reader purchase. These activities ranged from reading reviews, examining styles, and purchasing eyewear. None of them reported the need for staff bios or articles about complex eye conditions, yet I often find these as the focal point of many eyecare websites. I believe that it is time to focus on creating meaningful customer journeys that begin online.

I feel a certain urgency in this matter since reading the June 2021 VisionWatch report. One particular number seemed to jump off the pages of data. This data point suggests that 18-34 year old customers spent 47% of their allocated optical frame expenditure online.  



Fortunately for those with little online presence, this age group is only 27% of the total market, so the online sales were only 13% of total frame sales revenue. But, as I can personally attest, you don’t stay 34 years old forever! In a flash, I have moved into the next age category, bringing all of my shopping habits with me. Soon this group will move into the next age category and be replaced by a group of consumers with even greater adaptation to technology in commerce.

Balance
When faced with statistics like this, the next reaction that I see is offices trying to move their whole business online. I hear statements regularly such as: “I want my whole inventory online.” This is often a mistake for several reasons. For most offices, their inventory is too dynamic to constantly upload and delete styles which they no longer stock. But, more importantly, this idea overlooks what the patient is actually seeking online. 

The price points for online purchases on average is below $100. This seems to indicate that these purchases are for second pairs, quick replacements, or glasses for special use cases. Perhaps this consumer needs a quick pair for a child who broke their glasses for the third time in the school year, or a special occasion which requires a frame to match a formal dress. Also, the data indicates that many consumers simply want to look at eyewear online to determine what shape or color they may want to purchase in the store.

I encourage offices to create meaningful customer journeys on their site that address each of these potential use cases. Patients often want to learn what is involved in replacing a pair of eyewear or how to get an inexpensive pair to get them through until their next long-term eyewear purchase. Design an experience which allows your office to recapture these sales. This experience should include easy navigation to common needs and a simple selection of products to match these needs.

Since there is not an optician online to help them, it may be overwhelming to navigate thousands of products and price points. Successful sites have simple options, a few catchy images, and easy navigation. Virtual try-on technology is increasingly popular on successful sites for consumers. This is another reason to consider what your patients are seeking. 

Uploading photos of frames and monitoring an e-commerce site can be very time consuming and expensive. Uploading 3D assets to a website for virtual try-on can add yet another layer of time and expense. When you consider what to put on your website, you need to factor into your margins the time and cost of acquiring both 2D and 3D images for the site. If data suggests that a particular product may not be part of the target online consumer, then investing this time and money on that product may only decrease your margins.

I recommend that you keep it simple! You will have far greater long-term margins by using images and a virtual try-on system which has some stock styles that you can utilize. Many VTO systems require you to pay for a certain number of 3D image scans in order to subscribe. Scanning estimates range from $75 to $250 per style depending on the quality. So, these costs can add up quickly for an e-commerce startup. 

Partner with your current vendors to acquire 2D images of frames that match the demand for online eyewear sales. Next, use a VTO program which includes these styles and price points which are in demand at no additional cost. Some of the most successful sites with virtual try-on technology have between 50 to 150 frames available for try on. And since most frames purchased online are a lower price and lower margin, it does not make sense to add another layer of cost on your site for frames which may not sell through. Simple, small changes can yield massive benefits to your website!