Contact Lenses

Boost Annual CL Supply Sales with Convenience and Value

By D. Penn Moody, OD

Providing patients with an easy way to re-order contact lenses, plus rebate incentives and tiered pricing, increases sales of annual contact lens supplies.

We have a substantial contact lens practice that continues to grow in numbers and revenues. This includes 1,700 contact lens patients in our database and 10 to 12 new contact lens patient visits per week. In addition to my skills as a clinician, I attribute this success to convenience. We make it easy for patients to go online and reorder annual supplies of contact lenses, plus we pass along incentives in the form of rebates. Thirty percent of our contact lens patients purchase annual supplies.

D. Penn Moody, OD

Moody Eyes, LLC

Indianapolis, Ind.

www.moodyeyes.com

Indiana University School of Optometry
Class of 1975

Current practice started coldin 2005.

One location with three doctors (one full-time; two part-time)

Comprehensive Examinations
Over 2,200 with a growth rate exceeding 15 percent annually

Annual CL Supply Sales

30 percent of CLpatients.

Percentage of Annual Revenues from Contact Lenses
Approx. 36 percent

Develop Incentives Model

We use this basic model: eight or four boxes are at the lowest price and with the manufacturer’s rebate the patient’s best value. This seems to be simple, straightforward and successful. Our goal is to become more consistent with this approach to continue to increase our annual supply sales.

Use Tiered Pricing

We also implemented tiered pricing: One to three boxes are one price plus shipping and handling; four boxes are a lower price with free shipping and handling; eight boxes are less/box plus free shipping and handling.

Manufacturer Rebates

We use manufacturer rebates plus 100 percent direct-to-patient shipping by ABB CONCISE to make it easier and more convenient. We also use ABB CONCISE’s online contact lens ordering system yourlens.com with a direct link on our website so patients can order online themselves. This online tool helps because it gives patients the ability to order through our office in the same way they would order from online contact lens retailers–offering them convenience and a lower price than they would pay buying it from us in our office.

Doctor Prescribes Annual Supply

I believe the doctor should make recommendations but not get into pricing discussions. Therefore, I will tell a patient how buying an annual supply with our lowest per box price plus rebates is their best deal. When patients are hesitant to purchase an annual supply it’s almost always due to a cost concern. In that case, we try to educate them about how they save money in the long-term by purchasing an annual supply. My philosophy is to recommend what the patient should have; to educate them on the advantages of following this recommendation; then sell them what they want to buy. I never pressure patients to purchase more than they are comfortable purchasing.

Use Trial Lenses; Allow No-Penalty Return Up to 30 Days

Our return rate is about 1.3 percent, much lower than the national average of 4 to 5 percent, according ABB CONCISE. Much of this is due to our using trial lenses to be sure of fit and vision performance. I do not subscribe to the common practice that we must “sell them everything we can while they are on our carpet.” Occasionally we have to trade lenses for someone, which we willingly do within the first 30 days.

Four Keys to Increasing Contact Lens Annual Supply Sales

Develop a specific plan with scripts for you and your staff to present the benefits.

Use tiered pricing–remember you are selling a product in a box, not specialized services or custom product.

Pass along savings to patients with manufacturer rebates.

Offer convenience with direct-to-patient shipping on all box orders.

Related ROB Articles

Manage Your Contact Lens Inventory for Profitability

Increase Sales of Contact Lens Annual Supplies

Prescribe an Annual Supply of Contact Lenses

D. Penn Moody, OD, is the owner of Moody Eyes, LLC, in Indianapolis, Ind. To contact him: penn@moodyeyes.com

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