This tracker measures sales trends comparing pre-pandemic, during the pandemic, and post-pandemic.

We selected 1,500 optical locations that have been operating and reporting their sales to our partners, GPN and ABB Analyze, since 2019. We re-based the index to an average week in 2019. This new index base will be used as an arbitrary benchmark and assigned a value of 100.

GROSS REVENUE 3-YEAR TREND

The national average for gross revenue at ECP locations decreased last week (May 9-15) at a rate of -2 index points. That places gross revenue at a level 7 index points above where it was at this point in time (week 20) when compared with last year and 12 points above 2019. Gross revenue during Week 20 of 2020 was 42 index points below Week 20 of this year at a level of 68 index points, as it continued to gradually emerge from the pandemic-related low of 14 index points it had reached during Week 15 of 2020.

BUSINESS METRICS

All optical sales categories decreased or remained flat last week. When comparing last week with the previous week, contact lenses remained flat while decreases ranged from -2 index points for gross revenue and exams/refractions to -6 index points for lens pairs. Frame units decreased by -5 index points. When comparing last week’s optical sales with the same period last year, categories were both up and down. Up were gross revenue (7 index points), contact lenses (6 points), and exams/refractions (4 points). Down were lens pairs (-3 index points) and frame units (-2 points).

SNAPSHOT

With all optical sales either flat or down last week, only one category remained above an average week in 2019 (the index baseline assigned a value of 100 for this Optical Business Tracker). At 110 index points, gross revenue is the only category above that benchmark. The other categories below that benchmark range from frame units, which at 97 index points is the closest to an average week in 2019, to contact lenses, which is the furthest at 91 index points.

*The index baseline was developed by Jobson Research from total sales from an average week in 2019. This index baseline is equivalent to a score of 100. All other time periods going forward are calculated as a percent increase or decrease from the 100 baseline index of that period. This index is intended to show directional and magnitudinal change that the market is experiencing. Actual index scores are arbitrary meaning the baseline of 100 is simply used as a benchmark. Jobson Research shall not be held liable for any use or misuse of the data described and/or contained herein.

Please note that practices that use practice analytic systems tend to skew a bit larger and have higher revenue than practices that do not.

Source: GPN/EDGEPro and ABB Analyze contributed anonymous sales data used to determine gross revenue, exams/refractions, frame units, lens pairs, and contact lens boxes. Data was collected from approximately 1,500 independent eye care practices.

For more information from Jobson Research contact jwaller@jobson.com,

you may also reach out to GPN/EDGEPro and ABB Analyze directly.