Marketing Resources

Best (and Brightest) Tips to Boost Sunglass Sales

Use These Sales as an Opportunity for Growth!

Posted: April 01, 2025

Categories: Marketing 101 Branding

Sunglasses are both a fashion accessory and a medical necessity. Yet, sunwear is an underpenetrated segment of sales in most practices. Less than 10%* of all sunglasses sold come from eye care practices. This means there’s an incredible growth opportunity for your business by promoting sunwear and sun safety in your practice!

Now is the perfect time to evaluate and improve your sunglasses strategy! Whether your patients wear glasses or contacts, sun should be a part of every conversation. Help your patients elevate their vision experience and protect their eyes by recommending plano or prescription sunglasses, depending on their vision needs.

Below you’ll find easy-to-implement tips to help increase sales, make the most of marketing resources, and share patient education materials.

1. Set Yourself Up for Success

START THE CONVERSATION
Start the sun conversation by asking your patient a few questions that will help you provide them with the best solution to match their lifestyle and vision needs. Here are a few sample questions to get you started:

Do you currently wear sunglasses?
Are you bothered by glare?
How much time do you spend driving during the day?
What outdoor activities do you participate in and how often?

Knowing the answer to these questions will help you and your staff personalize every recommendation.

EXAMINE THE JOURNEY
A smooth and enjoyable patient experience is important, as it puts the patient at ease, and allows you to recommend all the right products for their lifestyle. Use these opportunities to promote sunglasses throughout the customer journey:

Appointment scheduling and confirmation
Check-in and waiting area
Education during exam
Optician handoff
Presentation of available sunglasses during frame selection

PRODUCT PLACEMENT

sunglasses

Product placement is key to growing your sun business. Since sunwear is as much a fashion statement as it is a health need, showcase the latest seasonal frames in your store in high-traffic areas. Here are some ideas to add a fresh, new perspective to your sunwear set up:

Create a dedicated sunglasses area using bright, sunshine-evoking colors and textures.
Display products in a way that patients will feel comfortable trying them on, such as ensuring that they are only an arm's reach away.
Place sunglasses in the middle of your optical space and in windows to immediately attract attention.
Use eye-catching themed displays in store windows that include seasonal, fashion-forward, or trending styles.
Set up a smaller sunwear display in your contact lens area to encourage a second-pair purchase for your contact lens patients.

PREPARE FOR SUCCESS
Knowledgeable staff and the right product assortment are also important. Keep these factors in mind as you build your practice’s sunglasses business:

Train your staff on the latest frame trends and talking points so they are equipped to help patients.
Sunglasses should comprise about 25-30% of your inventory, so be sure to stock up when brands are having promotions!
Balance your style assortment – active, casual, and fashion, as well as a variety of shapes and sizes so there is something for everyone.
Look for brands that offer a mix of styles, including male, female, and unisex.
Hot tip: Plano sunglasses priced under $125 are impulse-driven purchases, so don’t neglect this category in your collection.

2. Find Marketing Resources at Your Fingertips

Visit the VSP Premier Edge™ Marketing Support dedicated sunwear marketing campaign page to get a jump on the sunny celebration by promoting fashionable sunwear on your social media accounts.

Once your practice is set up for success, it’s time to engage with new and existing patients. Use National Sunglasses Day on June 27th to tell patients how they can protect their eyes, while promoting the latest sunglasses available at your practice. In the June content calendar you’ll find social media posts, images, and email templates that make it easy to promote sun in your practice.

Want to promote suns while saving your patients money? On the Premier Edge Marketing Support Promotions page you’ll find the latest rebates and offers available to VSP patients, including rebates on Maui Jim sunglasses.

Also, don’t forget light-adapting glasses may be a suitable alternative for some patients. Check out the helpful recommendation tips and product information from the SunSync Resources page to support your recommendations and explain light-adaptive lens technologies using patient-friendly language.

You can also get the latest frame images from the Marchon Brand Bank for your practice and social media pages.

3. Enlighten Your Patients

Knowledge is power, and a well-informed patient is empowered to make better decisions. Sixty-five percent* of adults are unaware of the link between UV exposure and serious eye diseases and 26%* of adults rarely or never wear sunglasses. Share these articles with your patients through social media and email so they’re sun-aware and can make well-informed health-related decisions.

Now Your Patients are Ready to Chase the Summer Sun!

Sunglasses provide so many benefits, with protection, function, and fashion topping the list. Understanding the needs of your patients by asking a few key questions enables you to provide sunwear solutions that benefit all your patients. Commit to recommending quality plano sunglasses for every patient, including contact lens and Lasik patients, and prescribing prescription sunwear for those who require corrective lenses.

Remember, VSP members can get an extra $20 to spend from a selection of frame brands. Learn how here.

Premier Edge Marketing Support is an exclusive, complimentary benefit for practices participating in Premier Edge. Personalized consultations are available to help you meet your practice goals. Get started today by completing the 5-minute Virtual Marketing Assessment.

Sources:

*Vision Council of America Survey