Power Hour Optometry: Beating "I'll Think About It" – Retail Science & the Ultimate Optical Playbook

Host: Eugene Shatsman
Guest: Kayla Ashlee (Specsy)
Date: January 9, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode tackles a pervasive problem in optometry: the slump in optical capture rates—patients walking out with just an eye exam and buying nothing. Host Eugene Shatsman and expert guest Kayla Ashlee dive deep into actionable strategies, retail psychology, and specific merchandising tactics to proactively drive sales, especially in a climate of perceived price sensitivity and changing consumer behavior. Their approach combines hard data, retail science, and insights into generational differences, offering listeners a masterclass in optimizing every aspect of the patient journey—without relying on outdated or passive sales tactics.

Key Discussion Points

1. The Problem: Slipping Optical Capture Rates

• Practices report more “exam only” visits—patients come for a refraction, but don’t purchase glasses or contacts (03:05–04:49).
• National data shows patients are spending less per optical transaction.
• The temptation for practices is to “wait it out,” but Eugene and Kayla argue for a proactive, data-driven response.

2. Proactive Data-Driven Change

• Kayla’s Approach: Track capture rate before and after implementing new techniques. (04:49–07:34)
  • Focus: Human interaction, strategic inventory, and intentional merchandising.
• Practices that adopt these changes see real increases in capture rates.

Quote:
"What we ended up doing was ... taught these offices how to be more charismatic, how to have influence with their patients. ... Our capture rate's going up like crazy." — Kayla (04:49)

3. Are Patients Really More 'Price Sensitive?'

• Kayla refutes the idea that spending is down across the board, pointing to continued purchases of high-end goods in other sectors. (09:40–11:12)
• The real issue is the VALUE presented to patients in-office, not price alone.

Quote:
"People are still spending. … It has nothing to do with spending. It has more to do with us giving a value so that the patient wants to purchase." — Kayla (09:40)

4. Generational Shifts: How to Sell to Gen Z

• Gen Z is happy to buy when they see customization, personalization, and identity in products (11:28–13:58).
• Practices can tap into this by emphasizing the custom, made-for-you nature of eyewear—not just flashy brands.
• Pre-shop opportunities (like Optifi) work by letting patients explore options online before visiting, making the in-office experience more engaging (16:29–18:57).

Quote:
"Gen Z will go about spending more money than a millennial ... They love customization, they love personalization, they love things that are made for them." — Kayla (11:28)

5. Killer Sales Tactics: “No More ‘Do You’”

• Kayla's rule: Never ask yes/no questions like "Do you want to look for glasses today?" (19:34–21:24)
• Assume the sale with “yes or yes” questions: e.g., “Are we going for more color this year, or sticking with black?” (21:26–27:07)
• Encourage deep conversations about style, lifestyle, and identity—no more boring questionnaires. Mirror back their words and priorities.

Quote:
"No more of that. ... Assume that they are going to be purchasing from you." — Kayla (19:34)

6. The Science of Retail Merchandising

• Small physical changes have major impact.
  • Frame boards: Avoid “frameboard chaos” (33:57–38:52)
    • Avoid overwhelming walls of similar frames; use “eyelines” (rows of sunglasses or bold frames) to guide the eye.
    • Place top-performing (“A styles”) frames directly below the eyeline.
  • Feature tables & rugs: Use rugs to subconsciously draw people into shopping zones, just like Macy’s or casinos do.
  • Streamlining choices: The “jam study” proves that fewer, better-chosen brands outperform a crowded, confusing selection (43:38–47:31).
    • 25 brands (including sunglass/ophthalmic counted separately) is ideal for most.

Retail Science Quote:
"If you put an eyeline, you'll see your A styles will sell better right underneath the eyeline. What, like that? That's retail science." — Kayla (34:21)

7. Showcasing & Inventory Strategy

• Avoid piecemeal displays; group enough pieces of same-brand eyewear together to signal abundance and encourage sales (49:08–54:01).
• For sunglasses, fewer brands with deeper representation outperform many brands with just a few models each.
• Always have top sells (“A styles”) in multiple colors, placed in prime positions.

8. Influence & Behavior Change

• Staff influence must be intentional and universal—not just opticians, but everyone who touches the patient journey.
• Merchandising tweaks, proactive language, and offering choice (but not too much) all stack the odds.

9. Pricing: Raising on the Right Frames

• Don’t just bulk-increase markup. Only raise prices on A styles—the 3 most popular models in each brand (56:11–62:43).
• When offices raised A style prices by $30, 92% saw flat or increased sales volume (units), even at the higher price.
• Key: Only raise price after implementing supporting tactics (multiple colors, top shelf placement, merchandising).

Memorable Data Point:

“For all of the offices that increase the retail price of their A style frames by $30, 92% either saw a consistency in sales or an increase in sales.” (63:09)

10. Final Takeaway

• Retail science principles applied to opticals—alongside unified team effort and intentional influence—can reverse declining sales trends even in a tougher economy.
• Subtle details (language, display, number of choices, pricing) cumulatively create dramatic change.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “It has more to do with us giving value so that the patient wants to purchase—that's where the loss is.”
  — Kayla Ashlee [09:56]

• “Gen Z really loves this kind of thing: to be able to say these are completely made specifically for you ... they're going to buy it.”
  — Kayla Ashlee [13:38]

• “Stop saying ‘do you’ to your patients—assume they are going to purchase from you.”
  — Kayla Ashlee [19:36]

• “Your A styles, your top performing styles, need to be right below that eyeline ... you’ll see your A styles will sell better.”
  — Kayla Ashlee [34:21]

• “We tested this: if you take 50 sunglass frames and display four or five brands (instead of ten), your sunglasses will sell better—proven.”
  — Kayla Ashlee [51:16]

• “For all of the offices that increased the retail price of their A style frames by $30, 92% saw the same or higher sales.”
  — Kayla Ashlee [63:09]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:06–03:00 | Setting the Stage: Eugene introduces capture rate problem, introduces Kayla and episode’s proactive approach.
• 03:05–04:49 | Key Metrics & Data: Defining capture rate, why it matters.
• 04:49–07:34 | Capturing Data Before and After Change: Kayla shares her tracking approach and positive outcomes from even simple “charisma” training.
• 09:40–11:12 | Is Price Sensitivity Real? Kayla challenges the “patients are spending less” premise.
• 11:28–13:58 | Selling to Gen Z: Customization, personalization, pre-shopping trends.
• 16:29–18:57 | Pre-Shop Tools: Using “Optifi” or similar for online pre-selection, staff’s critical consultative role.
• 19:34–21:21 | Killing “Do You” Language: Assumptive language, “yes or yes” framing.
• 27:07–33:14 | Retail Science and Influence: Influence as intentionality, example of hospital water vs. soda study.
• 33:57–38:52 | Merchandising in Optical: Eyeline, avoiding “frameboard chaos,” feature rugs and retail cues.
• 43:38–47:31 | The Jam Study: Too many choices hurt sales, best practice for number of brands.
• 47:47–54:01 | Inventory Numbers: Ideal numbers of frames, vendors, and brands; proper brand showcasing.
• 56:11–62:43 | Pricing A Styles: Kayla’s study on targeted price increases (with astounding results).
• 64:18–End | Key Takeaways and Contact Info

Memorable Moments

• Kayla’s “dropping the F bomb”: Calling “Do you want to look?” language the equivalent of cursing at a patient ([19:34]).
• The “jam study” analogy that fewer, clearer choices boost action ([43:38]).
• Rug and carpet science: Drawing parallels with department stores and casinos to explain why physical comfort zones encourage spending ([37:46]).
• Hard data on A style price increases—“If that’s not a reason to raise the price, I don’t know what is” ([63:44], Eugene).

Resources / How to Reach Kayla Ashlee

• Website: https://spexsy.co
  • Free resources, info on memberships, and contact details.

In Summary

This episode delivers a masterclass on improving optical sales by applying retail science, understanding generational preferences, and making simple but profound merchandising changes. It dispels myths around price sensitivity and offers specific guidance on pricing, assortment, and staff training—all backed by real-world data and practical tips you can implement immediately.