Sunglasses have always been a tricky subject for the optical profession. But as we begin to bask in the rather rare sunshine of 2008 will the sunnies in your practice start to shift?
While some practices have embraced the idea of retailing fashion shades and sports sunwear others have taken a slightly more jaundiced view. Wherever you stand on this one, as ever, the market is making itself felt. Last week’s straw poll by Optician (see news) saw the finger pointed at the weather, the credit crunch and photochromics as reasons for the fall. But within this 16 per cent slump in sales (see page 18) hides the real reason. Regardless of sunglass volume it is the price tag dangling from the frame which is setting the tone.
The sunglass market is polarising, no pun intended, and the top end price slice traditionally favoured by optics is shrinking. By constrast the sub £50 segment is growing apace.
Sunglasses command a higher profile than ever and it seems every magazine and newspaper has a spread on the latest frames and who is wearing them. While the ubiquitous £2 Primark frame is there, so are its quality cousins and they constitute a big retail opportunity.
Optical practices have traditionally taken the locked cabinet approach to retailing sunnies. Perhaps the time has come for sunglasses to come out of the closet.