The sixth edition of OMO
The research surveyed buying habits for sun and optical eyeglasses as well as current trends in France, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom and Germany.The half-yearly edition of OMO-Optical Monitor, the research commissioned jointly by MIDO and Silmo and carried out by GfK, was presented in Paris at the beginning of October. This combined initiative was strongly recommended by the two past presidents and will continue for the next two years under the aegis of the current presidents: Giovanni Vitaloni (MIDO) and Amélie Morel (Silmo).This updating was developed also with the aim of providing sector operators with an outline of consumers in the main European countries (France, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Germany) and the current trends in the sector.In Europe there has been moderate growth in gross domestic product accompanied by a positive mood among consumers. In this context, consumers are having increasingly interactive experiences and mobile devices have become the recognized catalysts behind buying. The result is an increasingly complex shopping experience. In our sector we are seeing a slight increase in online buying in all countries except Germany. Independent opticians and chains are still the cornerstones of buying. Optical eyeglassesStores are the most important sources of information about optical eyeglasses; but opticians’ retail websites are the most used digital sources and advice from friends, acquaintances and family member also plays a key role. Opticians are reputed to be vision wellbeing professionals, especially in the United Kingdom. The other good news is that buying frequency has not changed.The preferred materials are plastic and metal (Germans prefer the former but in Italy the opposite is the case). Even though full-rim eyeglasses are the most popular in all five countries, there has been a slight increase in the purchase of rimless eyewear.As to design, square frames are the preference, especially by Spanish men. Round eyeglasses are bought by 1 person in 5 in the countries surveyed, except Germany where the figure is 3 in 10.SunglassesThe market is going through a good period and consumers are buying more than in the past, especially in Germany. Damage to lenses or frames is the most important reason for buying a new pair of sunglasses. In Italy attention to design is always strong.Square eyeglasses are the most popular, followed closely by round eyewear (chosen primarily by women) and aviators (the favorites with men). In general, full frames dominate; the only country that goes against this trend is Italy, where last summer there was a boom in sunglasses with lenses that covered the entire front and which consumers perceive as being rimless.Stores are the most important sources of information; friends, acquaintances and family members are frequently asked for advice. The most used sources of online information are the internet in general and the websites of opticians and brands in particular.In all five countries there has been an overall increase in online purchases of sunglasses. The best prices and discounts are the main reasons for buying by those who choose the Internet; but there is also an increase in some factors that should not be underestimated as they make a difference in the experience. An example is delivery. Future trendsThe best price will be the most important reason for buying online in the future, followed by home delivery and online discounts. However, it should be noted that buyer attention span, like the time available, is falling sharply, so the online buying experience should be fast and easy to complete.The trump card for stores will be understanding future buyers and anticipating trends, starting from the axiom that for hyper-connected consumers the shopping experience has more value than possession.The results of the next OMO research will be presented February 25, 2018, at MIDO.
