NEW YORK—Optical sales took a slight downturn last week, June 14-20, as the national average for gross revenue at ECP locations throughout the country fell 2 index points, bringing it to a slightly lower level (by only 1 index point) of where it was at the same time last year. When compared with two years ago during the same time period, gross revenue was 6 index points higher last week than where it was in 2019, according to data from Jobson’s latest Practice Performance Tracker.
All optical sales categories declined last week, except contact lenses, which remained flat. Sales of frame units, and lens pairs, along with gross revenue, all decreased by 2 index points last week, while exams/refractions fell by only 1 index point. While sales of contact lenses were flat last week, they represent the category furthest from the sales levels they achieved the previous two years at 6 index points below where they were at this time last year and 10 index points below where they were in 2019.
With most optical sales categories taking a slight downturn last week and contact lens sales remaining flat, all categories remain at similar levels in relation to each other. Gross revenue continues to be the only category performing at sales rates above an average week in 2019, while all other categories remain below that index level.
Jobson Optical Research selected 1,500 optical locations that have been operating and reporting their sales to its partners, GPN and ABB Analytics, since 2019. The index has been rebased to an average week in 2019. Going forward, this new index base will be used as an arbitrary benchmark and assigned a value of 100.
Click here to view the complete Jobson COVID-19 Performance Tracker