SILHOUETTE, the Austrian designer and pioneer in rimless eyewear, is introducing its first ever range of optical lenses. The lenses will launch the Silhouette Vision Sensation program, the brand’s initiative to provide frames and lenses from a single source.
The Silhouette Vision Sensation lenses will be designed and produced in the company’s newly built lens lab in Linz, Austria. By manufacturing both frames and lenses under the same roof, Silhouette is positioning itself as a single-source supplier for its customers, helping to streamline and simplify the ordering process.
By offering both frames and lenses, Silhouette says it will be able to eliminate the issues its retail partners have often experienced in the past when dealing with two separate suppliers and can lend improved support to its partners and opticians. Ordering will take less time because there will be just one point of contact for both lens and frame, helping to reduce handling costs, removing the breakage risk by fitting the lenses in the Silhouette workshop and providing a simplified consultation and ordering process.
The Silhouette Vision Sensation program will focus on creating individually tailored premium progressive lenses matched to Silhouette frames, rather than the production of stock lenses. Silhouette’s Lens Lab in Linz is producing single-vision and progressive lenses for rimless and full-rimmed spectacles under its own name, Silhouette Panorama. The Silhouette Vision Sensation starting range will initially include transparent optical lenses and lightly tinted versions in five different colors, each available in three variants. These will be available in 10 percent or 20 percent tint or with a color progression.
The Silhouette Panorama collection of progressive lenses has been designed together with Dr. Peter Baumbach, one of the leading experts in the development of individual and personalized spectacle lenses and a professor at the Aalen University of Applied Sciences. Prof. Baumbach has mathematically defined the optimal viewing zones in the progressive lenses. Working with the Schneider company, a leader in the machine technology sector, the machines were precisely tailored to Silhouette’s individual requirements for production using free-form technology.
Silhouette is also introducing the Vision Sensation app, which allows customers to see how the lens will look in their personal prescription before they buy. This frees up more time for the optician to carry out sales activities and deal with customers, Silhouette points out. It also enables opticians to provide an extraordinarily individual consultation experience as the app will allow partners to choose from over 400 different lens shapes.
Essilor Adds No Interest Financing to Power of Vision Program
ESSILOR OF AMERICA is announcing that for the first time the company is sponsoring no interest financing for up to six months for qualified patients who purchase any of Essilor’s premium lenses—Varilux, Crizal, Transitions, Xperio UV and Eyezen. The offer, a key part of the popular Power of Vision promotion, is being offered exclusively to independent eyecare professionals.In a recent study, Essilor found that 55 percent of ECPs and 43 percent of patients are interested in a financing offer. Of interested patients, 77 percent would buy at least once a year, and 40 percent would buy two pairs. The promotional financing offer is designed to incentivize patients to visit their ECP and maximize the available rebates. Without it, consumers typically purchase a pair of eyeglasses every two years and only 5 percent purchase a second pair.
With Power of Vision, patients can receive promotional financing and $10 rebates per eligible product with a maximum of $30 in rebates per pair of glasses. The rebates will be paid with a Visa Rewards card that is mailed to patients.
“The combination of a consumer rebate coupled with the opportunity for customers to pay for better vision over time is a one-two punch in terms of making sure ECPs are not only seeing more patients this year, but are selling more glasses as well,” notes Carl Bracy, chief marketing officer, Essilor of America. “It also reinforces our commitment to innovation. We are the first and only manufacturer that offers no interest promotional financing and a rebate, driving educated consumers who are ready to buy.”
The Power of Vision program will be supported by Essilor’s national advertising campaigns including television and online media, which will encourage consumers to find an independent ECP through an exclusive online locator tool.
Enrollment for ECPs began on Feb. 13. To learn more or to enroll in the program, visit powerofvision.com.
–Andrew Karp
