The tween/young teen category is a challenging market
for eyecare professionals. In fact, according to 20/20’s
Kids’ Eyewear MarketPulse Survey 2007, nearly a
quarter (24 percent) of respondents find catering
to tweens and young teens a major challenge, with
an additional 46 percent reporting it a minor
challenge. However, challenging or not, it’s a highly
lucrative category. An advertising and marketing
company that focuses on young people, 360 Youth,
reports tweens independently spend $51 billion
annually and have considerable sway over another
$170 billion spent on them by family. Here’s how
selected retailers nationwide work with this challenging—
and profitable—young group. —Gloria Nicola
From top:
FIRE FLY 126 from
Royal Vision; OP KIDS 806
from ClearVision Optical;
ESPRIT 543 from Charmant USA;
JELLY BEAN 306 from I-dealoptics;
SCOOBY-DOO 42 from Eyewear Designs
“We carry nearly 1,000 frames
and it would be hard to dedicate
a section of more than 40 frames to
the tweeners. We tend to steer these
kids to the young adults/adolescent
frames. We have a lot of success with
this because most of these kids are
drawn to the designers favored by
big sisters and brothers. Our stylists
and frame reps order with a smaller
eye size in mind to allow for these
younger patients.”
—DAWSON T. LI, OD, PRACTICE OF
DAWSON T. LI, OD, AND YUH-JEN LAO, OD,
BAKERSFIELD, CALIF.
“Tweens love acetate frames in
small eye sizes with vivid colors and
patterns and they also like rimless
designs. Our frames are generally
grouped by brand. Styles suitable for
tweens are in the adult areas because
tweens do not want to be treated like
children or shop in the children’s area.
At our practice, tweens tend to learn
toward brands on the cutting-edge
of fashion. Their sense of fashion is
heavily influenced by what Lindsay
Lohan and Paris Hilton are wearing.”
—ROBERT CHU, OD, EYEWORKS GROUP, FORT WORTH, TEXAS
From left:
GARFIELD 535 from LBI;
THAT’S SO RAVEN 008
from Revolution Eyewear
“From the local market research we’ve
done with kids of friends, tweens are
a different generation of consumers
altogether. In our area, kids are more
interested in stores than brands. It’s
more prestigious for them to buy clothes
at Gap, Limited Too, Abercrombie &
Fitch, Old Navy, etc., than to have a
logo. The brand we most commonly
use with tweens is Nike. And tween
girls really gravitate toward our Op
(Ocean Pacific) plastics.”
—STACIE LAYNE VIRDEN, OD,
WACO VISION & HEALTH, WACO, TEXAS.
“We have quite a large selection
of tween styles in our store. We go
to the international trade shows to
find new product. French, Italian and
German frame companies make eyewear
with an assortment of colors that
appeal to the tween market. Many of
our young customers like rimless eyewear
with colorful trims, such as T2
with its vibrant zyl hinges and temples.”
—ELIZABETH MOORE,
OWNER/OPTICIAN,
SOLO BAMBINI,
BURLINGAME, CALIF.
From top: BARON KIDS B2K02 from
Optimate; J-14 8019 from Avalon Eyewear;
BARBIE 511 from Rem Eyewear;
“Our practice is family oriented, so we make certain to
have frames for tweens and teens. I frequently get the
best ideas on styles and colors by asking our teen patients
and my own teenage daughter which frames they are
most attracted to. Teens these days are very brand-oriented.
They are also eager to select more adult styles. Oakley,
Coach, Juicy and Kate Spade are favorites even for the
pre-teens. Petite adult-sized frames are also popular for
the in-between eye sizes.”
—BEVERLY JUE-SMITH, OD,
SAN RAMON FAMILY OPTOMETRY, SAN RAMON, CALIF.
“There is definitely a lot of product available for tweens—
everything from simplistic styles to bolder looks. The
rimless kids’ Silhouettes are popular and so are Guess
and Tommy Hilfiger. Then there are the bright styles of the
Menizzi line that sell very well here.”
—ERIC SILVERSTEIN, OWNER/OPTICIAN,
TEST-RITE OPTICIANS/THE WIZARD OF EYES, LIVINGSTON, N.J.
