Starting a business for dropshipping sunglasses has never been easier in today’s market conditions where everything you need to do is have an idea and a well-thought-of plan for kickstarting the venture. In order to compile the perfect strategy that will bear instant success, the crucial thing is to thoroughly explore the product that is going to be sold in your online store. In some of our previous articles, we have covered some other types of similar topics like the best dropshipping suppliers for sunglasses, the most popular types of watches to dropship, as well as the most popular types of women’s handbags, and in this one, we are going to focus on an item well known for its dual usage, as a statement of fashion and as medical protection: the sunglasses.
The first-ever appearance of sunglasses in the world’s scene happened in the 12th century when the Chinese people searched for a tool that would help them hide away from excessive daylight. Sunglasses were predominantly used by the wealthy circles of society but also, interestingly enough, they were used by public officials such as judges in order to conceal their faces and hide their emotions from other people. In fact, law officials used sunglasses in order to look as if they are emotionally detached from the whole judicial process in order not to give away a sense of what kind of verdict they were going to adopt.
Then in the 15th century, Chinese people introduced vision correction glasses to the Italians, but these glasses had a twist unlike the previously used ones: a darkened layer that protected the wearer from the UV light. Three centuries later, James Ayscough attempted to find a solution to improve the sight of people by researching tinted lenses and introduced the green/blue ones. He believed that changing the color might improve the sight of vision-impaired people.
The modern type of sunglasses started to appear in the 20th century when movie stars wore them on sets to protect their eyes from the very bright reflector lights. By the 1930s sunglasses had become a widely used item across the whole US. In the next decade, attempts were made for crafting special sunglasses that will help the pilots protect from the high altitude glares that pretty much harmed their eyes. Opticians and physicians joined their forces to come up with a special dark green tint that will absorb the light in the spectrum’s yellow band. Later, the polaroid filter was invented which gave a boost to sunglasses making them a desirable item used as a fashionable accessory but also as a health-aid product. Overall, sunglasses have always held a high-demand status on the market due to their simple and useful characteristics.
Why is dropshipping sunglasses profitable?
The answer to this question is very simple and easy to grasp, by knowing some facts and statistics on how sunglasses stand on the market. According to Statista, the sunglasses segment has reached a revenue of US$ 20,173m in 2021 and the market is estimated to increase by 5.39% annually (CAGR for the period 2021-2025). The volume is set to amount to 926.87m pieces by 2025 and it will record a 7.5% volume growth in 2022. These numbers show that the sunglasses segment is very popular and shows constant growth through the years. These estimates also project an upward trend in the eCommerce eyewear sector. Although the brick and mortar shops still have an indisputable lead with 79% ahead of the e-Commerce stores which take a 21% of the market pie, 2020 was undoubtedly the year for eCommerce.
In fact, this segment gained significant revenue, due to all the restrictions the world faced while exposed to the Covid-19 pandemic. People were incentivized to stay in their homes and were limited to purchasing items online. Furthermore, many factors such as increased use of smart devices, worthwhile discounts, and the overall easy access to a list of products on the internet, consumers massively accepted the new situation and widely used the eCommerce pathways. Additionally, eCommerce businesses can incorporate a review politics that is easily accessible in their stores, and this can further advance the overall customer experience.
What are the popular types of sunglasses to dropship in 2021?
Now that we have dived into the world of sunglasses and their market standings, the next thing we need to do is settle on what your dropshipping store would cover in terms of types of sunglasses. In general, emerging with a wider set of items as an inventory can land you an easier sale and immediate profits, but you can always direct your store towards a more narrow audience if you are certain that the market is in need of that. Luckily, as we mentioned above, the eCommerce market is still evolving and not as saturated as other e-Commerce markets, so targeting a much wider audience segment can actually turn out to be a very lucrative approach. Now, let’s take a look at one of the most popular styles of sunglasses to include in your inventory.
Aviator Sunglasses
Aviator sunglasses are one of the most famous types of spectacles in the world. Produced in order to protect the pilots from the sun glare while flying above the clouds, they have quickly become the most sought item on the sunglasses market. Nowadays, these types of glasses have crossed into the fashionable zone while keeping their initial purpose as safety items. Their timeless design and pretty adaptable look were the two reasons why these spectacles have passed the test of time and remained high in the popularity contest. Originally developed by the company Ray-Ban, today the aviators are a widespread phenomenon that can be found in every fashion designer’s offer including many famous luxury brands. Thus, due to the popular demand, the Aviators are a must-have item in your dropshipping sunglasses store. Despite the original Ray-Ban aviator glasses, you can find numerous other luxury models such as Diesel’s Yellow unisex sunglasses, Guess’s Silver aviators. In order to offer a more stylish take on the Aviators, you should also check the Just Cavalli’s Silver Unisex Aviator sunglasses.
Round Sunglasses
Round sunglasses were first made famous by the Beatles member John Lennon who mastered this style. A must-have item for people that like to go to theme festivals or want to show their quirky spirit. The original ones are with an ultimately thin frame that will display a more vintage look. However, there are multiple variations within this style, such as those with a much thicker frame that adds a more chic touch. So, including this item in your inventory will surely catch the eye of the modern-hippie enthusiast who will gladly make a purchase. You can check Emporio Armani’s Silver Unisex rounded glasses, which resemble the original but with a more modern approach in the design, or the Diesel’s Gunmetal round glasses for the consumers seeking a more sporty style.
Wayfarer
After the success with the Aviator sunglasses, Ray-Ban once again took over the market with the fresh new Wayfarer. The company used a different molding technology in order to develop a new design that to this day is easily recognizable. In fact, their idea back then was to leave the comfort zone of the sunglasses market that was full of products based almost exclusively on metal frames. Ray-Ban offered a more modern shape from the already existing one, presenting the Wayfarer, a square-shaped frame with slightly rounded edges that invokes a more casual look. Nevertheless, many companies have included a similar design in their offers, so you can find luxury branded sunglasses from the series in the offers of Diesel, Guess, Emporio Armani, Police, and many others. You can check the Diesel’s Blue Men’s sunglasses or the Green Unisex Model, or if you opt-out to attract consumers with more simplistic taste, go with Guess’s Purple Sunglasses, and Emporio Armani’s Black sunglasses.
Cat Eye Sunglasses
Another interesting style for your dropshipping sunglasses store that will surely attract many online buyers. With a date stamp from the 50s, the cat-eye sunglasses fully represent the sophisticated and frisky style from back then. The glasses have a very distinguished design that can be recognized by the curvy upper frame, that points outwards and resembles a cat’s eye, from where they got their name. Of course, today numerous different styles belong to this type of sunglasses. If you are thinking of offering them in your dropshipping store you can check Yohji Yamamoto’s Purple Women’s sunglasses, which will definitely cause some awe in your female audience. Another interesting model is the Dsquared2 Brown cat-eye sunglasses which will also be a great addition to your inventory.
Butterfly Sunglasses
Butterfly sunglasses were initially popularized by the luxury brand name Prada. This style is famous for its wide surface lenses that fully cover the eye sockets, thus providing even higher protection from harmful UV rays. Generally, the form of these sunglasses is wider on the outside and gets narrowed down towards the nose part. In fact, these lenses are a funkier variant of the classical frames. Lastly, many designer names have incorporated these types of glasses in their offers. Emilio Pucci’s Gold women sunglasses and Missoni’s Pink Butterfly sunglasses are only some of the styles you can find at BrandsGateway.
Sporty Sunglasses
If you opt-out to target an audience that is more of the sport type, you’ll definitely need to consider incorporating sporty sunglasses in your dropshipping store. Sporty sunglasses provide a more streamlined look and better sunray protection. In fact, with this item, you can target athletes as they will always be more inclined towards the lenses that will enhance their physical performance and help them fully execute their potential. You can check Oakley’s Grey Men Sporty sunglasses, Bolle’s Unisex Sporty sunglasses that will attract the classical sport types, and Dsquared2’s Black Sporty sunglasses for enriching your offer with a more modern and futuristic item.
Clubmaster Sunglasses
Clubmaster sunglasses were also very famous in the 50s and 60s and went by the name browline sunglasses as well. Overall, these sunglasses are pretty distinctive from other types because of their particular framing that sits on the top of the lens. The bottom half of the lenses remains uncovered. Although they might not get the much-needed attention as other types do, they will surely bring diversity into your dropshipping store inventory. Models such as Ray-Ban’s Black Unisex sunglasses are a perfect example of this type, although there are also other variations such as Dsquared2’s Black sunglasses and Police’s Gunmetal sunglasses.
Geometric Sunglasses
Geometric sunglasses are all those strangely shaped spectacles that emit a retro 70’s glam vibe. Whether hexagonal, octagonal, or some other geometrical shape, these glasses are meant to be worn by people that really want to stand out from the rest and execute a different look. In fact, these geometrical spectacles will always offer a pretty contoured style and show off the structure of the wearer’s face as no other model would. Therefore, this type of sunglasses will be magnetic for the extravagant souls that seek to differ from the rest of the group. Models like Yohji Yamamoto’s Gunmetal geometric sunglasses, Fendi’s Multicolor sunglasses, and Emilio Pucci’s Brown women sunglasses are only some of the BrandsGateway’s offer to include in your dropshipping store.
Oversized Sunglasses
This particular type of sunglasses is mainly for women and dates all the way back to the 70s when women wore them when they wanted to hide their faces. Modern oversized sunglasses almost always contain a cut-out detail that is seldom on the outer edge of the frame which is made of plastic. In addition, the frames might have different forms like rectangular or squared, and the lenses are darkly shaded in order to provide the best possible protection from UV light. Guess by Marciano’s Brown sunglasses, Roberto Cavalli’s oversized sunglasses, Ralph Lauren’s Bronze oversized sunglasses, are just some of the many luxury branded spectacles that you should consider incorporating as your store’s stock.
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Statement Sunglasses
Lastly, the statement type of sunglasses is a group of different styled spectacles that do not belong in any of the types mentioned above in this article but have pretty specific designs and are worth being mentioned in this list. Many luxury brands are offering these unique pieces of sunglasses, Miu Miu, Bvlgari, Emporio Armani, Yohji Yamamoto are just several of them. Funky designs, a fusion of modern and retro style, specific frames that cannot be found in other regular models are some of the features these sunglasses can be recognized for. Additionally, they can be differentiated by the different colors of the lenses. Overall, the statement type is intended for a small audience segment that exclusively looks for this kind of glasses and is ready to make a purchase. Thus, offering them as part of your stock can mean more diverse traffic at your e-Commerce store.
In conclusion
To emerge as a serious dropshipping business in the current market means that you need to specify or narrow down your niche in order to avoid an overwhelming and inventory-packed website. Dropshipping sunglasses for men and women can be your perfect anchor for starting a venture in this segment and can launch your business high up on the market. Due to the still unexplored e-Commerce segment for selling sunglasses, it is a great idea to secure your place and become a serious player before the market can get oversaturated. So, now that we have provided some relevant information about this niche, all you have to do is conduct research, create a strategy and shine your light in the world of dropshipping.
