I heard about Warby Parker about two weeks ago and decided to give them a try. Whenever I would get frames at a local shop it always felt rushed and I was never happy with the results in the long run. I really like the idea of the home try-on and did find a pair I'm very happy with.
Warby Parker (or, Finding Broken Systems That Are Full of Money)
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Re: Warby Parker (or, Finding Broken Systems That Are Full of Money)
#22Anyone know any UK based equivalents ?
Glasses Direct seems quite popular.
Though from what I have read, it looks like the UK opticians market has already been disrupted more than the US one has - in the last decade or two, war between retailers made it possible to get cheap spectacles on the high street. But prices have crept up and the time could be ripe for more disruption.
Re: Warby Parker (or, Finding Broken Systems That Are Full of Money)
#23When I have more time, I'd like to look into just how WB grew so fast. What's really impressive is the logistical and operations side (the marketing and publicity are awesome too, but less impressive than coming out of nowhere to ship so much physical product)
Acetate frames are "in" right now, and Warby Parker's look nice and are reasonably priced. Places like Zenni Optical are cheaper but you have to wade through many ugly frames, and they're usually pretty flimsy. WP also offers antiglare coating standard. There's a lot of decision fatigue in sifting through the bargain bin that is Zenni Optical, but WP cuts through that by only offering midrange-premium choices without the sticker shock of an optician's office, and by focusing on the fashionable niche of acetate frames.
Re: Warby Parker (or, Finding Broken Systems That Are Full of Money)
#24There are plenty of brick & mortar stores at the $95 price point in my area. Warby Parker won my business because they had many more styles, better-looking glasses (IMO), and a really strong guarantee (most other stores had a no refunds policy).
I had never heard of Zenni Optical until reading this HN thread, which goes to show you how successful WP's marketing is.
Re: Warby Parker (or, Finding Broken Systems That Are Full of Money)
#25off topic but: Is there a similar service for lens?
Re: Warby Parker (or, Finding Broken Systems That Are Full of Money)
#26I always get my glasses from Korea (I'm not Korean). I think a large number of Koreans wear glasses, so I always find a lot of variety.
I bought my current glasses for ~$150 almost 3 years ago and they still look new. If you are visiting/vacationing, I highly recommend checking them out (I think the store that I bought them from was 1001 optical or something like that)
Re: Warby Parker (or, Finding Broken Systems That Are Full of Money)
#27Reads a bit too much like ad copy for my tastes. Or rather I read it with the intent to understand more about the content in the parentheses, not Warby Parker. :) That being said they are situated in a vertical that has efficiency players (Zenni Optical, Coastal Contacts) but haven't mastered the design/marketing/CS game yet. Going Zappos-style is their entrenchment mechanism, as well as the in-house designers.
That's a fair criticism. I came this article it from a strategy perspective, and would actually like to know more about their operations.
I agree about Zenni Optical and Coastal Contacts --- they are basically pure price plays, while WP is aiming at a very specific customer segment and brand image/personality that's backed up by every interaction you have with them.
Re: Warby Parker (or, Finding Broken Systems That Are Full of Money)
#28Anyone know any UK based equivalents ?
in France we have Jimmy Fairly which is a 100% Copy/paste of Warby Parker. Even the Branding & naming is similar. http://www.jimmyfairly.com/fr/
Holy shit ... pricing is even 95 euros.
Any background on this - are they part of a group that specializes in copying success in other markets (e.g., Rocket Internet), or is it an independent startup?
Re: Warby Parker (or, Finding Broken Systems That Are Full of Money)
#29Huh that's funny. I just ordered 5 pairs from them to try on, they came yesterday. ( http://imgur.com/a/ZRTKi if you're interested in offering an opinion) I'm really impressed with the build of them. They feel a lot better than my zenni optical pair (which were only 30 dollars, not 95). Hopefully the lens quality is better too (mostly anti-glare I'm concerned about), but I'll have to wait and see. Also, if you missed…
I say B. You look great. I never actually bought a pair of WP glasses; I did the home try-on and didn't find a pair that really worked for me.
Re: Warby Parker (or, Finding Broken Systems That Are Full of Money)
#30This is a little weird for me. I've got a couple optometrists in the family who own their own practice. A lot of this article rings completely false. Kind of makes me wonder, when reading about other "disruptors" what information is exaggerated or missing.
Still, not a bad idea, especially for people without insurance.