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If someone told you that they could make every man, woman and child in the country a potential customer you would sit up and take notice?
That is exactly what is being promised by the emergence of the latest passive 3D technology but are optical practitioners taking it seriously?
Currently all 3D technologies require the viewer to wear spectacles. Modern passive systems of the type found in cinemas use a polarising system to create the 3D effect. This can be achieved using simple, cheap specs of the type given away by cinemas. To date home TV systems have used active shutter systems which use specs which are heavier, complex and expensive, but that's about to change. Industry pundits predict that the passive polarising technology will become a standard which will encourage more 3D films and broadcasts passive has also been taken up by TV manufacturers and the first passive 3D TV systems are available in the high street. While cinemas can get away with disposable 3D specs, the home presents a different proposition. Glasses have to be high quality and more durable.
To try to gauge optical retailers' understanding of the opportunity, Optician conducted research, sponsored by Essilor, to delve into the current situation and retailers' intentions for the future. It further sought to find the factors that influenced practices' choice or supplier and finally looked at optical practitioners' use of, and interest in, 3D technology.
The research was conducted on a self-selection basis through email during May. In total 212 respondents took part, of which 42 per cent were not aware of any of the 3D technologies available. These people were excluded from subsequent analysis. Of those taking part half were from independent practice, a quarter from a multiple, 14 per cent from a franchise and the remainder from education, manufacturing, hospital or supermarket. Of those eligible, 53 per cent were optometrists, 39 per cent dispensing opticians, 3 per cent contact lens opticians and 5 per cent had other job titles. There was a wide spread of ages represented with an average age of 43.
The highest awareness of 3D is of passive 3D eyewear for plano glasses (82 per cent) and passive overspecs (62 per cent) (Figure 1). The awareness of plano active shutter specs was cited by 33 per cent, but strangely 29 per cent were aware of prescription passive lenses - which have yet to be developed. Prescription active shutter solutions scored 6 per cent.
Given the newness of the technology, an unsurprising 92 per cent did not stock 3D eyewear (Figure 2). Among the 8 per cent that did stock the eyewear, 67 per cent stocked passive specs or passive overspecs (44 per cent). Nearly half had stocked the product for over three months.
The factors that influenced the choice of supplier included: reputation (60 per cent), face to face briefings (55 per cent), events (36 per cent) and customer testimonials (28 per cent). When asked about their intention to stock 3D eyewear, a majority said it was not very likely (52 per cent) or not likely at all (20 per cent), while 28 per cent said it was very or fairly likely that they would stock the product in the coming year.
However, there is still some work for the supply industry to do as 88 per cent of practices said they had not been contacted by a supplier of 3D eyewear within the last 12 months. Of those that had been contacted, 7 per cent were in the last three months, 3 per cent between three and six months and 2 per cent between seven and 12 months.
The key factors practices said would encourage them to stock the product included increasing market demand and information and training on 3D eyewear (66 per cent) and face to face briefings by the supplier (42 per cent) (Figure 4). The supplier reputation and information on potential health concerns were both stated by 41 per cent, customer testimonials would convince 26 per cent and events 23 per cent.
Customer demand is currently low, with 69 per cent of respondents saying patients never ask for 3D in practice and 30 per cent rarely ask (Figure 5). Clearly some practices have embraced the 3D trend with 7 per cent mentioning the eyewear to patients often. Others are less keen with a third mentioning it rarely to customers and 60 per cent never mentioning it to patients despite being aware of the products on offer.
Despite this there is some expectation among practices. Respondents said they expected it to command 3 per cent of their average retail order in the next 12 months.
Brand leaders
The next section of the research looked at which brands respondents spontaneously associated with 3D eyewear which yielded both active and passive systems. Topping the list with 17 per cent each were Polaroid and Marchon followed by Sony on 14 per cent. Oakley and Panasonic scored 9 per cent each. Norville, Samsung, Nintendo and Silhouette all scored 3 per cent.
When prompted with brand names it was the consumer electronics companies supplying active systems that came to the fore with just Polaroid flying the flag for passive systems. Sony had the highest association on 54 per cent, Polaroid came in on 47 per cent, Panasonic 44 per cent, Samsung 42 per cent. Philips, Sharp, LG and RealD all came in with scores between 24 and 18 per cent. Of the eyewear suppliers Marchon scored 17 per cent, Luxottica 8 per cent, Alain Mikli 4 per cent and Silhouette 3 per cent.
When asked which one brand they would prefer when choosing 3D eyewear Polaroid came out top with 19 per cent, followed by Sony on 17 per cent, with Marchon on 10 per cent. Other eyewear companies included Luxottica on 5 per cent and Silhouette and Alain Mikli on 3 per cent.
If there is still a low level of interest among the profession in practice, outside of work it's a different story. More than two-thirds (69 per cent) of those questioned had seen a 3D film at the cinema and of those 86 per cent said they enjoyed the experience. Nearly a quarter said they were very or fairly likely to go again in the next 12 months comments suggest that the desire to go would be determined by the subject matter. The Rugby World Cup was suggested by one of those asked.
Sporting events are starting to make it onto TV and such home 3D equipment is owned by 4 per cent of those asked. Among those who don't own home 3D equipment, 7 per cent said they were fairly likely to buy equipment in the next 12 months, 31 per cent were not very likely and 62 per cent not likely at all.
This is a fast-moving technology which looks set to play a big part in home entertainment of the future. Some optical practices are keen to get in on the act but the opportunity for more practices to join is clearly there. ?