Online Retailer Adopts New Packaging and Pricing

Rivet & Sway, an online eyewear retailer for women, has unveiled a home-try-on package that provides up to five eyewear style options. The home-try-on package features luxurious undertones and intricate feminine details that create a visually stunning, fashion-forward presentation, according to a company spokesperson. The company also has enhanced its final purchase packaging, which now includes a stylish hard case to protect the frames. In addition to these packaging changes, the company recently unveiled a more consumer-friendly pricing structure that allows women to purchase multiple pairs of glasses at a lower cost. Read more.

Warby Parker Takes Advantage of Industry’s Weakness

Despite a high level of product differentiation and large number of players, the competition within the retail eyewear market in the US is not forcing prices down. The near- monopoly situation in the production and distribution of eyewear results in high mark-ups, according to a press release from the creators of a report about the online eyewear company, Fast Market Research. Warby Parker company saw the existing situation as a business opportunity and aims to create a beneficial alternative to the overpriced designer glasses. The company keeps its costs low and sells directly to consumers. Warby Parker has been exceeding its sales targets. Its existing customer base is one of the largest drivers of its growth. To see an overview of the report, follow this link.

Blue Shield of CA Launches Online Eyewear

Advanced Digital Eyewear Inc., Blue Shield of California’s exclusive online eyewear company,  has launched its website www.My2020EyesDirect.com. It’s the only in-network online eyewear retailer for Blue Shield of California, which allows many Blue Shield of California Vision Care members to use their existing benefits to purchase eyewear at no additional out-of-pocket cost. Read more.

Report about Online Eyewear

Knoji, a leading provider of consumer reviews and information, is marketing a new consumer guide comparing some of the leading online eyeglasses companies. According to this report, Zenni Optical has the best interface for browsing and searching products, FramesDirect offers a huge selection of frames including contact lenses, and GlassesUSA has the best no risk refund policy. Knoji's new consumer guide aims to help consumers choose the best company and provide useful comparison between the different companies. Read some of its analysis.

Selling Eyewear Via Instagram

"Instagram, the picture-sharing application that Facebook bought earlier this year, has not yet figured out a way to make money. But some of its users have," says the New York Times. "These entrepreneurs have realized that they can piggyback on the popularity of Instagram, which has more than 100 million users, and create their own businesses, some of which have turned out to be quite profitable." Some are offering eyewear, as the Times noted: "Ms. Nguyen is part of a wave of entrepreneurial Instagrammers who have transformed their feeds into virtual shop windows, full of handmade jewelry, retro eyewear, high-end sneakers, cute baking accessories, vintage clothing and custom artwork." Read more.

Warby Parker Getting Richer and Bigger

"Warby Parker last year in an attempt to breathe new life into the eyewear industry. The New York City-based startup has since rocketed to popularity by selling designer and prescription glasses online, for $95 — a price that now includes free shipping and returns. Warby raised $13.5 million in a couple of rounds beginning last year, with a bunch of notable investors signing on to back the young company, notes Tech Crunch. "According to a Form D filing released by the SEC, the startup looks to be adding a whole bunch of new coin to its coffers — $36.8 million to be precise. As the filing shows, the startup has sold $36.8 million  to bacof a potential $40 million round, with $3.19 million remaining." Read more.

Eyewear Website Owners Gets Four Years

 "A New York judge has sentenced an eyewear website operator to four years in prison, saying his threats to murder or rape customers who complained about their orders required a serious sentence," reports NBC News. "U.S. District Judge Richard Sullivan sentenced Vitaly Borker on Friday. He also ordered him to pay nearly $100,000 in fines and restitution. Borker has been jailed since July, when the Manhattan judge listened to some of Borker's victims testify about his threats." Read more.

GlassesUSA Receives Retail Honor

GlassesUSA.com has been selected as the exclusive online eyeglasses company for the Internet Retailer Magazine's Top 500 Guide. The guide ranks the 500 largest North American online retailers according to their e-commerce prominence. According to GlassesUSA press release, Yahoo! News research reveals that buying eyeglasses online can save $7,042 over a glasses wearers' lifetime. Most online optical retailers offer a wider frame selection than their offline counterparts and offer the consumer significant savings, sometimes in excess of 70% off the average offline retail price. Read more.

Optical Cyberbully Sentenced Today

"An eyewear website operator who prosecutors say left dozens and possibly hundreds of customers fearing for their lives is scheduled to be sentenced in federal court in New York," reports MSNBC. "The sentencing [today}...comes after Vitaly Borker pleaded guilty to making threats and fraud charges. Prosecutors say he bullied his customers into accepting counterfeit and inferior products. They say he encouraged them to complain online to boost his Internet ranking and drive more customers his way." Read more.

Another Online Store

DITTO.com has launched an eCommerce site for designer eyewear, featuring what it describes as a 3D virtual fitting technology. The site allows consumers to record a short video with their webcam to create a 3D virtual self, or “ditto”. Users can virtually try-on eyewear in 180-degree views to see how a particular style looks and fits their face before they make a purchase. The site also integrates social media features, allowing the user to post side-by-side snapshots of their ditto in different glasses to Facebook to poll friends for opinions.Read more.

DITTO also closed $3 million in financing led by August Capital. Angel investors, friends and family also participated in the round. Read more.

Online Eyewear and CL Sales Will Continue to Grow, Says Report

An $895 report from IBIS World says that "the online eyeglasses and contact lens sales industry will experience continued growth from 2011 to 2016..Favorable economic conditions and the rising popularity of online shopping will bolster demand...Nevertheless, intense internal and external competition will continue to threaten the industry's overall growth...Prescription contact lenses make up the majority of sales in the [online optical] industry. However, given the rise in the age of the US population, prescription glasses will likely account for a growing portion of sales. The rising portion of eyeglasses is also due to improving technology and sales techniques." Purchase to read more.

Make Eyewear Allows Custom Frames Online

"We’ve heard about 3D printing for cars, buildings and chocolate … but spectacles? Yep," starts the SmartPlanet post. "While he was a student of industrial design, David Minich learned his way around 3D printing as part of his coursework at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. Later, while shopping for a pair of eyeglasses, he found the available designs uninspired and this, reports Fast Company, served as the inspiration for his startup eyeglass company, Make Eyewear....The web-based company, which launched this week, offers eight different frame styles, which range from Lady-Gaga-esque orbs to more studious and trendy options. Shoppers can pick a black, red, green, blue, purple, red or orange frame, select size (S,M,L) and then either a non-perspecription lens or a prescription lens. All the ordering is done online....Consumers can also go the totally bespoke route by presenting their very own design. A sketch is all it takes to get the process going, from there, you’re paired with a industrial designer to perfect the plans and submit the files to Shapeways. This option is best for those who are very confident with their ideas, however, as the custom frames start at $450 and aren’t refundable...The stock frames start at $150 and go up from there, based on the type of lens." Read more.