Warby Parker is a New York-based American online shop that sells all types of glasses, such as prescription glasses, contact lenses, and sunglasses.
Warby Parker started as an online company but now has 160 physical stores across the United States and Canada.
In this article, we’ll cover the good quality of their eyewear, the features, and benefits they offer, as well as their privacy and other policies.
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Brand Origin
In 2010, Warby Parker was established in Philadelphia and was headquartered in New York City. It was founded by four big names: Andrew Hunt, Neil Blumenthal, Jeffrey Raider, and David Gilboa.
The name of the company, “Warby Parker”, is derived from two unpopular characters in author Jack Kerouac’s journal.
JAND Inc. is the firm’s official name, while “Warby Parker” is its trade name.
The firm was created at the Wharton Business School Venture Initiation Program at the University of Pennsylvania, where all the founders were students.
The program provided $2,500 initial funding to the firm, which started in the year 2010. Vogue.com profiled the firm soon after it was launched.
Warby Parker supplied over 100,000 glasses in 2011 and had more than 100 workers until the end of the year 2012.
In 2017, the firm launched an optical glass lab in Rockland District in New York City. Rather than paying out-of-house, freelancer manufacturers, they decided to design and make their glasses in-house.
The firm became public through a direct listing on the renowned New York Stock Exchange on September 29, 2021, with an opening price of $54.05 per share.
About Their Eyewear
The firm mainly sells eyewear, both online and in its several stores around the two big countries: Canada and the United States.
Warby Parker excels against its competition by a long mile, all thanks to its “Home-Try-On program” which is an incentive that allows potential customers to choose five frames from the website, which they receive on their doorstep and get to try on at home for free for five days.
Customers can upload a photograph and virtually test on frames using the firm’s smartphone app.
Warby Parker creates its products and sells them directly to customers via its website & stores.
The firm supplies its resources from Italy and then makes frames in China alongside competitors like Luxottica.
A customer loyal to the company, on average, places at least one or more orders each year and purchases 1.5 pieces per order. Warby Parker also sells monocles with prescribed lenses, including eyeglasses, sunglasses, and contact lenses.
The firm launched a virtual-reality “try-on” AR technology app in 2019 to show consumers how well a certain frame might look and sit on their faces. Time magazine named it one of the “Top 100 Inventions of 2019.”
About The Benefits They Provide
Warby Parker specializes in a “buy one, get one” social entrepreneurship model.
For every prescription spectacle or lens bought at the company, Warby Parker donates a certain amount as a part of their donation drive for VisionSpring, a non-profit organization.
The firm gained a B Corp certification recognizing its efforts as a company that believes in giving back much sooner after its establishment but chose not to take the status of a social benefit corporation, allowing the honor to pass.
However, later, in 2021, right before their first public offering, Warby Parker finally took up the much-coveted status to become a public benefit corporation.
About Their Policies
They work quickly to complete orders, but they will try their best to accommodate any adjustments.
Call them at 888.492.7297 between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. ET to change or cancel an order. (Please keep in mind that non-prescription sunglasses and Home Try-On orders can only be adjusted up to one hour after they are placed.)
They also offer eye exams, but they will need to reschedule your exam if you arrive more than five minutes late for your appointment.
You can cancel your appointment and reschedule it here using the link in your exam confirmation email. (Rebooking involves no penalty.)
You can also try Warby Parker’s Virtual Vision Test, an iOS feature that enables you to renew your current eyewear or contact lens prescription if you are eligible.
With an iPhone 6s (and above), you can do it from your comfort and privacy.
Their eyewear and accessories come with a 30-day return or exchange policy. Note that trial packs are not returnable or exchangeable. Gift card purchases are non-refundable.
Moreover, their prescription eyewear and sunglass lenses come with a six-month scratch-free guarantee. Within that time frame, they’ll change your damaged lenses with a whole new pair for free.
(Please keep in mind that refunds must be applied to the original payment method.)
You may expect to get your order within 10-12 business days if you choose free standard shipping.
They ship eyeglasses, sunglasses, and gift cards to addresses in the United States, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and military APO/FPO/DPO addresses. Customers in Canada can also take advantage of their international shipping services.
Warby Parker hasn’t yet extended its services to other countries and only ships within the United States of America.
Is Warby Parker Good Overall?
Overall, Warby Parker is a terrific virtual store for affordable prescription glasses as well as sunglasses.
You may anticipate it to cost around $95 and $145 for standard lenses and frames. Higher-quality frames or specially-made lenses are available for an additional fee.
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