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A sample of 280 optical practices was used, with the research taking the form of a quantitative online survey. Field work, data processing and analysis took place in April and May 2012.
The survey found that a large majority of practices stocked lens cleaning sprays (89 per cent), lens cleaning cloths (87 per cent), glasses cases (84 per cent) and glasses chains (84 per cent). Other accessory-classed items such as magnifiers and swimming goggles were sold in 15 per cent of the practices. Independent practices were slightly less likely to stock any given item than multiples and franchises.
On the topic of display, accessories were most often exhibited by the till, followed by behind the counter and by the frames (Table 1). Seven per cent of practices kept lens cleaning cloths out of sight. Independent practices were more likely to display accessories by the till or behind the counter while chains concentrated on stocking those products by the frames.
Only 2 per cent of independents and 4 per cent of chains asked patients if they would like to buy accessories on every visit to the practice and 25 per cent of independents and 22 per cent of chains said that they never asked this question (Figure 1). Independents valued the importance of accessory sales less, with 33 per cent saying they were very important or fairly important compared to 53 per cent at chains.
Adding value
Practices that valued accessories highly tended to emphasise their significance in caring for frames. An independent who felt accessories were very important said that 'accessories are as important as the spectacles, since they are needed to care for them.' A respondent from a chain practice rated accessories as very important and remarked that 'it is all part of the service, advising patients on how to not only use but care for and clean their spectacles'.
One independent who rated accessories as not very important said: 'They are a relatively small proportion of our incomebut we try to stock small amounts of items which patients regularly request.' Meanwhile a chain respondent who rated accessories as not at all important said that as a proportion of income an accessory is 'inconsequential but as a service it is imperative.'
Overall 35 per cent of the sample viewed the sale of accessories as a freebie that customers expect against 65 per cent that view them as a potential revenue stream. Sixty-two per cent of independents view accessories as potential revenue compared to 72 per cent of chains.
Twenty-eight per cent of the total sample were unaware that rimless glasses could be damaged by some lens cleaners with the proportions the same across chains and independents.
On average, respondents estimated that 2.6 of every 10 glasses-wearing customers buy accessories. The average figures for independents and chains were 2.5 and 2.4 respectively.
Proportion of turnover
In terms of turnover, independents estimated a 3.8 per cent total turnover came from the sale of accessories compared to 3.9 per cent at chains, with 4.3 per cent the total figure. Following on from that the proportion of practice profit generated by accessories was estimated 4.1 per cent by the total, 3.2 per cent by independents and 3.5 per cent by chains.
Seventy-four per cent of practices said they never ran accessory-related promotions while 19 per cent ran them seasonally and 7 per cent on an annual basis. Chains were more likely to run promotions than independents, with 22 per cent running promotions seasonally compared to 15 per cent at independents.
The vast majority of respondent practices did not offer financial incentives to staff for selling accessories. Chains were more likely to do so, with 18 per cent of retail staff incentivised compared to 10 per cent at independents. Chains also tended to mark up accessories more than independents, with chains adding 70.3 per cent of the value compared to 66 per cent at independents.
Thirty-five per cent of practices said they reviewed the range of accessories that they sold on a quarterly basis, 27 per cent said annually, 29 per cent said less often than annually and 9 per cent said never. ?