By-Nishita Mehta-Jasani

Online optical retailers are shifting consumer focus to the net.

Buying a pair of glasses is an arduous process for most people – from getting prescriptions, to selecting a pair that fits or getting them fixed if accidentally sat on. For these crucial ‘touch and feel’ reasons, the traditional brick and mortar domain of the optical industry continues to thrive. But a new breed of young, innovative optic e-businesses are pushing boundaries and breaking ground with new technologies and user-friendly websites to convert customers to what they believe is the ideal place to buy eyewear– the internet.

Sharp overhead costs for retailers like LensCrafters or Pearle Vision with the weight of a fragmented industry, has typically translated into margins of over 100% on most eyewear sold in the Unites States. These costs are passed onto consumers who end up paying an average retail price of $174 (Jobson Publishing in 2001) for a pair that costs one-tenth of that to manufacture.

Pioneering e-retailers like EyeBuyDirect.com are actively trying to break the myth that fashionable eyewear is prohibitively expensive and only designer. “Buying eyewear should be a democratic process and can be affordable to everyone,” says EyeBuyDirect CEO Roy Hessel. Companies like his are able to sell ultra-trendy, high quality prescription frames starting as low as $14.95 because they have lean organization structures with lower costs from being online. “I was incredibly pleased with the glasses I received from EyeBuyDirect.com. For $19 (including shipping) I got glasses that I've paid nearly $300 for in the past,” said a satisfied e-consumer.

Still, many shoppers continue to be cautious of buying optical ware online. They consider it to be a ‘medical purchase’ that requires a physical and human element. Pioneering technologies like those developed by EyeBuyDirect.com help to overcome these impediments. EyeBuyDirect.com goes a step further with its frontline EyeTry interactive technology. EyeTry not only allows users to upload pictures and superimpose frames but also allows them to share these pictures with friends thereby creating a community shopping experience that is highly personalized at the same time.

To custom create prescription eyewear; users require only a standard prescription with pupillary distance (PD) measurements from their optometrists. To mitigate concerns of inappropriate fits or sizes, these companies detail cooperative repair and return policies on their websites. But some online buyers like Steven C say “the prices are so affordable, I buy multiple pairs. Even if one pair is incorrect, it is still worth all the cost savings”.

Shoppers like Steven C are not alone in preferring to buy several pairs. Nearly half of all Americans would consider wearing eyeglasses as a fashion accessory (Essilor International, 2004). This is a harbinger of an evolving fashion trend; one that is driving consumers to change from expensive single pair buys to economic multiple pair purchases.

EyeBuyDirect.com for instance, has recognized this shift fairly early. “We saw that most of our customers were savvy internet users with a keen sense for fashion and a discerning eye for price,” says CEO Hessel. While maintaining good price, he tailors his product offering to not only include practical eyeglasses but also a strong mix of avant-garde designs using novel materials in interesting colors.

The only real ‘brick and mortar’ competition to online optics retail appears to be from discount retailers like WalMart or Costco. But EyeBuyDriect.com prefers to compete in design and quality (as their prices are already comparable). EyeBuyDirect.com offers a choice of over 500 styles and revolutionary designs at some of the lowest prices in the world.

With 67% of Americans wearing prescription glasses (the Vision Care Institute) and 72% requiring some form of eye correction (American Vision Council), the demand for quality optics is immense. For discerning eyewear shoppers, it might be worth giving serious consideration to exploring the online arena.