Varifocal Types

The Varifocal Types tab configures the progressive lens tier options shown to customers in Step 2 of the wizard when they select “Varifocal” as their lens usage in Step 1.

Overview

Varifocal (progressive) lenses come in different quality tiers, each offering varying levels of visual comfort, adaptation zones, and optical performance. This tab allows you to configure these tiers with appropriate pricing and descriptions.

Conditional Step

The Varifocal Types step only appears in the customer wizard if the customer selects a varifocal lens usage option in Step 1. If they choose single vision or bifocal options, this step is skipped entirely.

Common Tier Structure

Most optical retailers offer 3-4 varifocal tiers:

• Basic/Standard - Entry-level progressive lenses with narrower intermediate zones
• Advanced/Premium - Mid-range lenses with wider fields of view and easier adaptation
• Elite/Ultimate - Top-tier lenses with the widest visual zones and minimal distortion
• Occupational - Specialized lenses optimized for computer work and near tasks

You can customize these tier names to match your product catalog and supplier terminology.

Configuring Varifocal Options

Adding a New Tier

1. Navigate to WooCommerce → SpecCart → Settings → Varifocal Types

2. Click the Add Option button

3. Fill in the option details:

   • Name - The tier name shown to customers (e.g., “Premium Progressive”)
   • Price - The surcharge for this tier (added to the base lens price)
   • Description - Explain what this tier offers and who it’s best for
   • Recommended - Toggle on to show a “Recommended” badge on this option
   • Lab PDF Label - Internal identifier sent to your lab (optional)

4. Click Save to add the tier

Recommended Badge

Mark your best-value tier as “Recommended” to guide customers toward the option that offers the best balance of quality and price. Most customers will choose the recommended option when unsure.

Editing an Existing Tier

1. Click the Edit button (pencil icon) on any tier in the list

2. Update the fields as needed

3. Click Save to apply changes

Deleting a Tier

1. Click the Delete button (trash icon) on the tier you want to remove

2. Confirm the deletion when prompted

Orders in Progress

Deleting a tier does not affect existing orders or saved configurations. However, customers who bookmarked a product page with that tier selected may see an error. Only delete tiers that are permanently discontinued.

Field Reference

ID

Required | Auto-generated. A unique identifier based on the name. Cannot be changed after creation. Used internally for tracking.

Name

Required | User-facing name

The tier name displayed in the customer wizard. Use clear, descriptive names that communicate quality level:

• Good: “Premium Progressive”, “Elite Varifocals”, “Advanced Comfort Lenses”
• Avoid: “Option 2”, “Type B”, vague internal codes

Price

Required | Number (0 or positive)

The additional cost for this tier, added to the base lens price. Enter as a decimal number without currency symbols:

• £0.00 if this tier is included in the base price
• £50.00 for a £50 surcharge
• £150.00 for a £150 premium

Description

Optional | Plain text

A plain textarea field. Explain what this tier offers and who should choose it. Good descriptions include:

• Key benefits (wider vision zones, faster adaptation, minimal distortion)
• Who it’s best for (first-time wearers, active lifestyles, all-day comfort)
• What makes it different from other tiers

Example for Premium Tier:

Our most popular progressive lens. Features wider intermediate zones for easier computer work and smoother transitions between distances. Ideal for first-time progressive wearers and anyone who uses digital devices frequently. 30% wider vision zones than our standard option.

Enabled

Optional | Boolean toggle. Controls whether this tier appears in the customer wizard. Default: enabled.

Recommended

Optional | Boolean toggle

When enabled, this tier displays a “Recommended” badge in the customer wizard. Use this to highlight your best-value option or most popular tier.

Best practices:

• Only mark one tier as recommended
• Choose the tier with the best quality-to-price ratio
• This helps indecisive customers make a confident choice

Lab PDF Label

Optional | Text

An internal identifier or product code sent to your optical lab with orders. Use this if your lab requires specific codes for different progressive lens designs.

Examples: PROG-PREM, VAR-ELITE, HD-PROGRESSIVE-2

If left blank, the customer-facing name is sent to the lab instead.

Pricing Strategy

Example Tier Pricing

Here’s a typical progressive lens pricing structure for a UK optical retailer:

Tier	Price	Description
Standard	£0 (included)	Basic progressive lenses suitable for occasional use
Premium	£50	Wider vision zones, faster adaptation, recommended for daily wear
Elite	£120	Maximum visual comfort, ideal for all-day wear and digital device users
Occupational	£80	Optimized for office work, wider near and intermediate zones

Pricing Tips

1. Price anchoring - Offer at least 3 tiers. The middle tier becomes the most popular option when customers have a range to compare.

2. Clear value differentiation - Each tier should offer a meaningful improvement in quality or features to justify the price increase.

3. Include one tier in base price - Set your entry-level tier to £0 so the base product price includes basic varifocals.

4. Match supplier pricing - Align your tier prices with the wholesale cost difference from your lens supplier, plus desired markup.

Sorting and Display Order

Options are displayed to customers in the order defined by the sort handles (drag-and-drop rows to reorder).

Recommended sort order:

1. Standard/Basic (lowest price first)
2. Premium/Advanced (mid-range)
3. Elite/Ultimate (highest price)
4. Occupational (specialized, if offered)

This low-to-high price order helps customers understand the quality progression and makes comparison easier.

Writing Effective Descriptions

Good tier descriptions help customers understand what they’re paying for and reduce pre-sales questions.

Do:

• Explain tangible benefits: “30% wider vision zones”, “Reduces eye strain during computer work”
• Mention who it’s best for: “Ideal for first-time wearers”, “Perfect for active lifestyles”
• Use clear, jargon-free language
• Highlight what makes this tier different from others

Avoid:

• Technical jargon: “Freeform digitally surfaced aspheric design”
• Vague claims: “Better quality”, “Superior lenses” (better how?)
• All-caps or excessive punctuation
• Medical claims you can’t substantiate

Example Descriptions

Standard Tier:

Reliable progressive lenses suitable for general daily wear. Offers clear distance, intermediate, and near vision with standard adaptation zones. A cost-effective choice for occasional progressive wearers.

Premium Tier (Recommended):

Our most popular progressive lens. Features 30% wider intermediate zones for comfortable computer work and smoother transitions between distances. Reduces distortion at the edges and allows faster adaptation. Ideal for first-time progressive wearers and all-day comfort.

Elite Tier:

Premium high-definition progressive lenses with the widest visual zones available. Minimal edge distortion and near-instant adaptation for effortless all-day wear. Includes advanced blue light filtering. Best for active lifestyles and anyone who demands the sharpest vision at every distance.

Occupational Tier:

Specialized progressive lenses optimized for office work and near tasks. Features extra-wide intermediate and near zones (50% larger than standard) for comfortable computer use and reading. Not suitable for driving. Recommended for desk-based professionals.

Best Practices

Setup Recommendations

1. Offer 3-4 tiers - Enough choice without overwhelming customers
2. Mark your sweet spot as recommended - Guide customers to your best-value option
3. Price the middle tier competitively - Most customers will choose this option
4. Write detailed descriptions - Reduce uncertainty and pre-sales questions
5. Match your supplier catalog - Use tier names and pricing that align with your lens supplier’s product range

Ongoing Management

1. Review quarterly - Update pricing if supplier costs change
2. Monitor selection rates - If one tier never sells, consider replacing it
3. Update descriptions based on feedback - If customers ask the same questions, add that info to the descriptions
4. Keep lab labels current - Sync with your lab’s current product codes

Supplier Integration

If your lens supplier provides marketing materials (feature lists, comparison charts, recommended descriptions) for their progressive lens tiers, use that content as the foundation for your option descriptions. This ensures accuracy and aligns with the actual product capabilities.

Troubleshooting

Customers Can’t See Varifocal Types Step

Cause: The customer didn’t select a varifocal lens usage option in Step 1.

Solution: Verify that you have at least one enabled varifocal option configured in the Lens Usage tab. Only customers who select that option in Step 1 will see the Varifocal Types step.

Recommended Badge Not Showing

Cause: The recommended toggle is not enabled for the tier.

Solution: Ensure the Recommended toggle is enabled for the tier. You can toggle it from the star icon in the list view or from the editor. Note: multiple tiers can be marked as recommended simultaneously.

Tier Prices Not Adding to Cart Total

Cause: Cart calculation error or caching issue.

Solution:

1. Clear all WordPress and WooCommerce caches
2. Add a test product to cart and verify the varifocal surcharge appears in the cart subtotal
3. Check browser console (F12) for JavaScript errors during Add to Cart
4. If the issue persists, contact support with the cart contents and selected configuration

Lab Labels Not Appearing on Orders

Cause: Lab Label field is empty, or the order was placed before labels were added.

Solution: Lab labels only apply to new orders placed after you save them in the settings. Edit the tier, add the lab label, save, and place a new test order to verify it appears in the order details.

Related Settings

• Lens Usage - Configure which lens types trigger the Varifocal Types step
• Packages - Create bundled pricing that includes specific varifocal tiers
• Restrictions - Limit which varifocal tiers are available with certain frame materials or coatings
• Prescription - Configure prescription verification for complex progressive prescriptions