Is frame and lens packaging right for you?

I pulled the following excerpt from the July issue of 20/20 Magazine. It is a growing trend in this industry for practices to bundle frames and lenses together to make things easier on their patients. This is a great article outlining the pros and cons of this technique. I have included some of the things to take into consideration if you are promoting or thinking of promoting packages. I hope this is helpful.
•Brad


The Frame Factor—Packaging frame and lens products together begins at the frame. Rank the frame brands and styles you dispense in terms of sales (i.e., popularity with patients). See how that fits in with your dispensary’s philosophy. If, for example, you want your optical to appeal more to high•end customers but you sell relatively few high•end frames, base your packages around more expensive frames. Package the product categories where you want to increase sales.

Looking at Lenses—Keep the lens side of the package program simple and include plenty of premium options. Again, if you are looking to appeal to higher•paying customers, start out with a base package that includes, say, polycarbonate lenses; the upper level of this program might be ultra high•index AR plastic lenses. Conversely, a dispensary looking to create more options for lower•end customers might have a base package of conventional plastic lenses and an “upper level” package featuring polycarbonate.

Child’s Play—If the chains can successfully package frames and lenses for kids, so can independent dispensaries. On the lens side, of course, polycarbonate is a must. In terms of frames, stay on top of trends and select popular kids’ frame brands fitting into three distinct price points (i.e., low, middle and high). Be sure to brand the package in such a way that is appealing to both parents and their kids.

Sun Block—Most dispensaries want to increase second•pair sales. Try packaging prescription polarized lenses with popular sunglass styles and offering them at a discount for patients who purchase a clear pair.

These approaches have worked for many chains and independents alike. But at least one independent cautions his colleagues to remember what separates their shops from larger retail operations.

“When we began using brand names, we thought that alone would drive sales,” says Dr. Horsch. “But we soon realized while that might be attractive to some patients, most were looking to us to educate them on what they were really buying, what these eyeglasses would do for their vision. More than anything else, we realized it was just as important for us to brand ourselves as the experts.”


Brad here, again. If you decide this is something you would like to try out, we would be glad to help. We have many packages available from our side that have assisted practices before in making these packages more profitable. Just let us know, and we will help in any way we can.
Thanks.