Sunglasses in

Malaysia

• Argentina
• Australia
• Brazil
• Canada
• China
• France
• Germany
• Hong Kong, China
• India
• Indonesia
• Italy
• Japan
• Malaysia
• Mexico
• Netherlands
• Philippines
• Poland
• Romania
• Russia
• Singapore
• South Africa
• South Korea
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Taiwan
• Thailand
• Turkey
• Ukraine
• United Arab Emirates
• United Kingdom
• USA

PROSPECTS

Counterfeit brands remain widely available, placing pressure on legitimate sales

Legitimate sales of designer sunglasses remain under strong pressure from counterfeit sunglasses, which are still widely available from street markets throughout Malaysia. The brands most commonly counterfeited include Ray-Ban, Dior, Oakley and Gucci, three of which are in the category’s top five brands.

Widespread price discounting undermines the category’s value growth potential

The leading retailers of sunglasses are increasingly turning to price discounts as a way to attract consumers into their stores and bolster their volume sales. 2019 saw numerous major chained eyewear retailers increase their focus on price discounts, including MOG Eyewear, Optical 88 and Focus Point.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

International brands remain in control of sunglasses sales

As in all eyewear categories in Malaysia, international players lead sales in sunglasses. This is primarily due to their strong distribution networks and the general preference among consumers for sunglasses that are stylish, highly functional and of high quality.

Affordable luxury brands among the best performers in 2018

Demand for entry-level luxury brands increased in sunglasses in 2018. Consumers continue to flock to affordable luxury brands such as Ray-Ban, Oakley, Tag Heuer and Burberry in search of the style, quality and cachet that such famous brands offer, but at prices that can be justified by the majority of middle-income Malaysians.

Optical shops continues to dominate the distribution of sunglasses

Store-based retailing remains the dominant source of sunglasses in Malaysia. Specifically, optical shops is by far the leading retail channel for sunglasses, with department stores the only other channel with notable sales in the category.

Internet retailing to continue growing in importance for sales of sunglasses

The penetration of internet retailing is increasing meanwhile, with small and medium-sized companies increasingly prominent in the online retailing of sunglasses. In particular, these emerging online retailers focus mainly on affordable ranges of sunglasses.