If you are looking for a small business to start, then consider making money with discount eyeglasses. Selling inexpensive but quality items such as this one is always a good choice as long as you know where to buy and sell them. This kind of product also sells fast, especially during summer periods.

This article will provide some tips that can guide you in making the best decision when it comes to making money with discount eyeglasses.

• How Can I Start a Business With Discount Eyeglasses?
• What Are the Opportunities to Sell Glasses?
• How Can I Make Profit From Selling Glasses?
• How to Save Money on Glasses
• How can I Get Discounted Glasses?
• Are Eyeglasses Profitable?
• How do I Advertise my Glasses?
• How do I Start Selling Glasses?
• Who has the Best Prices for Eyeglasses?

How Can I Start a Business With Discount Eyeglasses?

Go online

Go online and search for where to purchase them. Find a listing of places and compare the prices that you see. This is by far the quickest and easiest way to get them. You can also use Auction sites. eBay is the most appropriate choice for this.

Read Also: Earning Income with Laundromat

Buy at auctions because you will see different prices that you can weigh side by side. There are also websites that give you discount prices if you order large quantities. The sunglasses will be shipped without delay and you will receive them on time.

Get a business license

You should be licensed before you start your business operations. Conduct research on local and state requirements for getting a business license. Your business should be legitimate because manufacturers will like to sell to owners of legitimate businesses.

Get quality products

Get sunglasses that prevent UV RAYS from penetrating your eyes. The whole essence of sunglasses is to protect the eyes even if they are made for fashion. Check to ensure that the dealer you want to buy from follows the required standard. You can do this by visiting the sites to check the certifications and standards.

You wouldn’t want to purchase sunglasses that would do more harm than good, so it is essential to confirm that you are getting products that have been tried and tested. There should also be a wide range of products on offer so you can have many options to choose from. Very popular designs like mirrored, wayfarers, cat eye, and aviators, should be included.

Belong to associations and clubs

Become part of an association such as the Sunglass Association of America or a professional one such as the Optical Laboratories Association. When you do, you will have access to discount prices and deals that will be beneficial to you. You will also acquire information more readily that will point you to the right direction.

Another thing that you can do is to belong to a warehouse club. Being part of clubs like this gives you access to discount prices. You will easily get discounts for your business. Examples are Costco and Sam’s. This option will be most beneficial for any individual who wants to make a small purchase.

Attend trade shows

Trade shows are usually open to a select group of people. You can make money with discount eyeglasses at trade shows because people who go there want to buy inexpensive products. You will have to go on the internet to search for the schedules of the ones in your local area.

What Are the Opportunities to Sell Glasses?

The many features of modern specialty eyeglasses present extra opportunities to sell additional pairs. Proactive sales techniques help maximize your sales of upscale sunglasses and other premium products. Make your sales staff more effective by training them in your preferred methods.

Tailor your sales message to the individual to sell what each customer needs. Maintain a positive approach and create a culture of service to keep customers coming back over the long term.

Individual Needs

A one-size-fits-all approach won’t sell most eyeglasses. Ask patients to fill out a questionnaire on their activities, as Dr. Anthony Record suggests. Inquire what sports they participate in, how much they read or work at the computer, and what hobbies they pursue.

Ask about sewing, reading music or watching TV. Progressive lenses and other specialty eyeglasses do not meet all a patient’s needs. Accountants, truck drivers and others still need a second pair for the job. As part of initial and ongoing training, instruct your staff on the features of your products and how each product meets specific needs.

Positive Approach

Use a positive approach to selling. Instead of asking whether the patient needs sunglasses, for example, Dr. Record suggests asking how the patient protects her eyes from the sun. Avoid “Do you want . . . ” or other yes-no questions, which can end the discussion.

Take advantage of a customer’s positive emotions when doing a free adjustment or repair. While the customer feels appreciative, Dr. Record asks for a minute to show them special polarized sunglasses. Since most patients need sunglasses, he also asks at every visit when the patient plans to update her sunglasses.

Price Concerns

Put the price in last place when making your sales pitch. Talk about the positive features of progressive lenses or glasses for a particular sport or hobby. Wait until the patient asks to mention the price. Avoid thinking patients only want what their insurance pays for. Tailor your sales approach to their needs for eyeglasses, not their budget or what you think they can afford.

Then sell the second pair with a positive statement. Tell the customer he only has to pay for one pair since insurance covers the first, as Dr. Gary Gerber suggests. If you offer a discount on a second pair, keep it to a moderate 25 percent so the patient doesn’t conclude the first pair is overpriced.

Customer Service

Advertising may bring in new customers, but superior customer service keeps them coming back. Establish a climate of positive customer relations in your office, leading by example. Make excellence in service a keystone of initial and continuing education for sales staff.

Engage with customers in a friendly and positive way, getting to know them as individuals. For example, train your staff to consider what frames look best for each person’s facial features. Ensure that each customer gets the best possible eyeglasses for his lifestyle needs.

How Can I Make Profit From Selling Glasses?

Use the frame-buying strategies below to help amplify net profit from eyewear sales.

1. Know the demographics of your practice patient base

ODs must be familiar with the fashion and optical needs of their patient base and ensure the optical inventory frames that are appropriate for the type of patients they have in their practice. Know if your patient base likes outdoor sports, high-end designers, or the latest trends. This information will drive your frame purchases.

The doctor needs to take the time to talk to patients, asking what kind of frames they are looking for (zyl, metal, rimless, drilled, lots of color, more conservative, avant-garde, etc.) and then ensure these types of frames are available in the optical.

Consider this: If your optician leaves the practice for another job, you will know what types of frames your patients want, what types of frames sell well in your practice, and where to purchase those frames, but only if you are actively involved.

Now that you know what your patients want, it’s time to go shopping. One strategy to buying frames is stocking up at optical trade shows, such as Vison Expo. This is my preferred way of shopping.

2. Concentrate your frame-buying dollars with only a few vendors

Such a move will make your account stand out because of the higher sales volume. In other words, if you are willing to spend a lot in one order, you can negotiate deeper discounts with frame manufacturers beyond their normal discounts. For your money to make the biggest impression with frame vendors, concentrate optical purchases with only a few, select frame vendors.

For this strategy to work, be willing to spend $15,000+ in a single order and know that it is acceptable on bigger orders to demand deeper discounts than what is being offered.

Ask for more favorable payment terms, such as 30-60-90-120 days. Sometimes a vendor will offer a discount, such as 50 percent off list price, without payment terms. Other times, 180-day terms are offered with a lesser discount, such as 30 percent. Successful negotiators have forged relationships with regional sales managers of frame manufacturers, and this will help obtain the best deal possible.

Buying in bulk requires several hours with a frame vendor, so it is best to schedule these appointments in advance of the trade show. Your local frame rep should be able to put you in touch with the right person.

3. Consider small, independent manufacturers

While big vendors such as Luxottica, Safilo, or Marchon have the glitziest booths and offer the best food, drinks, and freebies at trade shows, don’t forget to browse among the smaller independent booths in the back.

You know the owner, and the owner knows you. Pricing and terms are easier to negotiate because you are working directly with the owner of the company.

While big dollar amount purchases will usually afford the greatest discounts and offers, you can still make the frame purchase transaction work in your favor if you learn to ask your reps for deals, such as closeouts, markdowns, and discontinued frames.

4. Purchase non-current frames

Ask your frame reps to show you discontinued, close-out marked-down products. This is the dirty, little secret in the optical industry, but it shouldn’t be.

There is nothing wrong with purchasing close-out or discontinued frames-frames for which the manufacturer has limited stock remaining or has discontinued. These frames were once wholesaled for $60 to $240 and now can be had for up to 75 percent off wholesale price.

Usually, these frames do not carry a manufacturer’s warranty and are non-returnable. However, with prices this low, a warranty can be offered in-house by your optical if necessary. If you choose to warranty in-house, buy multiples of each frame so you have another frame on hand.

Keep in mind that frame reps work on commission. The more they sell, the more they make. Of course, they prefer to show you new product with a higher list price than discontinued or marked-down products. This is why it is important to finesse your inquiry about highly discounted frames.

5. Join a buying group

Maximize your optical frame dollars by joining a buying group. An advantage of this strategy is that the group has negotiated the frame discounts for you, so you are afforded a higher discount than what you might be able to negotiate on your own. In addition, some buying groups pay quarterly incentives on purchases made through the group.

Typically, this discount strategy is minimal (perhaps an additional 3 to 5 percent discount on top of normal discounts offered by vendors), and there is a cost involved. Buying groups have membership dues that can range from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars per year, so this decreases your net effective discount, depending on how much you are using the group.

How to Save Money on Glasses

1. See if you’re covered

Before you schedule an eye exam, check your insurance coverage. Many health insurance plans cover all or some of the cost of vision expenses. But unless you ask, you might not know.

2. Make use of your FSA

Do you have a flexible spending account? If you can get one through your employer, it should cover many vision services, like:

• Eye exams
• Prescription glasses and sunglasses
• Tinting
• Reading glasses
• Contact lenses and solutions

If you’re already contributing to an FSA, use some of these funds to pay for your vision costs. If you’re not contributing to an FSA, do it the next opportunity you have. Since you can contribute money from your paycheck to your FSA before taxes are taken out, you’ll automatically save even more.

3. Start with an eye exam

Before you can buy prescription glasses, you’ll need two things: a prescription matching your vision needs, and your pupillary distance (the distance between your pupils). An optometrist can provide both. And thanks to something called the “Prescription Release Rule,” they’re required by federal law to give you a copy of your prescription, enabling you to take it with you and shop wherever you’d like.

If you’re using vision insurance to offset the cost of the eye exam, make sure to visit a clinic covered by your insurance. If you’re using an FSA, call beforehand to find the cheapest option. For example, my local Walmart offered the cheapest deal I could find – $100 per exam. You may also qualify for a free or reduced eye exam through volunteer or state-run programs. Eligibility varies, but FreeEyeExam.org has a list of free exams by state.

When you visit the optometrist, ask for a written copy of your prescription and your pupillary distance.

4. Warehouse clubs

Warehouse clubs sell prescription eyeglasses, sunglasses, and contact lenses cheaper than many other brick-and-mortar retailers, and you’ll occasionally get even better prices. For example, right now Sam’s Club is offering $40 off your second pair of prescription glasses for Plus members, and BJ’s Wholesale Club has $20 off a complete pair.

5. Discount stores

If you buy from discount and overstock stores, you will find some great deals. For example, you can buy a three-pack of decent-looking reading glasses at TJ Maxx for $11.99 – that breaks down to about $4 a pair.

You can find good deals on cheap reading frames all over town. Also check out Ross, Marshalls, Big Lots, and Walmart.

6. Buy online for bigger discounts

You’ll most likely find the best deals on prescription eyeglasses online. Some sites offer basic frames with single-vision lenses and tinting for under $10. Here are a few sites that have gotten decent reviews from bloggers and others:

• Zenni Optical – Glasses start at $6.95
• EyeBuyDirect.com – Glasses start at $6.95 with free anti-scratch coating
• Optical4Less – Glasses start at $15
• 39DollarGlasses.com – Prices start at $39 with occasional sales

A word of warning: Some sites sell low-quality products, while others have horrible customer service. Before you buy a pair of glasses from a website, make sure they have a return policy and check out a complaint site like Ripoff Report or Complaint Wire to see if other customers have had problems.

Also be aware that online stores are probably best for simpler, inexpensive prescriptions and for those customers requiring less personal service. The more complicated the prescription, the higher the cost, and therefore the risk, of buying online.

7. Take advantage of coupons and special offer deals

The Internet is full of product coupons, and eyeglasses are no different. Before you buy your next pair, use an online coupon site to find a better deal. The GlassyEyes blog regularly posts sales and special offer deals for online eyeglass retailers. You can also find coupons on sites like The Optical Blog, RetailMeNot, and Slickdeals.

8. Find free repair or replacement deals

If your glasses get scratched or bent out of shape, be aware that some retailers offer free repair and/or replacement. For example, LensCrafters offers their customers unlimited cleaning and adjustments. EyeBuyDirect.com guarantees most of their glasses for 12 months. Many optometrists will also replace your contact lenses free if they’re bothering your eyes.

How can I Get Discounted Glasses?

Want to get your new pair of eyeglasses for less? Here are some tips and tricks for saving money on glasses: 

1. Shop for eyeglasses online

Shopping online can be one of the best ways to get discount designer eyeglasses, especially if you have a fairly simple prescription (you’ll need a valid RX to order). Online eyewear shops offer a wide range of frames for less than $20, and bargain hunters can find frames for as little as $6. 

Why are glasses so much cheaper online? It’s partly because optical shops need to pay retail space rent and the salaries of staff members who do frame fittings and sell eyeglasses. 

“There are so many hidden costs that go into buying glasses from a brick-and-mortar store,” Smith says. “And you eliminate all of that when you buy online.” 

2. Buy glasses around the holidays

Many retailers hold seasonal sales around holidays such as Memorial Day or big events like the back-to-school season. 

For example, the annual Vision Days sale at LensCrafters starts in August and offers half-price glasses for kids under 21 and 50% off lenses with the purchase of frames for adults. 

Check the calendar to spot opportunities to save on glasses with seasonal discounts.

3. Hunt for deals on glasses

Do some scouting online to find discounts on designer frames. Some online retailers offer buy-one-get-one specials, better known as BOGO, which let you get two pairs of glasses for the price of one. 

Online retailers will send you coupons and deal alerts if you subscribe to their email lists, Smith points out. 

She signed up and then postponed her purchase until a 40% off coupon landed in her inbox. “I waited for a discount that was really worth my time,” she says.

4. Join the club

Some retailers will offer you discounts for being a member of a club or organization. For example, LensCrafters offers special discounts for members of AAA and AARP. AAA members get 30% off eye exams and half off lenses with the purchase of frames. 

AARP members can get an eye exam for a $50 copay plus 30% off a complete pair of glasses with lenses and frames. 

The discounts aren’t limited to AAA and AARP. Many employers offer employee discount programs that give employees, their families, and retirees 10% to 50% off services and products including eye care and eyewear.

5. Don’t pay the sticker price

You may be leaving money on the table if you’ve never asked your eye doctor for a price break. 

A Consumer Reports survey found that most buyers don’t negotiate, but more than 25% of those who requested a discount saved $100 or more on eyeglasses. You should definitely bargain with your eye doctor, says Kelley Long, a personal finance coach and CPA. 

“I do this by showing what I could pay for the glasses elsewhere, and they always price match,” she says. 

The catch is most eye doctors will only price match for the exact same frames, she says. 

If you’d rather not deal with price matching, you can simply ask for a better deal. “They may give you a small discount if you ask,” she says. 

6. Keep your old frames

One good way to cut the cost of glasses significantly is: Get new lenses put in your old frames. This money-saving solution can work well if you have a pair of frames you love that’s still in good shape. 

It’s also smart if you’re buying glasses for a child whose vision changes frequently as they grow.

7. Get a tax break on glasses

Do you have a flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA)? You can use your FSA or HSA to pay for glasses. Both types of accounts allow you to save and use pre-tax money for medical and vision expenses, including eyeglasses. 

Paying with pre-tax dollars can save you 25% to 35%, according to Optum Bank. It definitely makes sense to use your FSA funds to buy new glasses, says Logan Allec, CPA, of Money Done Right. 

“FSA is use it or lose it,” he says, since unused funds don’t roll over to the next plan year. 

But since HSA funds stay in the account and grow tax-free, you’ll need to weigh your need for glasses now against the benefit of keeping that money in your account for the future, he says. If you’re unsure about paying with your HSA, Long suggests paying out of pocket and keeping the receipt so you can reimburse yourself later if you need the money.

Are Eyeglasses Profitable?

The optical retail market in the U.S. is huge, highly competitive, and grew at about a 5% rate in 2017. The most profitable eyeglass businesses are large corporate entities (Essilor/Luxottica owns #1 and #2). Some of them also include income from ophthalmological services like refractive surgery. There has been quite a bit of pressure on retail sales from online opticals, but the largest retailers have answered that by starting their own Internet-based divisions.

It is increasingly difficult for an independent retailer to compete based on price alone. The most successful independents (and there are many) will often target a niche market (i.e.family practice, luxury eyewear, contact lenses, pediatrics, bargain eyewear, custom designed eye wear, one hour service etc.).

Below are the top 10 retailers.

1. Vision Source L.P. $2,733.0 $2,632.0 3,330 3,344 In accordance with franchise law, Vision Source is a franchisor, and its members are franchisees who own their respective practice. Essilor acquired Vision Source in 2015.

2. Luxottica Retail $2,445.0* $2,400.0* 2,392* 2,438* U.S. sales estimate includes revenues from company-owned and franchised Pearle Vision stores as well as Glasses & Prescription Sunglasses Online

. Retail brands: Lenscrafters (964 units), Pearle Vision (70 company-owned and 404 franchised units), Sears Optical (405 units), Target Optical (510 units), Ilori: 12 stores, Optical Shops of Aspen (2 units), Oliver Peoples (24 units), Alain Mikli (1 unit). All U.S. + P.R. locations.

3. Walmart Inc. $1,692.0* $1,733.0* 3,483 3,575 Retail brands: Walmart Vision Center (2,900* company-owned units), Sam’s Club Optical (583* units). (Additional Walmart Vision Centers operated by National Vision Holdings.)

4. National Vision Holdings, Inc. $1,375.0 $1,196.0 1,013 943* Retail brands: America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses (594 units), The Vision Center (Walmart 227 units), Eyeglass World (107 units), Vista Optical (Fred Meyer 29 units), Vista Optical on select military bases (56 units). Revenue figures include e-commerce. The company went public, trading NASDAQ:EYE, in October, 2017.

5. Costco Wholesale $1,064.9 $961.0 497 491 Retail brand: Costco Optical.

6. Visionworks of America, Inc. $920.8 $917.9 729 748 Retail brand: Visionworks.

7. MyEyeDr./Capital Vision Services, LP $490.0 $411.0 365 318 Retail brands: MyEyeDr. acquired 18 Schaeffer Eye Centers, Birmingham, Ala. In Nov. 2017 (Schaeffer ranked separately for 2017). Acquired Innovision, Tampa, Fla, 6 units in October 2017. Continued to acquire numerous independent locations during the year.

8. EyeCare Partners $296.0 $275.0 240 230 Operates under several DBAs/Retail brands: Clarkson Eyecare [includes FL & previously named Thoma & Sutton Eyecare], Rinkov Eyecare Centers, EyeCare Associates, eyecarecenter, Eye Elements, The EyeDoctors Optometrists, EyeCare Associates of Kentucky. Ophthalmology DBAs include: Ophthalmology Consultants, St. Charles Surgery Center, Physicians Refractive Surgery Center, IEC Surgical Centers, Quantum Vision Centers, Midwest Physicians Services, Eye Surgery Center, St. Louis Eye Surgery & Laser Center.

9. Refac Optical Group $278.2 $280.0 767 780 U.S. Vision store count, 674 total including 673 leased and 1 company owned; includes JCPenney Optical, BJ’s Optical (204 units), Meijer Optical, Boscov’s Optical, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sears Optical, Optical Center (AAFES Exchange), 20/20 Vision Center. Nationwide Vision Centers, 93 total including 80 company owned and 13 leased depts (within JCPenney in state of AZ and in Tampa, FL market).

10. Eyemart Express, Ltd. $245.0 $245.0 182 182 Retail brands: Eyemart Express (161 units), Vision 4 Less (16 units), Eyewear Express (4 units), Visionmart Express (1 unit).

How do I Advertise my Glasses?

In such a competitive niche, creating a top-notch optical marketing strategy is an essential element for standing out from other optical shops, and acquiring new patients. With occupied schedules, it can be quite a challenge to brainstorm ideas for new optical marketing tactics that will convert online users into new patients.

1. Use Consistent, But Subtle Branding 

The best optical marketing strategy begins with staying on top of the mind with patients. Your optical shop needs to expand communication and visibility within your online community. 

Start to develop a consistent, but subtle optical brand across all of your marketing channels. This will help eliminate any confusion potential or existing patients might have. You want your patients to be able to distinguish your logos, color schemes, name, and slogan. Your marketing materials like brochures, business cards, optical newsletters, social media accounts, and more should all share the same brand messaging. 

2. Market Your Business on Social

Social media marketing is one of the most successful and powerful marketing strategies for many businesses and optical shops. If you haven’t already signed up for Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, then you might be missing out on patients. It’s free to use and you’ll be able to stay connected and interact with existing patients as well as create new relationships. 

Just like your brand, you must also be consistent with your social media channels. Make sure you stay up-to-date and maintain your social media pages. If you want to show off your brand’s personality and promote new eyewear products, then get social! 

Most of your eye care patients are probably already active on social media, so your practice should be too.

3. Sell Your Unique Eyewear Online

Your optical website is a prime location to show off your services like frame replacement, lens tinting, contact lens fittings, repairs, adjustments, and much more. Besides showing off your services, you can also generate interest in your brand and sell your unique eyewear.

This makes it easier and more convenient for your patients to make a purchase. It will also help you stand out from your local competition. Be sure to link your online store to your website so it’s easily accessible and users can navigate more quickly to your store.

Try offering discounts on your website and online store. From taking advantage of holiday shopping (get 30% off your next frame, Mother’s Day buy one pair get 50% off the next pair, 25% off for Halloween, 10% off of select items, etc.) By offering exclusive deals and promotions, you will increase your website traffic and convert more leads. 

4. Promote Your Website With Paid Ads

PPC advertisement is an effective and instant method to increase traffic to your site and generate more business for your optical shop. If you want to step up your optical marketing game then try using paid advertising to effectively target your audience.

With PPC advertising your optical shop can appear on search engines like Google, Youtube, and Bing. These advertisements provide online users with product information or services they are looking for in their search query. 

Targeted ads can help you attract your ideal patients as well as rank at the top of Google’s first page for frame replacement, lens tinting, contact lens fittings, repairs, adjustments, designer frames, and other specialty services you offer.

5. Email Your Optical Patients Regularly

Email marketing can create endless opportunities for your optical shop. It can lead to the acquisition of new patients, create loyalty with your existing patients, increase average revenue per patient, and reduce your overall marketing costs.

You want to email your optical patients monthly about newsletters, announcing special offers, updates at your optical shop, new equipment or new staff members, new blog posts, contests, and giveaway announcements. You can send out appointment reminders, thank you and birthday cards. You can also provide referral bonuses to customers who refer friends and family members.

How do I Start Selling Glasses?

Eyewear is a fashion statement. Whether it’s for daily use, reading, or blocking out the sun, billions of people across the world wear some form of eyewear. So aspiring entrepreneurs looking for products to sell online would do well to consider an eyeglasses business. So how does one start an eyeglasses business? Let’s walk through some of the steps you’ll need to take.

Step 1: Market Research

As with most startup businesses, the first place you need to start is with in-depth market research. What competitors are out there already? What do each of them do best? What don’t they do well? How can you do it differently, or better?

Unless you have a ton of cash to invest in marketing and branding early on, to succeed you’ll need to find your own niche. If the online marketplace today has horrible UX, then maybe you can fix that. If no one is focusing on certain segments of the market, then maybe that’s your in.

Whatever it is, the key here is figuring out how you’re going to be able to separate yourself from everyone else out there in the marketplace. Find the gap(s), and then figure out how to fill them with your product.

Step 2: Validate & Source Product

Once you figure out who you’re going to serve, you’ll need to figure out where you’re going to get the product they want and need. In this process, you also need to be validating the business model. If, for example, you determine the underserved niche is cheap eyewear, you need to make sure you can source products to deliver on the customer expectations for “cheap” while also maintaining reasonable profit margins. If the numbers don’t back out, then you need to start back at step 1, until you have an actual scalable and profitable business.

Step 3: Setup Your Business

After you figure out the business model and are feeling good about the prospects for making a profit, then you need to set up your business. This is going to include things like setting up your corporate entity, getting a bank account for your business, getting a business license, etc., etc.

If you’ve never run a business before, it’s advised to consult with a professional to ensure you cover all your basis and are setup to operate legally in whatever jurisdiction you are in.

Step 4: Branding

While some people overlook this step, if you intend to build an internet powerhouse-type business, you’ll need to nail your branding. Your branding should speak to the market you’re trying to serve, so make sure to really think that through.

If you’re going to be a luxury retailer, then your brand should exude luxury to anyone who sees it. If it’s catering to women, then the brand should speak to women, and so on. Make sure your brand accurately portrays what your company is about.

Step 5: Create A Website

After you have that killer branding done, the next step is to put that into the form of a website. Your website is where all the action is going to happen, so it needs to be good. You want the brand to be carried throughout, and you need to make sure it’s easy to use for your customers. The last thing you want is a website that is difficult to use and gets in the way of your customers purchasing your products.

Keep it simple & make sure to really think through the customer experience. With that, make sure to really consider who your customers are (which is a common theme you should always reference in any business). If you’re targeting older people, then you’ll want to make sure your website is easy for older people to use.

That means things like larger text, and not assuming they will know what popular web icons mean. The goal is to sell your product, so make that as easy as possible.

When you’re creating your website, it’s also advisable to enlist the services of a professional CRO (conversion rate optimization expert) as well as an SEO (search engine optimization expert). The CRO is going to help make sure your site is optimized in a way that helps drive conversions, or sales. The SEO is going to make sure the site is optimized for search engine rankings.

It’s vital that you involve these folks early on as well, otherwise you risk having to redo a bunch of work if it was done incorrectly to begin with.

Step 6: Marketing

Once your website is all setup and optimized, the next step is to tell people about it. As you might expect, this is an important step. You could have the best website in the world, but if no one knows about it, then you aren’t going to make any money – you need to get the word out.

For most startup businesses cash is a precious commodity, so they don’t have a ton of extra cash sitting around for large paid media campaigns. If you do have cash, then scaling up is going to be much easier. You can run ads on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, Google, and so on, or even pay influencers to promote your product. There are a ton of options if you have cash.

Now, if you don’t have a bunch of cash, which is most startups, you’re going to have to be smarter & work harder. You’ll need to cultivate relationships with influencers and convince them to mention your product. You’ll need to run PR campaigns to get the word out about your brand.

You’ll need to do whatever you can to get the word out. There is no sugar coating it, though, it’s going to be hard work – there is a reason most businesses fail. If you’re going to be the exception, then you’ll have to work harder and smarter than everyone else.

Step 7: Customer Service

Once you start bringing in customers, you need to make sure you keep them happy. Happy customers will tell their friends about your business, and they will come back again and buy more products. Unhappy customers will tell people why they shouldn’t buy from you, and overall cause all sorts of issues. Seeing as getting paying customers in the first place is hard enough, it’s much easier to focus on how to keep them happy.

Ultimately, it’s not that hard to figure out how to keep customers happy – treat them with respect, and how you want to be treated. Respond back to their questions and concerns promptly, be proactive with communications – go out of your way to consistently exceed their expectations.

Who has the Best Prices for Eyeglasses?

There are a lot of things to consider before you decide where to buy glasses. Some of the most important factors include the quality of frames and lenses, services, the total price, customer service and accessibility. 

Based on these qualities, here are eight of the best places to order eyeglasses.

	Eye Exam Cost	Starting Cost for Frames	Starting Cost for Single-Vision Lenses	Starting Cost for Progressive Lenses	Best for:

	Eye Exam Cost	Starting Cost for Frames	Starting Cost for Single-Vision Lenses	Starting Cost for Progressive Lenses	Best for:
Costco Optical	$83	$40	$60	$130	Customer service and quality
Zenni Optical	N/A	$6.95	$0	$27.95	Cheapest glasses overall
Warby Parker	$75	$95	$0	$295	Selection and style
EyeBuyDirect	N/A	$6	$6.95	$49	Picking out new glasses online
Sam’s Club Optical	$73	$59	$0	$160	Balance between prices and services
Walmart Vision Center	$85	$8.30	$0	$110	Nearby in-person service
Target Optical	$85	$59	$85	$220	Using vision insurance online
America’s Best	$50	$29.95	$0	$99.95	Cheapest eye exam

As you can see, some starting costs for single-vision lenses are $0. At these retailers, the cost of single-vision plastic lenses is included in the cost of the frames. 

What should you consider?

Cost and frequency of wear. About a $70 to $150 budget should generally buy you a solid pair of eyeglasses from direct-to-consumer brands. “If you are someone who rarely wears glasses but needs something for occasional driving, you may not want to spend as much money on this as someone who wears progressives full time,” explains Melissa Sherman, O.D., the Vice President of Clinical Affairs at Eye Center of New York.

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“Patients should also consider the remake policy for online purchases; sometimes errors occur, and in this case, the patient should know if redoing the lens will be covered by the online retailer.” Don’t forget to check if your vision insurance will cover anything — you can even pay with an HSA or FSA card on some of these websites.

Your current prescription. Get your eyes checked once a year by an eye care professional who will look for changes in your eyesight as well as check for cataracts and diseases such as glaucoma and macular degeneration. “Eye health is the most important part of achieving the sharp vision for your entire lifetime,” says Dr. Sherman.

And keep in mind that not all prescription glasses are able to be filled online. “Patients with high astigmatism or patients needing progressives should buy their glasses in-person to ensure that the lenses are centered in front of their eyes; this is important for achieving optimal vision,” says Dr. Sherman.

Fit. “The frame must sit appropriately on the face, the lenses must be fabricated perfectly and the lenses centered appropriately, all factors that are very challenging to do online,” says Dr. Thau. You’ll need to know your pupillary distance, a.k.a. the space between your eyes.

There are some systems for measuring this online, but your eye doctor will be able to get a more accurate number. People who already have an idea of what kind of glasses they like can look at the measurements of their current frames (often printed on the inside of an arm) to find a similar-fitting pair.

Lens types, coatings and add-ons. From blue-light-filtering add-ons to high-index lenses, you can customize your glasses to suit your specific needs. Dr. Sherman recommends anti-scratch and anti-reflective coatings to “ensure the longevity” through many wears and cleaning your glasses, and also to “optimize the quality of the vision” in the lenses.

If your prescription skews high, you can benefit from high-index lenses, which make the lens lighter and more comfortable, according to Dr. Sherman. Progressive lenses simplify the lives of people who need both distance and near correction, cutting down on the pairs you carry.

Bottomline

Consider the tips above if you really want to buy and sell the best quality sunglasses at the cheapest rates. You will no doubt make a success of the business.