How Much Do Consumers Spend for Eyewear?

Based on on-going audits of consumer purchases of eyewear, VisionWatch estimates that the average retail price for a complete pair of eyeglasses (frames and new lenses) during 2009 was $249, including $142 for lenses and $122 for frames. The average price of glasses purchased from independent ECPs was $279, 12 percent above the overall average.

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Mass Merchandiser Optical Share Slowly Growing

Since 2004, sales of the Top 50 U.S. optical retailers have grown at a compound annual rate of 4 percent. During the same period, sales of optical departments located in mass merchandisers have grown at an annual rate of 6.3 percent. Sales in Walmart and Sam’s Club Vision Centers have grown 6.7 percent annually over the five years. Most of Walmart’s gain has come from addition of new locations.

Mass merchandiser optical departments account for just under one-third of optical chain sales and about 10 percent of the total optical market in the U.S. Walmart/Sam’s Club locations account for 19 percent of U.S. optical chain sales and about 7 percent of total optical sales.

Some independent ECPs are obsessed with competing with mass merchandisers. But the reality is that a minority of consumers favor these big box locations for eye care, and there is no marked shift in consumer preference occurring that favors mass merchandisers.

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New from the Management & Business Academy^™

Recommended Reading from the MBA
To maximize success, optometric practice owners must be effective influencers of their support staff—defining and reinforcing the desirable behaviors that will warmly and efficiently serve patients. New staff members have sometimes acquired bad habits at other employers that reduce patient retention and that can be very resistant to change. Practice owners cannot afford to tolerate these bad habits and must reshape their staff’s behavior to assure patient loyalty.

Written by a group of authors from a company specializing in “best practices” training, Influencer: The Power to Change Anything presents techniques that influencers in many settings have successfully used to change unproductive behavior in positive directions. 

The first principle for those who wish to influence behavior change is that the specific, vital behaviors that most impact outcomes must be identified. It’s not enough for bosses to just point to the goal line. The concrete actions that either move the ball forward or stop forward movement must be specified. Once identified, an influencer must focus on implementing the desired behaviors, not just cheerlead about scoring a touchdown.

In an eye care office, for example, it’s not enough to exhort staff to be friendly and caring so that patients will be loyal and return. It’s necessary to define the specific actions during patient interactions that will create friendly and caring impressions.

In every situation there are “high leverage” behaviors with the greatest impact on results. Careful observation will reveal these behaviors. A study conducted in a hospital setting, for example, identified the following staff behaviors that were most highly correlated with patient satisfaction:

• Smile
• Make eye contact
• Identify yourself
• Explain what you are doing and why
• At the end of an interaction, ask: “Is there anything else you need?”

The Influencer: The Power to Change Anything can be purchased in stores and from online booksellers.

MBA Management Monographs Updated
Mba-ce.com is a rich repository of practice management information and advice that is being continually expanded. Archived on the site are a series of management monographs, which have been recently updated, offering guidelines to improve management processes and increase practice performance. Included in the series are monographs on increasing the AR ratio, increasing revenue per patient, managing contact lens inventory, practice positioning and other topics. Go to the “Publication Archive” section on mba-ce.com for a complete listing. Additional updates will be added through the end of 2010.

2011 MBA Plans Being Finalized
Since inception in 2005, MBA has become the premier business education program for independent ODs in the U.S. During 2011, the content resources of the program will continue to expand and new audiences will be reached with MBA education. To enable CIBA VISION® to comply with AdvaMed professional education guidelines, during 2011 MBA live seminars will no longer be by invitation only and attendees will pay their own travel, lodging and meal expenses. CIBA VISION® and Essilor sales representatives’ role will be to help create awareness of MBA events among appropriate accounts. Details of the 2011 MBA plan will be disseminated early next year.

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2010-12-1280