10455 Seymour, Franklin Park, IL 60131 Phone 847.678.8900 Fax 847.678.8878I n f o @ o p t i c o t e . c o m w w w . o p t i c o t e . c o m

Are your sunglass sales feast or famine?By Edwin J. Ellefsen, President - Opticote, Inc.

01

Have you noticed the exploding sunglass market? Many consumers will gladly spend over $250 for a pair of plano sunglasses, but do they spend it at your office? And why do they balk at spending $10 or $20 dollars for a tint? To be successful riding the sunglass wave, you have to first be knowledgeable about your product and then sell solutions not services.

Sunglasses are like a sandwich; there are innumerable combinations of products that can satisfy every taste and need. Of course some combinations are more popular than others. And, some chefs are better than others. The purpose of this article is to provide you with a better understanding of how to build up just

A sandwich has several types of ingredients; bread, meat, vegetable, condiments and possibly a garnish. There are many choices for ingredients. In breads alone you have white, wheat, onion rolls, rye, etc. Likewise, sunglasses are composed of substrate material, tint and mirror, all available in several colors and styles. Not to mention several specialty coatings to add panache.

There are several choices for substrates. Generally CR-39 is the easiest to work with. If safety is a concern, polycarbonate is the best choice and it is high index to boot. Glass is the most durable material, ideal for abusive environments like car floors and the bottom of a purse. If your patient is a fisherman, then polarized lenses are nearly always required.

Tint color is next. Gray is the most common tint because it keeps all colors looking the same, just darker. For any type of driving, brown is the color because it increases contrast and cuts through haze the best. That is why truck drivers always go with a brown tint. Dark green or G15 is a good compromise if patients just cannot make up their mind. Other colors are used for different effects, but that's a whole article in itself.

How dark should they be? For indoor use anywhere from a 10% to 30% tint is fine. Indoor/outdoor and driving tints range from 40% to 60%. Going darker than 60% for driving is not recommended unless the tint is a gradient.

Good outdoor sunglasses should block 75% to 80%. Darker tints are available but only for special uses such as mountain climbing or other extreme lighting conditions.

Tint style can really add versatility to a pair of

sunglasses. Choices include solid, gradient and double gradient. Solid is

by far the most common. Gradients (darkest at the top and lighter at the bottom) let you combine two tints in the same pair of glasses. For example, an outdoor tint at the top and a driving tint at the bottom. Perfect for convertibles, boats or just plain walking about. Double gradients are darkest at the top & bottom and lightest in the middle. They are the preferred choice for snow or water skiing with bright sun above and bright reflected light off snow or water. Yet you can still see where you are going through the middle.

10455 Seymour, Franklin Park, IL 60131 Phone 847.678.8900 Fax 847.678.8878I n f o @ o p t i c o t e . c o m w w w . o p t i c o t e . c o m

Are your sunglass sales feast or famine?

02

Mirrors do for sunglasses what lettuce, tomatoes and cheese do for sandwiches. They darken the glasses anywhere from 5% to 15% and add interest with style. Silver accounts for 65% of all mirror colors followed by gold at about 25%. Blue has become very popular lately. Other colors include purple, green, black and multi-color. The choice of mirror color is cosmetic and should be based on personal preference.

If you want to make a bold statement, try a heavy mirror particularly effective with colored mirrors. Flash mirrors continue to increase in popularity every year. Many women love the "je ne sais quoi" effect they produce. That little something extra that sets them apart but you just can¡¦t put your finger on what it is. Usually done in silver or gold.

Just like tints, mirrors come in solid, gradient and double gradient. They are also used the same way but do not have to match the tint. For example, a solid mirror over a gradient tint is common. Double gradient mirrors over solid tints is another popular combination.

Secret spices turn a regular sandwich into a great sandwich. Likewise, there are often overlooked secrets to making a great pair of sunglasses. Look closely at any expensive sunglasses like RevoÆÊ. You will notice the back side always has a multi-layer anti-reflection (AR) coating like the OpticoteÆÊ Illusion. The AR coating reduces the reflections caused by light coming in the sides of the glasses and reflecting off the back side of the lenses. Once you have a pair of sunglasses with AR on the backside, you will never go without.

Ultra-violet protection is something patients can't see but it really adds value. A must for CR-39 lenses. Remember polycarbonate already has UV blocking so you don't have to add it.

Photochromatic lenses also add a special twist and can make any pair of sunglasses more versatile. The OpticoteÆÊ Rose Kilimanjaro, for example, is based on photobrown glass lenses. Add a rose coating which includes real 24K gold, plus a double gradient silver mirror and you have goggles the skiers go "ga ga" over. The rose functions similar to a brown tint (increasing contrast so moguls stand out), but it is not as harsh and it is easier to adapt to. In addition to UV reduction, the gold also reduces infra-red emissions. That's why the face shields for NASA astronauts are coated with gold. The double gradient keeps away sunlight and snow reflections. Yet you still get good visibility ahead. The photochromatic lenses automatically adjust to suit lighting conditions from dawn to dusk. And, glass lenses are tops for withstanding the thermal stress of going from fireplace to snow that can cause some coatings to crack and come off.

Sunglass sales, feast or famine?If your customers are bored with the same old bologna sandwich, find out what they like to do. Create a special ¡§sunglass sandwich¡¨ just for them. They will appreciate the attention plus the added performance and comfort. Good sunglasses are not cheap, but people do not mind paying for quality when they can see the difference.