Knowing your ideal customer is a fundamental business principle. You cannot sell goods and services if you don't know to whom you are selling. It is as true in the retail eyewear industry as in any other. So, how well do you know the people who buy shades from you?
Below are five types of customers you have probably encountered during your time as a sunglasses retailer. As you read our descriptions, try putting yourself in the shoes of each type of customer. Imagine what they might be thinking in their search for a new pair of sunglasses.
Customer #1: The Discount Diver
At the bottom of the pricing scale are those customers whose only priority is to spend as little as possible. These are the customers who would just as soon settle for cheaply made sunglasses as pick up a penny off the street. They have dollar signs in their eyes, but not in a good way.
You can cater to these types of customers if you have access to wholesale sunglasses at low enough prices. But do not expect as high a margin as you might earn from customers willing to spend a little more.
Customer #2: The Budget Master
This is a customer very comfortable with the idea of establishing a budget and sticking to it. They know exactly what they want to spend on sunglasses. Going above that number is a violation of the number one rule of budgeting.
Customer #3: The Concerned Parent
Setting aside financial considerations, we next have the concerned parent shopping for children's sunglasses. Concerned parents obviously want to protect their children's eyes from dangerous UV rays. Kudos to them. But there is another aspect to this: what children's sunglasses actually look like.
Most parents are terrified of sending their kids out into the world looking like they were dressed by space aliens. They want their kids to look stylish even while protecting their eyes against the sun. So yes, fashion does make a difference.
Customer #4: The Fashionista
Speaking of fashion there are buyers whose primary purpose in obtaining new sunglasses is to keep up with the latest fashions. They are looking for designer sunglasses that are either identical or eerily similar to what their favorite celebrities are wearing.
It can be a bit more difficult to keep this crowd satisfied. But if you can do it, they are a profitable customer group. They are generally willing to spend whatever it takes to be fashionable. That gives you plenty of room for a healthy margin.
Customer #5: The Big Spender
Rounding out our list is the big spender. We know, that many business owners would like if they could build a customer base comprised mostly of people from this group. These customers do not worry about budgets. Discounts and price tags are of little to no interest to this group.
The biggest spenders live up to their name. They will drop hundreds of dollars, if not more, on a pair of sunglasses just because they can. They tend to prefer high-end brands from well-known designers whose names are well known. They most likely don't care for wholesale sunglasses.
Sell shades at retail long enough and you are likely to encounter all five of these customer groups. Granted, some types of customers will gravitate to your business more than others. Your job is to figure out exactly who your customers are and how to best sell to them.