With the increasing use of digital devices and the widespread promotion of eye health, vision, and lifestyle needs among the general population have significantly transformed throughout the years. In response, key industry players have developed eyewear innovations to meet ever-changing consumer demands.
For instance, a previous post discusses how Pair Eyewear reimagines eyewear beyond traditional offerings. Instead of merely using glasses for practical purposes, consumers can better express their sense of style and customize their base frames with funky and creative options for top frames. These personalized frames are then made available for various types of eyewear, such as prescription glasses, reading glasses, and sunglasses.
This time, we’re featuring Eyebuydirect, which was founded in 2005 as one of the first purely online optical stores. Since then, Eyebuydirect has grown and expanded its reach, with its chief executive officer, Sunny Jiang, at the helm of eyewear innovations and unparalleled customer service.
Online Business Model
As mentioned, Eyebuydirect is highly digitalized, with online retail at the core of its business model. As one of the trailblazers for e-commerce in the eyewear industry, Eyebuydirect, via its official website, displays a wide range of in-house collections, such as the newest Manifest Collection and designer frames from top brands like Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Vogue Eyewear.
Aside from expanding product choices by enabling customers to choose specific styles, including classic, eco-friendly, and retro, Eyebuydirect demonstrates its commitment to increasing the accessibility of eyewear by offering frames that start at $6 and with express delivery options.
CEO Sunny Jiang explains that this affordability is made possible by owning and managing every essential business process in the eyewear supply chain, from ideation and design to manufacturing and logistics. The significant value that this business model creates can be gleaned from how Eyebuydirect has grown nearly 300% since Jiang stepped into her role as the CEO, equipping the company with a competitive edge in today’s growing digital marketplace for eyeglasses.
Interactive Shopping Experience
Since Eyebuydirect mainly operates online, the brand invests in creating an interactive customer journey that rivals the in-person shopping experience. For instance, Jiang has spoken about the role of broadening payment options for a more convenient purchasing process. The brand has accomplished this by partnering with Afterpay for interest-free installments, on top of accepting common payment methods like credit/debit cards and cashless transactions.
Additionally, online retail is viable for handling a large inventory due to lower overhead costs. Despite the vast product selection, customers must still have the option to try on frames to make more informed purchases. As a result, Eyebuydirect enables consumers to view their selected frames from all angles and confirm whether or not they suit their facial features and personal style. This feature can be utilized by using a live camera or uploading an image.
Website visitors can also be guided throughout the shopping process by taking a fit & style quiz, which helps them choose a pair of glasses that works for them. Lastly, Eyebuydirect addresses all concerns and queries by deploying a 24/7 customer service team via phone, email, or live chat.
Strategic Marketing
Eyebuydirect’s digital-oriented brand identity is also reflected in its marketing strategy. Besides rolling out digital marketing campaigns like social media content and native ads, Eyebuydirect has been essential to creating meaningful connections with its target audiences. Instead of simply partnering with accounts with the most followers, the brand only engages with influencers who can bridge a gap between their eyewear offerings and potential customers through a shared language.
Eyebuydirect has created a dedicated space for its community of customers, social media influencers, collaborators, and brand loyalists. Coined as EyeBuyIcons, community members receive perks like exclusive early access to new collections, special discounts for family and friends, and invitations to eyewear events, photo shoots, and campaigns.
Beyond focusing on product promotion, the optical store also has corporate social responsibility initiatives. With 2.7 billion people worldwide in need of eyewear, Eyebuydirect actively works with charity partners to extend its eyewear innovations toward underserved communities with limited access to vision care. Through its Buy 1 Give 1 program, which gives customers the option to purchase another pair for charity and select the donation location, Eyebuydirect has successfully donated over 1.6 million pairs of prescription glasses.
Future Eyewear Innovations
With Eyebuydirect innovating in key business aspects like product development, customer service, and marketing, what’s next for the brand? In an interview with Fashion Week Daily, CEO beyond continuing to grow at an annual rate of 30% and maintaining its positive workplace environment, which was acknowledged as one of the Best Workplaces in Greater China in 2021.
Specifically, Jiang mentioned personalization as a trend that can be leveraged for a more successful retail channel in terms of sales and customer satisfaction. In the past year, Eyebuydirect has continuously released eyewear that creatively targets consumer needs, including floating sunglasses specially designed for water activities.
However, offering more customization options has the potential to be another unique selling point that will help increase its market share in the global optical retail space. Such options can go beyond lens features like Transitions, prescription, and protective coatings and instead include more specific attributes like temple style and frame and lens material.
Overall, the future is bright for Eyebuydirect and its brand identity, which embraces accessibility through online offerings without compromising the quality and affordability of eyewear. With CEO Jiang steering the company’s trajectory through marketing efforts, product innovations, and business strategy, Eyebuydirect can also look forward to continued growth and success in the increasingly competitive field of online-only eyewear.
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