Pattern Partners with EssilorLuxottica to Drive Marketplace Business for Ray-Ban and Oakley

MELBOURNE, Oct. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The global leader in eyewear design, manufacture and retail, EssilorLuxottica has engaged ecommerce and marketplace accelerator, Pattern, to expand business for its Ray-Ban and Oakley brands through online marketplaces in Australia.

Ray-Ban

"Given the growing influence of marketplaces in Australia, EssilorLuxottica recognised the importance of being present where our customers are shopping, which is increasingly on platforms like Amazon. Partnering with Pattern to officially launch on Amazon allows customers to buy our industry-leading eyewear products from a trusted marketplace source. It also supports sales for our wider wholesale partnership network, by providing visibility of Ray-Ban and Oakley products to increasing numbers of consumers using Amazon as a search tool," said Brent Furniss, Senior Key Account Manager at EssilorLuxottica.

The partnership with Pattern to sell Ray-Ban and Oakley eyewear products on Amazon, is a global first for EssilorLuxottica, who has traditionally directly engaged with Amazon in other markets.

"Direct engagement with Amazon in the Australian market presented significant resourcing challenges for EssilorLuxottica, requiring dedicated personnel we did not currently have on board. Pattern's end-to-end marketplace services offered us the solution we needed, ensuring we were positioned to quickly expand the visibility of our Ray-Ban and Oakley brands on Australia's leading marketplace," added Furniss.

In working with EssilorLuxottica, Pattern will build brand awareness and acquire new customers on Amazon for Ray-Ban and Oakley; optimising listings, conversion and profitability, as well as identifying unauthorised resellers and cross-docking inventory to Amazon.

Expanding Reach and Enhancing Brand Discovery

Launching on Amazon Australia has enabled EssilorLuxottica to connect with a broader, previously unreached customer-base.

"EssilorLuxottica operates on a global scale and maintains a diverse network of partnerships worldwide. As such, it was crucial for us to avoid diverting customers from our existing wholesale partners. Instead, our aim was to tap into a fresh pool of consumers who might purchase directly from the Amazon platform or who might search on Amazon then purchase through our various other sales channels," said Furniss.

The growing role Amazon plays in product discovery was highlighted in Pattern's recent 'Marketplace Consumer Trends Report – 2024,' which revealed that 59% of Australian consumers now start their product searches on Amazon, and 60% have discovered and purchased products they'd never bought before.

The powerful role that product search is playing in customer growth for EssilorLuxottica on Amazon Australia was demonstrated in the last quarter of 2023 when Ray-Ban products were searched every 1.8 minutes and Oakley products were searched every 2.1 minutes.

"Leveraging Pattern's deep expertise to navigate the marketplace has enabled us to broaden our customer outreach, positioning Amazon Australia as an extension of our sales strategy rather than competition," added Furniss. "We've not only gained a foothold in a key marketplace but have also enriched our understanding of consumers' online shopping behaviours."

Navigating the Marketplace Challenge: Unauthorised Resellers

Prior to working with Pattern, Ray-Ban and Oakley products were already present on Australian marketplaces. However, these listings were not under the direct management of EssilorLuxottica and could potentially come from unauthorised resellers.

"Unauthorised resellers present a huge challenge for brands like EssilorLuxottica. They can damage brand value by listing incorrect product or brand information. This confuses and undermines the consumer's perception of a brand and can result in a poor customer experience," commented Merline McGregor, Managing Director of Pattern Australia. "Pattern has developed proprietary software, Predict, which provides brands with the visibility and control needed to tackle this issue. Predict has already made a tangible impact, tracing an estimated AUD$2.5 million in potential unauthorised sales for a global footwear brand in the Australian market."

Since working with Pattern, EssilorLuxottica has been able to identify and better manage unauthorised resellers and monitor marketplace activities effectively. This has enabled Ray-Ban to improve its Buy Box from 66% on launch to 85% in September 2024.

"Unauthorised resellers have the potential to significantly impact brand reputation for EssilorLuxottica. Pattern's analytics and monitoring capabilities give us a deeper understanding of marketplace dynamics, helping to distinguish between suspected unauthorised resellers and authorised wholesalers operating globally. This strategic insight is essential for maintaining the brand reputation for Ray-Ban and Oakley and providing positive customer experiences that help to grow local sales," concluded Furniss.