Specsavers reports 14.5% increase in sales to $611 million in 2013-14

Discussing its operations in Australia and New Zealand in 2013-14 in its annual report, the company said it had surpassed $A15 million in sales in one week in Australia and $NZ2 million in New Zealand, as well as topping $134,000 in online sales in just one day.
It had doubled the number of $A39 frames on offer, lowered the price of kids’ glasses to below $100 (2 for 1) for the first time and launched “our best ever designer sale with a range of single pair designers from $A99.”
The company’s market share among health-fund customershas risen to almost 35% and the volume share of the contact lens market had increased from 12% to 33%, and a new distribution centre in Singapore has been opened to support quicker delivery and further growth.
The company had become the number one choice for eye tests and prescription eyewear in Australia and New Zealand, despatching a record 3.2 million orders from its Melbourne Glazing Services laboratory.
A number of awards were won, including Australian Retailer of the Year, Australian Retail ployer of the Year and the Franchise Council of Australia’s Franchisor of the Year.
In Australia and New Zealand, the company has raised almost $A300,000 for local and national charities, including the Fred Hollows Foundation, the Queensland State ergency Service, the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Foundation, Starlight Children’s Foundation, the RSPCA, the Royal Children’s Hospital and Friends of Autism.
In Australia and New Zealand, the company is now offering free polarising lenses with prescription sunglasses, offering customers 100% UV protection and eliminating glare.
Worldwide the company achieved a 7.8% increase in group revenue and reaching record customer numbers with almost 29million people now registered with it,
There were around 17 million visitors to company websites – about 25% more than the previous year
Carl Zeiss three-star ratings were attained in all of the company’s manufacturing and distribution sites and outperforming industry standards in terms of service and quality with store returns due to error or quality issues less than 0.2%
In a pilot study in the United Kingdom, staff use iPads to greet and register customers and to talk th through the different stages of their visit.
Precision Care, its three-step process which is live in Australia, New Zealand and the
Nordics, uses technology to help customers choose frames, select the best lens options for th and be measured accurately before the glasses are fitted. That includes the Digital Mirror, which can take multiple photos of a customer wearing different frames to help th see how the frames look in profile and from other angles.
In addition, a new virtual dispensing tool helps staff explain the different parts of the eye and advise customers on the impact their prescription might have on their choice of lens.
Research has helped improve the overall layout and design of the site across all markets, including the addition of new CGI frame photography, a ‘Request an appointment’ feature and enhanced content for local store pages.
The new look offers a more intuitive experience with a focus on fashion trends, offers, eye test and eye-care information, and has significantly improved click-through rates from the home page.
The online contact lens ordering syst, first launched in Australia and New Zealand in 2012, is now available to customers in Sweden. The syst has driven growth in Australasia, increasing market share from 12 to 33 per cent. Orders have already surpassed 30,000 in Sweden since it was introduced last June.