Change can be scary—imagine your whole life, attending eye doctor appointments, trying on glasses (that are far too expensive), going back to the eye doctor a few years later because you need a stronger prescription and of course, new frames, so you try on more expensive glasses…
It was a perpetual cycle for some, and of course still is—for those who are not Warby Parker customers, that is.
I remember growing up envious of my friends that wore glasses. When you are a child paving your way to adolescence and beyond—fighting off insecurities and establishing any sense of self—something as trivial as wearing glasses can feel like the end of the world. But I thought they were so cool and could be so… expressive! We always want what we don’t have, I suppose.
Keyword Here: Expressive
At almost 30, with my 20/20 vision still intact, I am still a little envious of both my sisters who inherited the lesser sight-seeing genes. And guess why? They buy all their glasses from Warby Parker—no joke! They have a pair to coordinate with certain outfits, a pair to match their ‘vibe’ of the day, a pair to drive in, and so on and so on. So, what made this shift in purchasing glasses go from an expensive, often undesirable necessity to an exciting process and fashion statement?
The Power of Selection and Affordability
The industry was largely monopolized by eyewear conglomerate Luxottica prior to the birth of Warby Parker, which enabled the ultimate pricing power with limited variety, because well, they could. Warby Parler co-founder David Gilboa shared in a Disruption article from 2016, “we were driven to disrupt a system wherein glasses were marked up hundreds of dollars for no value added.”
Expensive, limited, and valueless don’t exactly make great selling points. I can start to see the shift…
After 15 years, the determined company’s vow still holds true. Warby Parker’s website shows their glasses starting at $95 (over $200 less than what traditional eye brands charge, according to Marketing Maverick’s 2024 case study on Warby Parker), with hundreds of designs to choose from.
The biggest question is, I presume, how did Warby Parker get here?
“Don’t find customers for your products, find products for your customers.” – Seth Godin
Cutting Out the Middleman
We all grew up hearing the expression, “if you want the job done right, then you gotta do it yourself.” While we probably rolled our eyes listening to our older, wiser generations who we claimed knew ‘nothing at all,’ these lessons we’re taught in our life do hold true (sorry mom).
Warby Parker founders Neil Blumenthal, Andrew Hunt, Dave Gilboa, and Jeffrey Raider knew, the only way to do the job right (offering affordability, convenience, and selection to consumers) was to do it themselves, D2C-style. But with four ambitious college kids—living exclusively on tight budgets and dreams—online distribution was not only opportunistic but feasible at the time.
So, let’s circle back—change is scary. 2010 feels like it was five minutes ago, but in technology years? It might as well have been the turn of the stone age. Making an important purchase online still somewhat felt like a foreign concept. Especially one like prescription glasses. Remember, they were expensive—who could make such a purchase without even trying them on first? And what do you mean they are so cheap? Who would be crazy enough to trust this?!
As Myspace was beginning to meet its unfortunate demise, social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube were in full throttle. Warby Parker founders took to social media to launch the brand through its “Home Try-On Campaign,” where, rest assured, customers could order five pairs of glasses to try on free of charge, have five days to decide, then return the pairs they didn’t want, also free of charge. This selling strategy is still a fundamental part of Warby Parker’s business model today.
Needless to say, this campaign exploded. Actually, it was TOO successful—G&Co Agency shared that Warby Parker made its projected first year sales goal in three weeks and resulted in over 20,000 customers on a waitlist for the Home Try-On program. Yikes.
What Did They Do About It?
Well, Warby Parker took these unforeseen lemons and made lemonade. Along with offering a personal experience through its Home Try-On program, Warby Parker founders sent individual and personalized emails, connected with consumers on social media platforms, and continued building an online community through purposeful, transparent, and authentic content.
The overwhelming demand from customers set the tone for the future of Warby Parker—it was evident more individuals within the eyewear industry were in desperate need for a change than they thought. So, they kept going, and growing, and have been serving customers and those in need around the globe since.
Warby Parker found a solution to a problem its customers weren’t even fully aware they were experiencing. Through product innovation, a pioneering direct-to-consumer approach, and the power of social media, the company disrupted and revolutionized what was once an untapped industry. They not only set a higher standard for D2C and e-commerce relationships but also leveraged the undeniable possibilities social media can unfold for businesses.
In 2024, Warby Parker administered nearly 60,000 free eye exams and provided over 50,000 glasses for schoolchildren through its Pupils Project.
MikThoughts 
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