Ease of Access "Most Important" Growth Factor for Sunwear Stores

The sunglasses stores industry has begun its recovery from the economic storm. The industry was hit hard during the recession because disposable income and consumer sentiment toward the economy were low; both of which are key drivers of industry revenue. Accordingly, revenue fell in both 2008 and 2009, before an uptick in 2010. Improving incomes and a lower pricing strategy have attracted customers and bolstered sales, with revenue growing in both 2010 and 2011. “Though the industry is expected to post growth from 2010 to 2012, recessionary declines in 2008 and 2009 caused revenue to decline overall at an average annual rate of 1.0% to $1.01 billion over the five years to 2012,” said IBISWorld industry analyst Justin Waterman. However, growth will be slightly faster in 2012 with revenue estimated to increase 1.1%. Growth is dependent upon the price and ease of access (i.e. industry players' online sites) of goods: currently the most significant factors driving industry demand.