HOLIDAY GIFTS

Naughty OR Nice?

Don’t forget to remind customers and patients that eyewear and accessories make great holiday gifts

BY LINDSEY GETZ

While holiday shopping in 2013 turned out to be relatively disappointing for retailers, 2014 should be better. In fact, dollars spent on gifts this season are expected to rise more than 8% from last year, according to the Prosper Spending Score.

Although patients might not be entering your dispensary with gift giving in mind, some strategic placement and a few creative display ideas may help change that.

GETTING CREATIVE

It doesn’t take much to position eyewear accessories as holiday gifts, says Kelly Chasnov, co-owner of Eyetopian Optical in Fort Meyers, FL. “You just have to be willing to get creative and maybe even use a glue gun,” says Chasnov, who has had a lot of success in creating clever displays that attract attention. In fact, when she began incorporating unique decorations into her optical displays, she found that customers also inquired about buying the decorations—so she now sells those as well.

For instance, Chasnov might use a Santa to “model” sunwear and will sell the Santa in addition to the frames. Since the area is home to a lot of golfers, she also uses easy-to-see colored golf balls that the store sells to make holiday wreaths. “Displays are all about catering to your customer,” Chasnov adds.

She also says that making up gift packages with chains, for instance, has helped put her shoppers in the gift-giving spirit. Now, instead of just picking up a chain for themselves, they may also buy one for a friend.

MAKING THE CONNECTION

Debbie Proudman, optician and co-manager at Roberts Eyecare Associates in Vestal, NY, agrees, saying that people just don’t make the connection that eyewear accessories could be a good gift until they see them laid out. Simple seasonal displays, such as a stocking overflowing with a few eyewear accessories like a readers clip or a fun contact lens case, are a great reminder, she says.

“We might also make up a display that shows a gift certificate paired with a case or another small accessory,” Proudman adds. “This is a good reminder that gift certificates make a nice present, too.”

Since picking out eyewear can be quite personal, the gift certificate covers that. But because a lot of people like to also give something tangible, a case or an eyewear holder makes a good complement to the certificate.

The visibility of displays is also important. Proudman says that several mini holiday displays might be set up in various locations throughout the dispensary including, of course, the front desk and the dispensing table.

Packaging the accessories as “ready-to-go” gifts also makes them more sellable, adds Tina Wood, a master optician and optical services team member with The Eye Associates in Bradentown/Sarasota, FL. If shoppers are headed from their eye exam to a holiday dinner party, for example, a gift package with a beautiful eyewear case makes a good grab-and-go hostess gift and eliminates a stop on the way.

“Everything should be in beautiful pre-wrapped holiday bags for easy gift giving and displayed at all check-out locations—not just optical,” Wood adds. “And be sure to have different price ranges of bags in order to fit the needs of everything from stocking stuffer to main gift.”

PRACTICAL IDEAS

Wood says that practical gifts are always appreciated, as they will get a lot of use by the recipient. This can include a fun eyewear holder as an inexpensive and whimsical option or a beautiful eyeglass chain that may even double as a necklace. Though giving readers to a hostess might not be appropriate, they are certainly appropriate for close family members.