The Big Survey 2020: Buying and Selling

15. What do you think will be the next breakout trend in optical products?

1. Better anti-fog solutions
2. Smart eyewear/wearables
3. Customization/3D printing
4. Better Blue Light protection/contact lenses/computer lenses
5. More lens tints/treatments
6. Minimalism/smaller styles/90s vintage
7. Bright funky colors
8. Customer service/concierge service/convenience
9. Myopia management products
10. Chains
11. Clear
12. Thick temples
13. Auto focusing lenses
14. Blue tooth technology
15. Unusual shapes and dimensions

16. If you could hold a trunk show of any eyewear designer/brand in the world (with the company’s participation), who would it be?

1. Face à Face
2. Gucci
3. l.a. Eyeworks
4. Lindberg
5. Chanel
6. Etnia Barcelona
7. Francis Klein
8. Anne et Valentin
9. Cartier
10. Europa
11. Kering
12. Lafont
13. Sospiri
14. Tom Davies
15. Tom Ford

17. How would you describe the contribution of e-commerce — via your website, Facebook, Instagram, eBay, etc. — to total sales?

18. On what online platforms have you actually experienced consumer inquiries about an item you’ve posted or publicized?

19. Attracting new customers/patients is always a challenge. What’s worked best for you?

20. What’s the largest number of frames you’ve sold to one person at one time?

• I sold 12 pairs to a millionaire. It was very exciting and I almost wet my pants.
• I had one older gentleman early in my career purchase 11 silver aviators at one time; they were almost all identical. Every year after, for a few more years, he purchased one or two more. I remember asking him why but do not recall any good answers.
• 17 frames to one gentleman, all progressives, and after he picked them up we never heard from him again… it’s been years!
• 17 Gucci, Versace and Prada to a “rapper” for a music video.
• Had an eccentric patient who wanted a pair for just about every one of his 40 exotic cars.
• Not our largest, but one gentleman bought eight frames — four Blake Kuwaharas, all same style and color, four Barton Perreiras, same style and color. He wanted to leave one at four different locations.
• I had a customer who was a billionaire on the Forbes Top 50 list; he would get Swissflex readers and lose them all the time. His assistant would call and order six or more at a time because he traveled. Whenever I’d see her number pop up, I’d get very excited. It was a great run for a couple years but unfortunately he passed last year. Bless his soul.
• Eight pair of polarized, mirrored, progressives. Customer was going to Africa for a six week safari.
• The patient had a large HSA she had to spend because she was moving to another company. So we kept building eyewear for her; eight pairs in the end, four clear and four sun.
• An accountant wanted Rx reading glasses in every room of his house and office.
• We had a patient get two pairs of Alexander McQueens and two pairs of Gucci. The next day she called and got another sun … she had dreamt about them so had to have them.
• Many years ago a patient bought several of the same style and color so she would always have her “trademark frame.”
• We live in a pretty depressed area but there is one couple that moved from a big city and are big spenders. They came in one November and each bought five pair, putting me in the black well before black Friday!
• Had someone buy 18 l.a. eyeworks during a Lafont trunk show.

21. What are the 3 best-performing brands that you carry?

22. The eyewear brands respondents would most like to add to their mix…

1. Face à Face
2. Anne et Valentin
3. SALT
4. Maui Jim
5. Ray-Ban
6. Theo
7. OvvO
8. Prodesign
9. Lafont
10. Oakley
11. Etnia Barcelona