Why Are Warby Parker Glasses So Cheap?
Advertising Disclosure- Our content is free because we earn a commission when you click or make a purchase using our site.
When you’re used to spending a lot of money on eyewear, it’s perfectly logical to be skeptical of Warby Parker’s low prices. I mean after all, if a deal seems too good to be true, isn't it? But Warby Parker is the real deal. They can offer frames that are cheap in price without sacrificing quality using a direct-to-consumer (DTC) business model and smart supply-chain strategy. If you’re curious just how they keep their frames affordable, we’ve got the scoop on why Warby Parker’s glasses are so inexpensive and why they’re a good deal that’s actually legit.
First, a little Background
To really understand why Warby Parker’s glasses prices seem so low, it’s important to know the reason most glasses have traditionally been so high.
Since the mid-20th century, the two dominating forces in the eyewear industry were Essilor and Luxottica - until they merged in 2018 becoming EssilorLuxotica. Together, they represent most of the eyewear brands you’ve ever bought or heard of like LensCrafters, EyeBuyDirect, FramesDirect.com, OPSM, Pearle Vision, Sears Optical, Sunglass Hut, Target Optical, Vision Source, and Vision Direct.
They also have licensing agreements with famous designers like Armani Exchange, Brooks Brothers, Burberry, Chanel, Coach, Dolce&Gabbana, Giorgio Armani, Michael Kors, Oakley, Oliver Peoples, Polo Ralph Lauren, Prada, Ralph Lauren, Ray-Ban, Tiffany & Co., Tory Burch, Valentino, and Versace
As a combined entity they are the largest single player in the eyewear market which means historically they’ve had a lot of control when it comes to setting prices. And according to former eyewear industry execs - the company has been accused of being a borderline monopoly by using its market dominance to unfairly increase the cost of its products.
Warby Parker’s founders recognized that the high prices in the eyewear market were largely due to the concentration of power, and set out to create an alternative.
How Warby Parker Keeps Costs Down
Warby Parker quickly became a major disruptor in the eyewear industry by identifying a need for quality low-cost glasses and connecting directly with customers to provide them. Warby Parker started out operating exclusively online in 2010, launching their business without the overhead that comes with a brick-and-mortar store. They didn’t open their first physical location until 2013 after developing a steady revenue stream.
While having an online exclusive store minimized early expenses, they used additional methods to cut costs further. By designing their own frames, they avoid licensing fees. By sourcing their own raw materials (like buying acetate from a family-run Italian company) and working directly with manufacturers they negotiate lower prices while still maintaining quality standards. They also save by polishing, shaping, and inserting lenses into frames at their own domestic optical labs. All of these measures combined allow Warby Parker to offer high-quality, fashionable prescription eyewear at lower prices.
Most glasses companies offer these or similar lens upgrades that cost extra, but Warby Parker’s low baseline costs may also account for additional units per sale. When you can get two basic pairs for less than the cost of one pair in most other places, it makes sense that Warby parker’s customers buy an average of 1.5 units per order. Having two pairs of glasses is a helpful practice for both changing up your look and ensuring a backup pair in the event one breaks.
Additionally, Warby Parker works with Affirm to make glasses even more accessible by allowing customers to pay for frames in installments.
Warby Parker’s Free Home Try-On
Choosing a pair of glasses involves a lot of factors like your face shape, your skin tone, and your personal style. So to buy a pair of glasses you have to answer the question: “Do I like how they look on me?”
One of the challenges of operating an online glasses store is the limitations it creates in answering that question. To fix that Warby Parker uses a “free Home Try-On” program that allows you to select up to 5 pairs of frames to try on at home for 5 days.
Not only is the home try-on convenient, but it’s also pretty practical. When you try on glasses in-store, there are fewer variables for you to experiment with. At home, you can take your time. You can look at frames with different lighting, hairstyles, makeup, and outfits, and even run them by your friends. Or you can just take a bunch of selfies in private instead of on the showroom floor. Whatever helps you find the right frames for you.
After you’ve tried them all, put them back in the box, affix the pre-paid shipping label, and send them back. Then you can visit their website to buy your favorite, or pick a different 5 frames to try if you still haven’t found “the one”.
Lens Options and Upgrades
Warby Parker’s baseline frames start at $95 a pair. That price point applies to a large selection of frames, but their inventory does include higher-priced frames that range up to $195.
The lowest-priced glasses include frames with single-vision lenses, readers, and non-prescription lenses that are scratch-resistant, anti-reflective, and block 100% of UV rays. Progressives, (aka multifocal lenses) will add an additional $200 to the cost of frames.
There are other upgrades available that can also increase the price and improve the function of your glasses. If you choose to add blue-light filtering to your lenses it will cost an additional $50 and if you select a light-responsive tint, it’s an extra $100.
Impact-resistant polycarbonate lenses are standard and sufficient for most prescriptions, however stronger prescriptions, with +/- 4.0 or higher should consider 1.67 high-index lenses which use thinner material to help reduce the thickness of your glasses. The high-index lens will run an additional $50.
Buy a Pair, Give a Pair
While it’s not exactly a factor in their selling price, giving back has also been central to Warby Parker’s mission. In addition to making glasses more affordable for the general public, they’ve also created a “Buy a Pair, Give a Pair” program. For every pair of Warby Parker glasses purchased, a pair of glasses is given to someone in need. They’ve worked with a handful of partners worldwide to distribute over 8 million pairs of glasses to men, women, and children in need in the US and developing nations.
More Articles You Might Like
