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Lenses … Numbers to Know

Erinn Morgan

Here we outline key trends, as reported in the EB Market Trends Report, that are shaping the lens business.

■ AR BOOM. According to the report, ECPs sell more anti-reflective lenses than any other material or treatment. In fact, 80 percent of ECPs listed AR as the best-selling option. They also ranked it as the top lens growth area for the next 12 months—followed, in order, by computer lenses, polarized lenses, and PALs.
■ AR CHALLENGES. Asked to list their greatest challenge when selling AR, the largest percentage (29 percent) cited “price resistance.” This was up four percentage points from 2009, while those who cited “past problems” decreased from 31 percent in 2009 to 21 percent in the current survey.
■ RIDING THE WAVE. Threequarters of eyecare professionals surveyed currently offer or plan to offer “free-form/digital” technology. In addition, 35 percent say they anticipate an increase of five to 10 percent this year, while 11 percent pegged their increase to be between 16 and 20 percent.
■ PRICING PARTICULARS. A full 55 percent of ECPs say they price lenses a la carte—an increase from 44 percent in 2008. The number of ECPs who report using package pricing (34 percent) was also up significantly from 16 percent in 2008. Interestingly, the percentage who report using a combination of both pricing strategies is down by a large amount—from 45 percent in 2008 to 11 percent now.
■ TALKING TO PATIENTS. When it comes to lenses, 77 percent of ECPs surveyed report they “always” discuss AR with patients, and 70 percent say they always talk PALs, while only 21 percent report they “never” discuss free-form. EB

Selling Performance

When asked to list the three most-important criteria used when purchasing spectacle lenses, ECPs ranked “performance” as the standard. The number two criterion was “price,” followed by “profit potential,” “new technology/innovation,” “product/vendor reputation,” and “brand name.”

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