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 increased last week - (Aug 8-14) at a rate of 2 index points for the second week in a row. That places gross revenue at a level 9 index points above where it was at this point in time (Week 33) when compared with last year, 5 points above the same period in 2020, and 8 points above 2019.

BUSINESS METRICS

All optical sales categories were up or flat last week when compared with the previous week – up 4 index points for exams/refractions, up 2 for frame units, lens pairs, and gross revenue, and unchanged for contact lenses. All optical sales categories were also up when comparing last week’s optical sales with the same period last year. All categories increased at a rate of 4 index points (exams/refractions, frame units, lens pairs, contact lenses) when comparing Week 33 this year with the same time period last year, except for gross revenue, which increased by the largest amount of 9 index points.

SNAPSHOT

With all optical sales either up or flat last week, all categories reached levels above an average week in 2019 (the index baseline assigned a value of 100 for this Optical Business Tracker). Gross revenue reached the highest level at 117 index points, followed by the rest in descending order – exams/refractions (105), contact lenses (104), lens pairs (103), and frame units (102).

*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.