Crafting your own eyewear brand: An introduction to Sho Eyeworks and brand profitability

Diana Canto-Sims, OD, and Edward Choy, partner at Sho Eyeworks, provided an in-depth exploration of private label eyewear. Canto-Sims emphasized how Sho stands out in the eye care industry by blending ready-made, high-end frame styles to allow optometric practices to develop and promote their unique in-house eyewear collections. Canto-Sims also noted the company’s provision of marketing and merchandising tools, such as digital imagery, to help practices better engage their patients and foster brand loyalty.

Choy provided an overview of the company’s origins and philosophy. Established in 2010 and now in its 15th year, Sho began its journey in partnership with German colleagues who recognized a gap in the market for exclusive, high-quality private label eyewear. Choy explained that their business revolves around offering optometric practices an extensive catalog of over 200 current styles, with an additional 200 styles available in a sales section. Each frame style is available in 4 to 6 colors, illustrating the company’s commitment to variety and tailored selection.

A significant portion of the discussion revolved around the benefits of private labeling for optometric practices. Canto-Sims and Choy both underscored exclusivity as a primary driver. By developing their own eyewear lines, practices can distinguish themselves from competitors and online retailers, retain more patients, and diminish the risk of patients seeking lower prices elsewhere. Choy highlighted how private labels boost practice identity, create a unique in-house offering, and enhance the perceived value of eye care services. Real-world success stories demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach in cultivating patient loyalty and satisfaction.

The discussion addressed common concerns from practitioners regarding abandoning well-known brands for in-house ones. Canto-Sims argued that while name brands are familiar, in-house collections offer unique styling opportunities that cannot be duplicated online, encouraging patients to purchase directly from the practice. Choy added that effective staff training is essential; when patients feel personally styled and love the glasses they try on, they become less price-sensitive and less likely to shop elsewhere.

Profitability was central to the latter part of the conversation. Canto-Sims highlighted the importance of treating the optical dispensary as a business, contending that profitability is necessary for sustainability, improved patient care, staff incentives, and the ability to grow through investments in equipment. Choy supported this by outlining flexible pricing strategies—such as wholesale and partner pricing models—designed to maximize margins while still offering value to patients. He elaborated on the impact of insurance challenges and how practices can use the partnership program to save on costs, enabling them to serve their community effectively while maintaining quality.

To conclude, Choy reiterated that each practice needs to find the right fit for its demographic and business goals, and private label programs like those from Sho offer both differentiation and financial viability.