Sunwear sales peak in July and August, but the world is sunny all year round—sometimes even sunnier in the colder months. Be sure to share with your patients the benefits of sunwear no matter what time of year they visit. Jobson Optical Research surveyed 284 independent eyecare professionals on their sunwear sales, and here 20/20 shares the results.

—Jennifer Waller, 20/20 Senior Research Analyst


Photographed by Ned Matura
From left: AWEAR CC3715 from Charmant Group; BASIL 9522 from Bevel Specs;
AIRMAG AP6433 from Clariti Eyewear; LANVIN SLN 674 from De Rigo Vision



  • Seventy-one percent of respondents said that Rx sunwear is growing for their practice. Adults (ages 35 to 44) accounted for the largest percent of Rx sunwear sales (an average of 33 percent), according to those independents surveyed. Close to half (48 percent) of respondents said that females are buying more Rx sunwear than males. Seventeen percent said males more than females, and 36 percent said same for both genders.
  • Of the independents surveyed, 62 percent said consumers are more knowledgeable about sunwear than they were five years ago.
  • More respondents agreed with the statement that they feel the lines between fashion-oriented sunwear and sports-oriented sunwear are blurring as the number that disagreed. Forty-seven percent agreed, and 42 percent disagreed. Of the 47 percent who agreed that the lines were blurring, 55 percent think this is helping the sales of both Rx and plano sunglasses. Only 5 percent claim the merging is hurting their sunwear sales.
  • More than half (55 percent) of independents surveyed said they always recommend their contact lens patients buy sunglasses. However, respondents said only 11 percent of their patients, on average, actually make a sunwear purchase at the time they are fitted for new contacts.
  • On average, respondents said 65 percent of total retail sunwear comes from Rx complete, 21 percent from plano complete, 8 percent from clip-ons and 8 percent from fit-overs.
  • When asked what the greatest differentiating quality independents have over other channels was, superior service takes the top spot with 38 percent, followed by frames/lens knowledge at 28 percent and product customization at 22 percent.
  • On average, independents said polycarbonate lenses made up 53 percent of their total prescription sun lens sales and 44 percent of plano sunwear lens sales. Plastic/high-index plastic lenses made up 44 percent of total prescription sun lens sales and 47 percent of plano sunwear lens sales.
  • Not surprisingly, July/Aug was rated the highest sunglass sales period for 71 percent of independents. May/June followed with 64 percent rating it as a high period for sunglass sales. For comparison, January/February came in only at 8 percent rating it high.
  • More independents said they participate in Rx programs offered by sunwear companies (47 percent) than those who don’t (39 percent). Fourteen percent were unsure.


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Source: 20/20’s Sunwear MarketPulse Survey

Source: 20/20’s Sunwear MarketPulse Survey

Source: 20/20’s Sunwear MarketPulse Survey

Source: 20/20’s Sunwear MarketPulse Survey

Source: 20/20’s Sunwear MarketPulse Survey

Source: 20/20’s Sunwear MarketPulse Survey

Source: 20/20’s Sunwear MarketPulse Survey

Source: 20/20’s Sunwear MarketPulse Survey

Source: 20/20’s Sunwear MarketPulse Survey

Source: 20/20’s Sunwear MarketPulse Survey

Source: 20/20’s Sunwear MarketPulse Survey

Source: 20/20’s Sunwear MarketPulse Survey

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METHODOLOGY

20/20’s 2015 Sunwear MarketPulse study is based on data collected from structured e-mail interviews with 284 independent optical retailers. The samples were derived from the proprietary Jobson database. All 2015 interviews were conducted in January 2016. Data is presented from a retailer or practitioner’s perspective and may reflect seasonal market and thus behavioral fluctuations. This study was also conducted during the same time of year in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Trended data is charted wherever possible. All participants were contacted via e-mail invitation and offered an incentive of a chance to win a $200 Amazon.com gift card. For more information, contact [email protected] or 212-274-7164.

—Jennifer Waller
Jobson Optical Research