Looks do matter. And looking sharp is one way dispensers can set themselves apart not just from fellow optical retailers but from all retailers as well. A well-designed, well-displayed, well-organized store invites the customer to spend some time and then some money.

For example, you may think consumers take it for granted, but point-of-purchase items such as countercards, brochures, demonstration kits and posters help merchandise and sell products. They play an important part in telling your patients/customers about the products you carry and how they function, which is why many dispensers see POP items as an important ingredient in their practices’ recipe for success.

In fact, more than half of the respondents to 20/20’s Retail Design Survey 2005 say display items were at least “somewhat useful” for their practice. Specifically, the vote of importance went to brochures (72.8 percent), countercards (69.4 percent) and demonstration kits (41.7 percent).

Other key findings from our survey include a majority of retailers combining their waiting room with the dispensary, thus allowing more browsing time, and allocating separate space to the all-important kids’ market.

Laying in Wait
Patients waiting for an exam are a captive audience and ECPs are capitalizing on that factor. The majority—62 percent—of the Os have their waiting room in the dispensing area. This gives their patients an opportunity to do some optical browsing, displaying both product and educational materials, which allows them to learn more about the frames, lenses and other services offered by the practice.

Popular items displayed in the waiting room include brochures and educational materials (88 percent), posters and countercards of models in eyewear (69 percent), optical industry publications, such as 20/20, (64 percent) and actual product (34 percent).Only 4 percent used “other” display items, such as flat screen TVs, mirrors and plaques.

Product, Product, Product
As always, frame boards remain the most utilized means of displaying eyewear mostly for their capacity to showcase a large amount of product. Of the total number of frames displayed, 79.9 percent go on boards. Display cases were a distant second at 13.4 percent and only 1.7 percent of frames are displayed in store-front windows. “Other” items—including counters, tables, racks and stands—account for 5.1 percent of product placement.

When frames are displayed on those boards, the survey found it is most often categorized by gender (68.7 percent). Next up is sunwear (57.4 percent) followed by designer/brand names (49.7 percent), sport (29.7 percent) and color (11.3 percent).

Approximately how many frame units do you have in your inventory?

The Kids are Alright
Catering to kids, and catering to them properly, is a good way to boost the bottom line of a practice. Of those surveyed, an overwhelming 83.8 percent dedicate a separate section for children (ages two to 14). To attract young patients and their parents, ECPs are setting up kids’ spaces that include a variety of items. Books (53.5 percent), toys (47.3 percent) and a play area (43 percent) are the most common elements in the “kids’ corner.” Child-size furniture is in 24.8 percent of children’s display spaces. DVDs and videos complete the section at 4.8 percent. Be it the waiting room area or the kids’ corner, making the dispensary look sharp with good displays and fun and functional POP can help optical retailers stand apart from all retailers.

20/20’s Retail Design Survey 2005 was conducted in June of 2005 by Jobson Optical Research’s in-house research staff. The sample of 197 independent optical retailers was derived from the proprietary Jobson Optical Research Database. All participants were contacted by phone and asked a series of structured interview questions. No incentive was offered.

To ensure consistency in results, all surveys were conducted during the same May time period and followed the same methodology. Where available, three-year comparisons of survey results are provided. The analysis represents historical data and might reflect seasonal market fluctuations.