A Matter of Choice in the Digital Age.

As someone who has to wear glasses the options for places to buy them can seem vast. In my view, the idea of having to go into a doctor’s office and get an examine, then have to buy their glasses which can be very expensive can be tiring.  Warby Parker is an online company that started in 2010 when a bunch of college students got together because they were unhappy with the choices for prescription glasses.

The classmates decided to start an online delivery center for sunglasses and prescription glasses which would open up avenues for those who couldn’t afford the high prices. traveling to stores, and the usual need of an appointment in order to see an eye doctor.  The fact that the college students started a business from a seeming need is to be admired. The students saw a need and found a way to fill that need creatively.

One of the great things about this company is the fact that they make it easy in this fast-paced world to get the glasses you need without having to step foot out of your home.  One of the great campaigns is the “Home Try-On Campaign” where customers can order five pairs of glasses, have them sent to them no charge and t hen find the pair they want and return the others at no charge.  This would be something I would love to do because it gives me the chance to find something I like without all the hassle of going into the store and then I don’t have to pay to get them shipped to me or ship them back! What a deal.

The great thing about Warby Parker is that they respond to their customers comments on their social media which makes the customer feel like it’s not just about the money that the company makes but that they actually care about them as a person.  Warby Parker’s use of social media isn’t done to just sell but to actually take the time to get to know their customers.  By allowing their customers to generate content on their social media it gives their products a more personable feel and lessen the dissonance and disconnection that customers might feel in ordering online and not in person.  As a consumer myself I find that if a company engages with me and allows me to put content on their sites it means that they are transparent and trustworthy.

The other fact that I love about Warby Parker’s as a company is that they are socially conscious and will give one pair of glasses to someone in need when a customer buys a pair of glasses.  It was interesting to find out that Warby Parker to date has given out,500,000 pairs of glasses.  A company willing to help others prove that they aren’t just in it to gain money.  As a conscious buyer if I know a company is helping out others, I will tend to buy from that company because I feel good about my purchase being able to help others. A company who’s socially conscious is a company that cares about people.

I will preface this with the fact that I haven’t used Warby Parker’s services. However I have used other competitors such as Zenni.com and the like. For me the information about how Warby Parker does business is most helpful and may influence my next purchasing choice.

I’m curious. What makes you go to a certain company and buy their product or service?