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

While the national average for gross revenue at ECP locations declined sharply last week (Nov. 22-28) due to the Thanksgiving holiday, its index level still fell right between where this optical category was at this same point in time (Week 48) during both 2019 (1 index point above) and last year (2 index points below).

BUSINESS METRICS

All optical categories experienced large decreases in sales last week due to the Thanksgiving holiday. When comparing last week with the previous week (Nov. 15-21), declines ranged from -25 index points for contact lenses to -35 index points for gross revenue.

SNAPSHOT

All optical sales categories’ sharp declines last week brought them far below an average week in 2019 (the index baseline assigned a value of 100 for this Optical Business Tracker). All categories range from the closest, albeit 29 index points below 100, at 71 index points (gross revenue) to 39 index points below 100 at 61 index points (contact lenses). All categories are expected to rebound to some degree during the week following Thanksgiving.

*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.