GREEN ISLAND, N.Y.--Starting this month, Austrian eyewear manufacturer Silhouette Optical will begin a major research initiative into the current U.S. optical retail market with the retainment of Envirosell, one of the top retail research companies worldwide.
Working in conjunction with a select group of Silhouette's customers, Envirosell will conduct an in depth study of how people shop in the optical environment, how they select eyewear, interact with personnel and displays and most significantly, how they perceive and value the overall optical retail experience.
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| Arnold Schmied |
Genevieve Fay, Silhouette's vice president of marketing, said, "In 1999, Silhouette released its revolutionary Titan Minimal Art collection in what was then an unprecedented display. Called simply a "kitbox" by the company, this compact eight-frame display unit turned out to be a groundbreaking retail tool for the rimless eyewear collection. With the collection's mix-and-match capabilities, the kitbox became an essential space-saving display that allowed eyecare professionals to offer 64 options to their customers in one small box. Sales momentum remains extraordinary."
In its "quest" to develop ever more effective displays for the optical retail environment. Silhouette president Arnold Schmied, said, "how we shop, why we shop and most importantly why we buy are crucial questions that today's retailers and manufacturers simply cannot ignore. By launching this ground-breaking research into the optical market with Envirosell, we are determined to learn the answers to these fundamental questions and to share the results with the people we appreciate as our business partners, our customers."
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| Paco Underhill |
A leader in the retail industry, Envirosell was founded in 1979 by Paco Underhill, noted author of Why We Buy and Call of the Mall. The company specializes in intensive market studies and research methodologies focused on understanding consumer behavior. From in-store video surveillance and "secret shoppers" to post-shopping interviews, Envirosell gathers truly unique insights into the retail experience. Clients include Wal-Mart, The Gap, Starbucks Coffee, The Disney Store, Proctor & Gamble, SONY and Estee Lauder.
At the completion of this research program, the next step for Silhouette will be a retail training center slated to open in the fall near its US headquarters here in upstate NY. It will include an independently operating optical retail center as well as a training facility which will be open to the staff of Silhouette's customers. The purpose of the center will be to continue to develop and study the optical retail experience, gather first hand data, and ultimately for Silhouette to share successful business strategies with its customers.
