How to Sell Prescription Glasses, Sunglasses or Contact Lenses Online
The number of people who are myopic (in need of prescription eyewear) is projected to reach 50% by 2050. This represents a huge opportunity for your eyewear business to multiply your average revenue per order by offering prescription lenses as part of your eyewear frames.
You will increase your revenue by 100% from £80 to £160 if you charge £80 for frames and £80 for prescription lenses.
It is also becoming easier to purchase prescription eyewear online due to generous return policies as e-commerce continues to grow.
You will find this guide useful if you are interested in selling prescription glasses or sunglasses online.
1. Set up your online store.
In order to sell eyewear online, you must create a store. There are a number of ways to create an online store, but we suggest Shopify due to its ease of use and excellent customer service.
2. Find an optical lab near you.
In order to fit prescription (also referred to as Rx in the optical industry) lenses into your frames, you will have to find an optical laboratory that can do so. As an optical lab has the certified expertise, equipment, and technology to edge lenses, partnering with a lab is essential to providing prescription lenses.
When you visit an optical lab, make sure that you inspect their facilities to get an idea of their quality of work and request their price list. After you have established your costs, you can determine how much you will charge your customers and how much margin you will make.
Searching for “optical lab” followed by your city can be helpful if you are in the U.K.. There is a high probability that a suitable lab will appear when you search on Google. You can also search online directories or contact your local opticians for recommendations. Additionally, you may look for optical labs that are members of the British Association of Ophthalmic Opticians (BAOO).
4. Send your prescription order to the optical lab.
In response to a prescription order received from a customer, you send the chosen frames to the optical lab along with the prescription.
As soon as your frames have been fitted with your prescription lenses, the optical lab will return the finished product to you.
5. Ship the finished prescription eyewear product to your customer.
Upon inspecting the completed order, you may forward it to the customer.
You should inform your customers about the extended turnaround time as most labs take approximately 3 to 5 business days to process prescription orders.
There you have it! Customers should be informed in advance so that they can plan their orders accordingly. You should also provide them with an estimated date of delivery so that they know when they can expect their orders. Finally, it’s important to provide them with regular updates on the status of their orders.
