EyeBuyDirect

EyeBuyDirect
Privately held
Industry Prescription eyeglasses
Founded 2005
Founder Roy Hessel
Headquarters Austin, Texas
Area served
 Worldwide
Key people
 Roy Hessel, CEO
Products Prescription eyeglasses
Owner Essilor
Website www.eyebuydirect.com

EyeBuyDirect is an online retailer that sells discount prescription eyeglasses and frames.[1][2][3][4] It also sells prescription and nonprescription sunglasses, sport sunglasses, and computer glasses designed to reduce glare.[5]

EyeBuyDirect was founded in 2005 by Roy Hessel.[6] Hessel also serves as the company’s CEO.[7] EyeBuyDirect is headquartered in Austin, Texas.

EyeBuyDirect has operations in the United States, China and Hong Kong and sells its products worldwide.[6]

History

EyeBuyDirect was founded in 2005 by Roy Hessel, a former venture capitalist.[8][9][10] The company launched EyeBuyDirect.com in March 2006.[11]

In 2007, EyeBuyDirect added EyeTry, a "try-on" function, to its site.[8] The function allows users to upload photos and then superimpose EyeBuyDirect’s glasses overtop their photos to "try on" the glasses.[8][11][12] The company later launched the "Wall of Frame", a social network that allows customers to share their created pictures and interact with other site users.[11][13]

In February 2010, EyeBuyDirect began incorporating facial recognition technology to its site to give users the ability to measure their pupillary distance using user-submitted photographs.[13][14]

In 2013, French lens manufacturer Essilor purchased a majority stake in EyeBuyDirect.[6][15] Essilor had previously purchased Framesdirect.com in 2010.[6][15] Hessel was retained as EyeBuyDirect CEO.[6]

EyeBuyDirect redesigned and relaunched its website in April 2014.[16]

EyeBuyDirect introduced EyeZen digital screen protection lenses from Essilor as an option to customers in 2016. The company still sells EBD Blue lenses.[17]

Operations

EyeBuyDirect is an online-only retailer and designs and custom-makes all its glasses in-house.[13][18] It does not carry brand name frames or lenses.[6][19] According to the company, 50 percent of its revenue came from repeat customers in 2013. [16]

Customers must have a valid prescription prior to purchasing prescription eyeglasses from EyeBuyDirect.[8][20] The company sells multiple types of lenses, including bifocal, progressive, and Transitions lenses.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Patricia Marx (29 March 2010). "FOUR EYES; On and Off the Avenue". New Yorker.
  2. ↑ Charles Passy (2 July 2009). "Home &Family -- Cranky Consumer: On the Lookout for Inexpensive Eyeglasses". The Wall Street Journal.
  3. ↑ Thad Rueter. "EyeBuyDirect boosts sales 200% during the holiday season". Internet Retailer. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  4. ↑ Ryan Wilk. "Glasses for Less Than $50". Kiplinger. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  5. 1 2 Alan Henry (July 13, 2014). "Five Best Online Glasses Stores". Lifehacker. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Essilor Acquires Majority Stake in EyeBuyDirect.com". Vision Monday. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  7. ↑ "Seeing Opportunities on The Web". Fox Business. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Don Davis. "Web 2.0 feature answers the question, "How do I look in these glasses?"". Internet Retailer. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  9. ↑ Cindy Waxer (9 June 2010). "Customers in Focus". CIO.
  10. ↑ Kaihan Krippendorff. "You Can Ignore The Competition If You Offer Something Better". Fast Company. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  11. 1 2 3 Don Davis. "EyeBuyDirect.com boosts traffic with new social network". EyeBuyDirect.com boosts traffic with new social network. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  12. ↑ Jennifer Fong (1 July 2008). "Clicking for specs; Website for eyewear offers virtual try-ons". The Edmonton Journal.
  13. 1 2 3 Thad Rueter. "EyeBuyDirect boosts sales 200% during the holiday season". Internet Retailer. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  14. ↑ Natasha Singer. "Face Recognition Moves From Sci-Fi to Social Media". New York Times. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  15. 1 2 Flore Fauconnier. "Essilor rachète un site e-commerce de lunettes de vue". JDN. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  16. 1 2 Greg Holden (June 8, 2014). "Eyewear Seller Puts Ecommerce into Focus". Retrieved November 25, 2014.
  17. ↑ "EyeBuyDirect introduces EyeZen Digital Screen Protection Glasses – OpticalOwl". opticalowl.org. Retrieved 2016-04-16.
  18. ↑ Paul Demery. "How EyeBuyDirect focuses on the merchandise customers really want". Internet Retailer. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  19. ↑ Vanessa L. Facenda. "Attention Shoppers: Online Eyeglasses, a Viable Option". Vision Monday. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  20. ↑ "SURF - SHOP". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 9 June 2008.
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