Amit Kumar Pandey - 09653443066

Selling techniques in the optical industry 

The Pros and Cons of Online Retailers vs. Brick-and-Mortar Stores

How do we differ from Internet Retailers? It's a question many business owners

in the optical industry worldwide constantly have to face and have to find a way

to respond quickly to this ever growing trend of online optical shopping

( especially in prescription lenses). 

If you are like many in the industry with a brick-and-mortar optical store who

have now reached a standstill and have noticed a drop in sales recently, we

have laid out a few simple tricks to get you ahead of the game by helping you

teach your clients to understand the difference between online and in-store

shopping. Best of all, these strategies can be applied without any cost, right

away!

The ideas behind these strategies are not to take away from the core benefits

( or mask them) from online shopping, but instead to put emphasis on what YOU

can do for THE CLIENT, the moment THE CLIENT walks into your office.

1- Offer a personalized service dedicated to each and every customer that

comes in your store. Take the time to understand and measure their needs.

Offer compassion and assist them in every step of the way of the buying

process. Remember not all clients feel at ease buying prescription glasses.

2- Evaluate their lifestyle, there is a huge potential in up-selling and cross-selling

( example; floating eyeglass chains, lens cleaning tissues, prescription goggles

etc)

3- Make sure the frame they choose optimizes their face, clients will be using

them every day, if they feel good in them and receive compliments, there is a

great chance of repeat buyer potential, customer loyalty and word of mouth.

4- Explain the differences in lens designs, prescription needs, that you will be

fitting their glasses once the order  is completed and is ready for pick up, and so

on so forth. After all, you are the subject matter expert. 

5- If you don't already offer warranties on your services or products, it's a good

time to start, especially with the holidays coming around the corner. You must

reduce the buying risk in order to complete more sales. The less a client feels

like there is a lot of risks involved in purchasing an item, the more likely they

will buy.

6- Instant gratification – buy an item and bring it home immediately. Even same-

day shipping can’t offer the same immediacy

7- In the end, if your client still wants to purchase the item on-line to save

money, remind them that extra fees always apply such as shipping. 

8- If the client does end up purchasing an item(s) from you, thank them. Go the

extra mile and slip in a < thank you for buying from a local merchant, your

business is what keeps us going>.