LAS VEGAS--Costco Wholesale got top
marks for consumer satisfaction among eyewear/eyecare customers in
a new study on optical retailers released last month by J.D. Power
and Associates, the marketing information services firm.
Among 13 large retail chains, Costco
ranked highest in satisfying eyewear/eyecare customers, the J.D.
Powers 2005 National Retail Vision Satisfaction Study--announced
during International Vision Expo West--indicated. The study
measured satisfaction among customers of mass merchants, vision
chains and department stores based on six performance factors:
eyewear purchase experience, cost, retail store environment, choice
and variety of eyewear, eye-doctor office environment and eye
exam.
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SOURCE: J.D. POWER AND
ASSOCIATES 2005 NATIONAL RETAIL VISION SATISFACTION
STUDY |
Among the chains included in the
study, the three top-ranked retailers were mass merchants.
Highest-ranked Costco led in the factors for cost as well as choice
and variety of eyewear; it also had a high proportion of customers
indicating they would repurchase and recommend eyeglasses and
contact lenses from a Costco optical center.
Costco was followed in the rankings
by Sam’s Club and Wal-Mart, respectively. Sam’s Club
performed particularly well in the eyewear purchase experience, the
study indicates, while Wal-Mart received the highest ratings from
consumers for the retail store environment.
America’s Best Contacts &
Eyeglasses and EyeMart Express tied as the highest-ranked optical
specialty retailers in the J.D. Power survey.
“Mass merchandisers seem to
have found a balance between satisfying customers on cost and
providing an optimal purchase experience--the two most important
factors to consumers. This combination results in strong
performances overall,” said Steven Wood, senior vice
president and general manager of the healthcare practice at J.D.
Power. “However, competition among optical retailers is
fierce and only customers with the highest possible satisfaction
scores indicate a strong likelihood of purchasing from the same
retailer again.”
The study found that 21 percent of
the survey respondents who went to an independent eye doctor for
their eye exam later bought glasses or contact lenses at a retail
store, almost uniformly because of cost.
On average, nine percent of eyewear
customers reported dissatisfaction with their initial vision
correction for eyeglasses and 14 percent for contact lenses.
Customers reported an overall 18 percent initial problem rate with
eyeglass frames--and overall, 28 percent of those experiencing
problems with their frames said their problem was never fully
resolved.
The study also found that on
average, 39 percent of these consumers have a managed vision plan
through their employer. Overall, 34 percent of respondents used a
managed vision care plan for their eye exam, and 25 percent used a
vision plan for their eyewear purchases.
The 2005 National Retail Vision
Satisfaction Study is based on responses from 2,861 customers who
purchased glasses and/or contact lenses from a mass merchandiser,
vision chain or department store in the past 12 months.
--Cathy Ciccolella