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Warby Parker (or, Finding Broken Systems That Are Full of Money)

78 points| yoshizar | 13 years ago |thinkhard-ly.com | reply

72 comments

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[+] binarysolo|13 years ago|reply
Reads 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.

[+] chaostheory|13 years ago|reply
I agree. One thing that isn't mentioned is that all of Warbly Parker's frames are plastic, as opposed to the titanium (and other) alloys that you find in the brick and mortar stores. Moreover I just don't see enough variety of styles at Warbly Parker.

The article just feels like submarine PR that's disconnected from reality. There are better online glasses stores.

[+] Spooky23|13 years ago|reply
Absolutely. The notion that Amazon "subscribe and save" reference disrupted toilet paper in particular caught my attention.

Subscribe and save is interesting, but paying 40% more for toilet paper doesn't sound very disruptive to me. It's cool for offices and people with more money than time, but not disruptive.

[+] yoshizar|13 years ago|reply
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.

[+] simonsarris|13 years ago|reply
Huh 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 their april fools site, it is extremely adorable and well done: http://www.warbybarker.com/

Every pair of glasses has a dog modeling it, ie: http://www.warbybarker.com/sunwear/aldous/

[+] up_and_up|13 years ago|reply
I dont work for WP.

I bought a pair of WP glasses and my wife purchased a pair of sunglasses. Great glasses, price and service. Very satisfied. They even have a one year return policy if they get scratched. They fit well and are stylish. The lenses have scratch protection and UV protection. For $95 I might even buy a new pair though I dont need them. They are high quality frames and lenses like designer level. Given we were about to pay 300-500 for new glasses we feel like we won the lottery.

I highly recommend WP it is a steal.

[+] smackfu|13 years ago|reply
My assumption is the optics are essentially the same in the Zenni ones, so most of that price difference is going into better frames (and advertising and such). So that makes sense that it feels better.
[+] yoshizar|13 years ago|reply
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.
[+] Domenic_S|13 years ago|reply
D without a doubt.
[+] streptomycin|13 years ago|reply
I've been using Zenni Optical, which I guess is disrupting the broken system of Warby Parker by undercutting their prices by yet another factor of 5, just like Warby Parker did to brick and mortar stores.
[+] creamyhorror|13 years ago|reply
I think Zenni and other discount etailers have been around much longer than WB has. I was browsing their sites in '06 or so, and the prices were low as mentioned. I guess WB took the game to a new level with much more intense marketing and branding, aided by the use of snazzy design and curated (ugh) glasses styles.

Nowadays lots of people know about WB but not about Zenni and the other mass-market retailers, which speaks to the success of WB's marketing efforts.

[+] pbreit|13 years ago|reply
How is the product quality? Those are pretty low prices.

I'm not sure it's a great comparison as WP is delivering on several other levels beyond price. The Zenni buying experience is decidedly inferior.

[+] petercooper|13 years ago|reply
I wonder if this is one of those rare instances where the US plays catch up with an established money making idea (another being text messaging)? Glasses Direct have been doing the same thing in the UK since 2004 and having similarly major blow out success. Usually it's the other way around.. the UK copies the US model ;-)
[+] naner|13 years ago|reply
This 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.

[+] 286c8cb04bda|13 years ago|reply
> A lot of this article rings completely false.

Such as?

[+] lsc|13 years ago|reply
huh. the biggest problem I have with buying glasses online is the lenses. The PD (I believe is what it's called; the distance between your pupil and the bridge of your nose) is super important for the glasses to work very well at all.

Yeah, you can fuck around with a mirror and a ruler, or once at wallmart the kid at the counter just looked at me real hard and drew spots on the plastic filler lens... as far as I can tell, the actual machine to do that measurement? makes a pretty big difference.

I think the optometrists know this, too; the optometrist is happy to give me my prescription, but they won't give me the PD numbers. "you usually have it measured when you get the frames" they say. (I should look if it changes.)

And that's the thing, the difference between pretty good glasses and perfect glasses is huge for me. Enough that I'm happy to pay five hundred bucks for a product I can get for fifty online.

That said, my local Cosco has those machines, and as far as I can tell, the lenses they grind are just fine, and if not 1/10th the cost, at least 1/5th the cost of the optometrist.

But yeah, until they solve that measurement problem? I don't really see how this is any different from any of the millions of other online frame/lens retailers, save for the vertical integration (which is kinda interesting.)

[+] swah|13 years ago|reply
Does that change as time passes? Can't it be done with a picture of you (and a scale like a quarter that you could hold between your eyes) ? Anyway, I don't know why that won't go on the prescription, bothered me too.
[+] ambertch|13 years ago|reply
How come not many people are talking about this article in the context of entrepreneurship? Pretty astute advice for people doing startups.

"1) it fits the classic definition of a disruptive company and 2) is an innovative company playing in a large market with unsophisticated competitors."

Of course, everybody who does a startup has to go through the cloning phase. It's just part of learning how to build a business...

[+] shanecleveland|13 years ago|reply
As some have mentioned, not a great option if you have insurance. Mine covers a new pair every two years (plus the appointment you need to get a current prescription). They may want to make an effort to cater to that segment more, if it's possible. But it is an innovative approach to a market ripe for the picking. On that note ... Insurance and medicine – Talk about a broken system full of money.
[+] yoshizar|13 years ago|reply
I actually wear both contacts and glasses, and my insurance is enough to cover the contacts or the glasses, but not both; I end up paying for the glasses out of pocket. I wrote this post after being really frustrated with the experience I had at the local optician.
[+] pm90|13 years ago|reply
I 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)

[+] SatvikBeri|13 years ago|reply
There 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.

[+] pavel_lishin|13 years ago|reply
They did mention that glasses in physical shops come in two varieties: cheap and boring, or stylish and expensive.

And I, too, am surprised at the lack of marketing done by Zenni; I swear by them now, since I always order the most minimalistic glasses possible - just a nickel's worth of metal to attach lenses to my face.

[+] clarky07|13 years ago|reply
Interesting all of the people who keep saying they've heard of WP but not Zenni. I'm actually the opposite. I've gotten several pairs from Zenni for < $10 and have always been very happy with them. This is the first time I've heard of WP and for me the price is too high for me to consider that disruptive.
[+] johnzimmerman|13 years ago|reply
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.
[+] tryitnow|13 years ago|reply
When 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)
[+] starpilot|13 years ago|reply
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.
[+] keithpeter|13 years ago|reply
Who does the eye tests in the US? In UK eye tests are often done through local opticians.

Disclaimer: not using specs at present but probably will be soon, I'm having to hold the books with small print further and further away...

[+] dangrossman|13 years ago|reply
You can go directly to an optometrist's own office, and they'll usually have a selection of frames they can sell you, or you can just get the prescription and take it to another store. Chain stores like Lenscrafters have office space for an optometrist in the back of each building which they lease to one or more doctors; they don't work directly for the store, but they work at the store and the store books appointments with them for its customers.
[+] nickpp|13 years ago|reply
Been using framesdirect for a few years now. Very happy. How is this different?
[+] swah|13 years ago|reply
They have fewer and better selected frames, IMO. Their website has pretty good design compared to these, enough that they managed to disconnect from the "cheap chinese glasses" feeling that the other websites give me - although in the end it might be the same product.
[+] ngokevin|13 years ago|reply
I love WP. I've bought three pairs from them. They have free try-on with free return shipping. And you get glasses anti-reflective, polycarbonate lenses for less than a frame alone if you bought them retail.
[+] pm90|13 years ago|reply
off topic but: Is there a similar service for lens?
[+] ceslami|13 years ago|reply
Selling lenses completely breaks their business model and competitive advantage. If Apple is so good at selling computers, why don't they sell motherboards? Not to mention the addressable market...