2010/11 Sunglass Market Report & Product Preview

By Mike Lewis
Wed, Jul 14 2010 4:45 am | 0 Comments

Sunglasses pose a quandary. As a small, relatively expensive item, they can mint retailers a fortune on a square-footage basis if the product mix is right, but if the buy is off trend, these fashion-focused fixtures are no more valuable than a pricey paperweight. Everyone is looking to reduce risks these days, and in the eyewear world, wary retailers are reeling in buys to make sunglass cases pay off. “We used to go for broke and stock the display super heavy and keep a large amount of back stock year round,” says Huntington Surf & Sport Buyer Mike Sheldon. “Now we run a very lean inventory in the off-season, relying on the reps to come in weekly and keep us full. In season we still load up heavy on the bestsellers but stay away or go much lighter on the fringy frames. Simply put, last year made us go lean and mean… and it’s working.”

TransWorld Business checked in with some of the industry’s key eyewear brands this month to hear what trends they predict for 2011, and learn what strategies they plan to implement to drive sales. To read the entire in-depth report on the eyewear market, be sure to grab a copy of this month’s TransWorld Business.