The Blue-Light Glasses Market is Collapsing for One Giant — While a Challenger Quietly Dominates
Gunnar lost 30% of its traffic in 12 months. Meanwhile, Barner Brand grew 53% and achieved conversion rates 5x higher than the market leader. Our competitor research service analysed 12 months of traffic data across five blue-light protection brands. The findings reveal a market in the middle of a dramatic power shift.
This competitor analysis service deep-dive examines felixgray.com, gunnar.com, barnerbrand.com, cyxus.com, and spektrumglasses.com — the key players in the digital fatigue and blue-light protection eyewear space.
Executive Summary: Market Performance Dashboard
| Brand | Annual Traffic | YoY Change | Market Share | Conversion Rate | Conv. Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gunnar | 1,414,286 | -29.77% | 50.9% | 0.48% | -60.91% |
| Barner Brand | 628,765 | +53.19% | 22.6% | 2.56% | +45.42% |
| Felix Gray | 624,853 | +50.01% | 22.5% | 0.42% | -72.61% |
| Cyxus | 81,850 | -15.97% | 2.9% | 0.33% | -25.76% |
| Spektrum | 27,799 | +43.07% | 1.0% | n/a | n/a |
Data Period: November 2024 – October 2025 vs. November 2023 – October 2024
Source: SEMrush
Market Overview: A Giant in Freefall
The blue-light protection glasses market tells a story of disruption happening in real-time. Gunnar, the dominant player controlling over half the market (50.9%), is haemorrhaging traffic and conversions at an alarming rate. In the 12-month period analysed, Gunnar lost nearly 600,000 visits compared to the previous year — a 29.77% decline.
The challenger brands tell a different story entirely. Barner Brand and Felix Gray each grew by over 50%, rapidly closing the gap on the market leader. But here’s where competitive research service insights become invaluable: growth alone doesn’t tell the full picture.
| Metric | Gunnar | Barner | Felix Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Growth | -29.77% | +53.19% | +50.01% |
| Conversion Rate | 0.48% | 2.56% | 0.42% |
| Conversion Change | -60.91% | +45.42% | -72.61% |
| Bounce Rate | 45.74% | 51.06% | 58.87% |
| Avg. Visit Duration | 05:06 | 05:48 | 03:27 |
Felix Gray’s traffic surge masks a troubling reality. Their conversion rate collapsed by 72.61% year-over-year. They’re bringing in more visitors but converting fewer of them than ever. Barner Brand, by contrast, grew both traffic AND conversion efficiency — a rare double win.
Deep Dive Analysis
Section A: Traffic Trajectory Analysis
Monthly traffic data reveals just how dramatic Gunnar’s decline has been. In November 2024, Gunnar commanded 114,726 visits. By November 2025, that figure had cratered to just 52,057 — a 54.6% collapse in 12 months.
Monthly Traffic Trend (Nov 2024 – Nov 2025)
| Month | Gunnar | Felix Gray | Barner | Cyxus | Spektrum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2024 | 114,726 | 26,196 | 39,937 | 7,916 | 2,246 |
| Dec 2024 | 203,356 | 26,660 | 32,343 | 3,050 | 1,145 |
| Jan 2025 | 90,448 | 27,345 | 38,314 | 4,168 | 2,168 |
| Feb 2025 | 85,183 | 78,999 | 76,853 | 2,422 | 1,525 |
| Mar 2025 | 194,948 | 66,174 | 39,425 | 9,150 | 797 |
| Apr 2025 | 116,591 | 51,476 | 78,045 | 3,893 | 1,227 |
| May 2025 | 165,707 | 122,180 | 37,010 | 10,417 | 806 |
| Jun 2025 | 130,475 | 36,383 | 37,718 | 3,948 | 514 |
| Jul 2025 | 94,038 | 67,809 | 68,390 | 12,943 | 2,939 |
| Aug 2025 | 90,693 | 51,154 | 66,288 | 7,593 | 11,254 |
| Sep 2025 | 68,359 | 26,416 | 60,507 | 8,952 | 1,880 |
| Oct 2025 | 59,762 | 44,061 | 53,935 | 7,398 | 1,298 |
| Nov 2025 | 52,057 | 39,384 | 39,478 | 5,696 | 1,132 |
Gunnar’s December 2024 spike (203,356 visits) was likely seasonal holiday traffic that never returned. Since March 2025, the trajectory has been consistently downward. By November 2025, Gunnar’s monthly traffic was nearly level with Felix Gray and Barner — erasing years of market dominance in just 12 months.
Section B: The Conversion Efficiency Paradox
This is where marketing research service analysis reveals the true competitive dynamics. Barner Brand converts at 2.56% — more than five times higher than Gunnar (0.48%) and six times higher than Felix Gray (0.42%).
Conversion & Engagement Metrics
| Metric | Barner | Gunnar | Felix Gray | Cyxus | Spektrum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conversion Rate | 2.56% | 0.48% | 0.42% | 0.33% | n/a |
| Conv. YoY Change | +45.42% | -60.91% | -72.61% | -25.76% | 0% |
| Pages/Visit | 3.8 | 4.3 | 3.0 | 4.6 | 10.0 |
| Avg. Visit Duration | 05:48 | 05:06 | 03:27 | 06:25 | 06:57 |
| Bounce Rate | 51.06% | 45.74% | 58.87% | 33.33% | 32.27% |
Gunnar has the lowest bounce rate (45.74%) and decent engagement metrics. Visitors stay, browse, but don’t buy. Their conversion rate dropped 60.91% year-over-year despite relatively strong on-site engagement. This suggests a pricing, product, or checkout friction problem rather than a traffic quality issue.
Felix Gray faces the opposite challenge. Their bounce rate is the highest among major players (58.87%), and average visit duration is the shortest (03:27). They’re attracting visitors who leave quickly without converting — a classic sign of misaligned traffic sources or poor landing page experience.
Barner Brand has found the sweet spot. Longer sessions (05:48), decent pages per visit (3.8), and by far the highest conversion rate. They’re bringing the right visitors and converting them efficiently.
Section C: Channel Strategy Breakdown
Traffic source distribution reveals each brand’s strategic DNA and vulnerabilities.
Traffic Channel Distribution (Nov 2024 – Oct 2025)
| Channel | Gunnar | Felix Gray | Barner | Cyxus | Spektrum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct | 901,097 (63.7%) | 286,053 (45.8%) | 330,677 (52.6%) | 42,356 (51.8%) | 7,005 (25.2%) |
| Organic Search | 257,426 (18.2%) | 175,134 (28.0%) | 178,505 (28.4%) | 28,772 (35.2%) | 6,664 (24.0%) |
| Paid Search | 77,193 (5.5%) | 18,512 (3.0%) | 70,419 (11.2%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) |
| Referral | 90,562 (6.4%) | 90,619 (14.5%) | 13,756 (2.2%) | 8,686 (10.6%) | 3,304 (11.9%) |
| 53,842 (3.8%) | 43,859 (7.0%) | 5,696 (0.9%) | 855 (1.0%) | 0 (0%) | |
| Organic Social | 25,299 (1.8%) | 6,318 (1.0%) | 25,619 (4.1%) | 364 (0.4%) | 10,165 (36.6%) |
Gunnar’s heavy reliance on direct traffic (63.7%) is a double-edged sword. High direct traffic typically indicates strong brand recognition, but when that traffic declines — as it has by 30% — there’s no fallback channel driving growth. Gunnar’s organic search represents just 18.2% of traffic, leaving them vulnerable to brand erosion.
Barner Brand runs a more balanced acquisition strategy. Direct traffic (52.6%) provides a stable base, while organic search (28.4%) and paid search (11.2%) create diversified growth engines. Their paid search investment is nearly double Gunnar’s as a percentage of total traffic.
Spektrum Glasses presents an interesting outlier. Nearly 37% of their traffic comes from organic social — by far the highest social dependency in the market. This creates both opportunity and risk: social algorithms can shift overnight.
Section D: Direct Traffic Deep-Dive
Direct traffic patterns reveal brand strength and customer loyalty.
Direct Traffic Trend (Monthly)
| Month | Gunnar | Felix Gray | Barner | Cyxus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2024 | 81,236 | 6,524 | 27,096 | 3,018 |
| May 2025 | 125,415 | 87,113 | 21,352 | 1,947 |
| Nov 2025 | 27,293 | 8,475 | 25,170 | 3,413 |
| Change (Nov-Nov) | -66.4% | +29.9% | -7.1% | +13.1% |
Gunnar’s direct traffic collapsed by 66.4% from November 2024 to November 2025. This suggests brand recall is weakening — fewer customers are typing gunnar.com directly into their browsers. For a brand built on gaming and digital lifestyle positioning, this is a serious warning signal.
Felix Gray shows volatile direct traffic. The May 2025 spike (87,113) indicates a successful campaign or viral moment that didn’t sustain. November 2025 direct traffic (8,475) is barely higher than November 2024 (6,524), suggesting limited brand building progress.
Strategic Implications
Competitive Ranking Summary
| Rank | Brand | Verdict | Key Strength | Key Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barner Brand | Rising Star | Best-in-class conversion (2.56%) | Lower total traffic |
| 2 | Felix Gray | Traffic Leader | Strong growth (+50%) | Conversion collapse (-72.61%) |
| 3 | Gunnar | Declining Giant | Market share (50.9%) | Traffic freefall (-30%) |
| 4 | Cyxus | Struggling | Best engagement metrics | No paid acquisition |
| 5 | Spektrum | Niche Player | Social media strength | Smallest scale |
The blue-light protection glasses market is experiencing a fundamental shift. Gunnar’s dominant position is eroding rapidly, and neither traffic nor conversion trends suggest a turnaround. The brands gaining ground — Barner and Felix Gray — have very different challenges.
Felix Gray needs to solve their conversion problem. Growing traffic 50% while conversions drop 72% is unsustainable. Their bounce rate (58.87%) and short session duration (03:27) suggest traffic quality issues.
Barner Brand is the clear efficiency winner but needs to scale acquisition. At 2.56% conversion and healthy engagement metrics, their challenge is volume, not efficiency. Their balanced channel mix and paid search investment suggest they understand this.
Conclusion: The Race is Wide Open
Twelve months of competitive research service data reveals a market in transition. The incumbent is losing ground rapidly. The challengers are growing but face their own strategic hurdles. And the window for new entrants has perhaps never been wider.
For brands competing in blue-light protection, the lesson is clear: market leadership is not permanent. Gunnar’s 30% traffic decline and 61% conversion collapse happened in just one year. Any competitor analysis service worth its salt would have flagged these warning signs months ago.
Understanding where competitors are winning and losing — in real-time — is no longer optional. It’s the difference between seeing opportunity before it closes and watching market share evaporate.
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