Warby Parker, the online eyeglass retailer known for fashionable prescription frames, just announced its plans for a flagship store front in New York’s Soho neighborhood.
Eyes were all ears when the retailer told Business of Fashion last month that they are, "exploring creating a unique offline flagship store that would feel very different from any other optical shop in the world." Now it’s confirmed that the rumors are true and there will be a retail front opening soon. And being around the corner from Apple has us wondering, how will Warby Parker revolutionize the art of shopping for fashionable eye wear?
We all know that with accessories like shoes and glasses the ability to shop in-person for various styles is an integral part of the buying process.
"People will always want to touch, feel and try on certain items and it is impossible to replicate that online," Warby Parker Co-founder Dave Gilboa told Business of Fashion. "When we launched Warby Parker, we intended to be a purely online business but we realized the biggest challenge to selling glasses online is getting the fit right."
Warby Parker’s site does include face recognition software that allows customers to digitally test the fit, which is the best you can do as an online retailer. The formula has proven more than successful for the company, so the store front in NY is sure to enhance branding rather than strictly sales, bringing a physical, tangible image into the once only ecommerce store.
