Should…could…would you enter the world of e-commerce this year?

you’ve got a website, but do you sell products on it—and, will it help you compete with online sellers by offering an appealing option to convenience-focused patients?

According to the EB 2017 Market Trends Study, 21% of ECPs use their website for e-commerce, and an average of 2.5% of their overall sales are realized there.

To find out more, we spoke with several experienced ECPs on this very subject. As you’ll see, their positions on e-commerce range from “No way” and “Been there, done that,” to “Full steam ahead.”

Read on to hear their tales of Internet sales drama and triumphs to help determine if you want to go there for your business.

The Pro

What’s the upside of selling online for an independent ECP? “I don’t sell a lot of frames online, but it’s enough to justify a web shop,” says Coyote DeGroot, owner of Lab Rabbit Optics in Chicago. “Worst-case scenario, it’s a great way for potential customers to window-shop and familiarize themselves with the price points and types of products I stock. That’s why everything I show online is also in my shop.”

The Con

Some ECPs say that selling online is incompatible with their business model. “I really have never considered selling online,” says Chet Steinmetz, O.D., owner of Visual Effects Optical in Chicago. “What I do cannot be done without a face here to try on frames. I have to see how the frame not only looks, but how it fits on a face. That’s part of my art of finding the perfect frame.”

If You Go There

For those wanting to venture into e-commerce, here are a few words from the wise on how to do it right.

Differentiate From Discounts

Europtics, with five high-end optical locations in Colorado, has been toying with selling online for years. “When I took over eOptics.com , we pulled back to concentrate on brick and mortar,” recalls Europtics Vice President Judy Haber. “We kept a little [product] on Amazon, but we put our main website, eOptics.com , in a holding pattern.

“The biggest challenge,” says Haber, “is that everybody is looking for a deal online. As we rebuild eOptics.com this year, our strategy will be to focus on those people who are in out-of-the-way places and can’t get the mid- and high-end product we carry nearby.”

As the retailer works on its eOptics.com rebuild, explains Haber, “we’re starting with some of the more sought-after frames. We’re thinking about maybe going with more packages using different frames, but nothing is set yet. But we will never be inexpensive.”

Specialize in Something

Doug Jordan, O.D., has taken a very different approach to selling online. In a private group practice in Missouri since 1993, he’s also an avid outdoorsman. Working to help some professional bass anglers see better was part of the impetus behind his online-only business, Vicious Vision, featuring “premium polarized sunglasses powered by Xperio UV.” The product is now also available to ECPs as well as at several Bass Pro Shops.

Position Your Products

Some experts say that selling the right products online is the path to success. Dan Feldman, president of dba Designs and Communications in Denver, has worked with practices on both developing websites and helping them determine what to sell online.

When it comes to product, says Feldman, “it’s hard to sell special high-end brands online. Consumers don’t recognize the names of many of the exclusive brands. However, you also don’t want to sell a brand that people can shop. I think the answer is to create your own brand.”

Be Realistic

Deciding to sell online can be a slow, painful process. DeGroot says, “It takes time. This is my third website. I started with easy platforms and had someone else maintain them. That turned out to be a pain, so now I do it myself. It’s very time-consuming,” he admits. “It’s not something you can do and then just let it sit. The way search engine ranking works forces you to keep content dynamic. You really have to work on it every day.”

The best way to market an optical e-commerce website is to be on top of SEO, notes DeGroot. “Labeling things, using the right keywords,” he says.

—Stephanie K. De Long