With all the current challenges opticians face in the retail market, well-fitting glasses and sunglasses shouldn’t be one of them, but new research has estimated that poor fitting eyewear costs opticians and eyewear retailers a staggering US$26bn (£19.9bn).
British 3D capture firm Fuel3D’s, Delivering a Fitted Experience in Eyewear report, has taken an in-depth look at the relationship between fit and buyer experience ‘through the lens of the consumer’ and the data has highlighted some alarming issues.
The first of its kind study polled 4,536 adult spectacle and sunglass wearers in the UK and US and showed that more than one in four adults (28%) struggled to find eyewear that fit. As a result, more than half (55%) left practices and eyewear stores empty handed, leaving an estimated US$26bn worth of uncaptured revenue in the $100bn global eyewear market.
Researchers asked: “Have you ever left an eyewear store empty handed because you couldn’t find eyewear that suited and fitted you?” Of the respondents who bought spectacles, 41% said they had, while the figure for sunglass buyers was significantly higher at 64% – suggesting there was less interaction between staff and customers in sunglass deliberations, making it easier to leave the store without a purchase.
George Thaw, CEO of Fuel3D (pictured), said: ‘Our research provides a consumer perspective on the importance of eyewear fit. It’s clear from our survey that people struggle to find eyewear that fits, yet fit is the single most important factor affecting customer experience, brand choice and where we purchase our eyewear.
‘Buying eyewear should be easy and fun yet people struggle to find the right fit and don’t enjoy the experience. The eyewear industry is treating every face as the same size and shape, resulting in ill-fitting eyewear which is costing retailers, opticians and brands lost customers and sales.’
The study also delved into the mechanics of the transaction once eyewear had been purchased. Figures showed nearly half (49%) of all eyewear purchases were returned or had to be adjusted due to poor fit, resulting in additional financial loss for the customer and additional logistical issues for the practice.
As might be expected, the number of sunglass buyers returning items or needing adjustment was higher (64%) than that of spectacle purchasers (50%). However, that 50% of spectacle purchases are either returned or need adjustment should give practices cause for concern.
Attitudes
Despite fashion considerations being increasingly important in deciding on eyewear, fit was the most important factor when buying glasses or sunglasses, said researchers.
Overall, 44% of respondents said they prioritised fit, 33% said price and 23% focused on style. Drilling down into the different buyer types revealed some interesting findings. Sunglass buyers showed an even mix of fit (37%), price (33%) and style (30%), but of those buying spectacles, just 19% said style was important when buying. Just under half (46%) prioritised fit.
Of concern for opticians and retailers will be the figures that showed that patients and consumers were generally unhappy with the service they received and their experience of achieving best fit. Returning to practices or stores for adjustments or collection was cited as ‘disliked’ by 59% of respondents and 64% said they didn’t like the time it took have their glasses produced.
One in three adults (33%) did not like visiting the optician or shopping for eyewear and one in five (20%) didn’t like having to try on different frames, highlighting the need to improve the customer experience.
Online retail in optics has continued to be a thorn in the side of opticians and retail outlets the world over and data in the report will only compound those concerns. Four out of five (82%) respondents said they would buy their eyewear (sunglasses and spectacles combined) online instead if they could be guaranteed the perfect fit.
Tellingly, 75% said they would buy their spectacles online if the fit was right. On a more positive note, 66% of people would purchase eyewear more often if they were shown designs which fitted properly.
Reacting to the report’s findings, Ole Bentzen, former CEO of Danish eye care multiple Thiele Briller, told Optician: ‘Eyewear is for a lifetime, yet people continuously struggle to find the right fit. If we buy about 25 pairs of glasses in our adult life and the optician gets the fit wrong on the first pair, then they lose the next 24 pairs to the competition.
Sample findings from the Fuel3D survey
‘More and more people are wearing glasses earlier in life. The increasing use of screens in our society is leading to a general decrease in the quality of vision and a corresponding increase in the need for corrective eyewear. The first pair of glasses a customer buys is one of the most important touchpoints so it’s essential that the optician gets the fit right.’
A solution
Facial scanning technology has enabled opticians to broaden their offering in recent years, but the technology hasn’t gained as much momentum with the public as stakeholders would have hoped.
Fuel3D’s research showed 77% were comfortable with the concept of a personal 3D facial scan to deliver a more accurate and better fitting experience. The company’s Fitsyou platform uses augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver the recommended eyewear.
There are two elements to the platform – Fitadvisor and Realfit. The former uses 3D facial analysis software to offer opticians a frame recommendation based on data from existing practice inventory.
Realfit takes this further with additional layers of measurement analysis and the ability to output to a 3D printer or an optimised CAD file for traditional manufacturing.
Karl Turley, chief marketing officer of Fuel3D, said: ‘People are crying out for a better fit and a better buying experience. Fitsyou delivers perfectly measured 3D fitting, personalises the selection of glasses, guarantees the perfect fit, encourages customer loyalty and gives opticians and retailers a compelling competitive advantage in a retail landscape where there is no longer a defined size.’
Former head of Costco UK optical operations and Myoptique commercial director Philip Meyer said the survey’s findings highlighted the extent of the problem with fit and a greater need for accuracy and automation in measurement and dispensing of eyewear.
‘As part of a training initiative some years ago, I had 100 employees across 21 eyewear stores measure my Pupillary Distance (PD). Only one person got it right. A decade on, measurement techniques have little changed and still remain subject to human error,’ said Meyer.
‘Hiring good people can be really difficult which makes it hard to get the right fit. This is often more of a problem in larger chains. Most chains will have individual stores that consistently perform better, and this is usually down to the skill of their people and how precise their measurements are as well as their ability to recommend the best frames for the individual.
Digitising the process of measurement and frame selection could have a huge impact in helping to make everyone in every store as good as the best.’
He concluded: ‘While it’s clear how much revenue is being lost when people leave a store empty handed or return glasses because they don’t fit, there is also a huge cost to account for in customer loyalty. I see plenty of people walking around with glasses that don’t fit properly and while they might not have had the will to complain, they will vote with their wallets and make their future purchases at a different store.’