Retail Case Study: Three Things That Make Warby Parker Stand Out

Warby Parker is one of the most significant e-commerce retailers today. While the prescription eye wear brand is young (founded in 2010), it has catapulted to the forefront of the retail industry and has begun building a brick-and-mortar presence. What is it about the business that made it such a hit with consumers? Below we take a look at three of the most significant reasons why:

1.) Their vision (pun intended). Warby Parker effectively does two things with every transaction. They recognized that almost all eye wear was produced by one manufacturer that was keeping the glasses at unnecessarily high costs. So they made the glasses in-house, cut costs, and offered their vintage-inspired frames at low prices. And when they show those prices, they do so with small, rounded numbers ($95, not $94.99), in readable type.

2.) They lend a hand, or rather, a pair of glasses. Additionally, they also promote an image of sustainability. In their words, “Almost one billion people worldwide lack access to glasses, which means that 15% of the world’s population cannot effectively learn or work.” So they’ve partnered with non-profits to give a pair to someone in need, for every pair they sell. So for consumers, not only are they personally reaping the rewards, but they get to enjoy knowing their purchase goes far.

3.) They make choices that defy traditional marketing, and put the customer first. They utilize trained salespersons who are prepared and ready to answer any and all questions. In store, beyond the tablets used by the salespersons to complete transactions at lighting speed, the only other technology is an easy-to-read board letting customers know when their eye appointment is. And the frames displayed on the left side of the store, are also displayed on the right. Here, Warby Parker is giving up precious eye-level retail space, but they’re also giving their customers more space to look at options. They even give shelf-space to items like books, which are not the fastest moving item. Which, as Forbes says, “Further suggests that this enterprise is about more than money.”

For an e-commerce brand, Warby Parker has made serious strides to make themselves a stand-out. By ensuring that their customers are given fair prices, access to excellent customer service, and a business model that gives back, they’re giving their customers a reason to come back, time and time again.

You can bet that among the things not mentioned, in utilizing every available opportunity to connect with customers, Warby Parker is also making the most of their packaging–all excellent e-commerce companies do!

If you are interested in making a lasting impact on consumers, invest in your packaging. Contact us today, and we will help you create the in-store AND online packaging program that will make your brand all that it can be.