Optical e-retailer: stand out from your competitors! [part 1/2]

Know your audience and adapt to their needs

Who is more likely to buy eyewear online? 

Here is an overview of the different client types that you should target, according to your offering: 

      - Fashion enthusiasts
      - Glasses fans who are seeking a larger choice than at their local optician
      - Those looking to make substantial savings
      - Those who wish to find the equivalent of their current frames in a hassle-                   free way ...
 

     As different as they are, these consumers follow the same purchasing process       on the website: 

     1 - Determine what they are looking for (cheap/trendy/quality/original design...) 
     2 -Browse websites that seem to fit their needs 
     3 -Virtual testing and selection of the frame 
     4 -Entering the prescription details
     5 -Choice of lenses and their treatments
     6 -Order 

This buyer’s journey is specific to the optical business, as people only buy new frames on average every 2 years. Also, since this is a fairly new sales channel, most visitors will be first time buyers of eyewear online, and they will need a great deal of reassurance to give them the confidence to complete their purchase.  

A straightforward purchase process is therefore essential: easy frame selection, clear instructions to enter prescription details, etc. 

Targeted Content 

For attractive customer experience, your website should immediately 
answer the question “What makes my offering special and how will it answer  my customer’s needs”? 

The "passionate fashion" profile will appreciate, for example, to receive  news about the latest trends, shapes and colors, the runway looks ... Others will be more interested in knowing more about the quality and the sustainability of the materials used for making the frame, etc 

After determining your target's profiles, you will need to produce content regularly yourself, keeping in mind that this requires special skills and 
takes time. If you are not prepared to do that, here are some alternative ways of getting content: 

• Use providers to write original articles, which will be written specifically for your website. Depending on the desired length, it will cost you from 200 to 500€ per article. These editors can easily be found on the web. 
  
  
• Subscribe to a platform like Feedly or Newsblur, which will allow you to select and group targeted content, but you may need to rework or rewrite them before publishing.
  
  
• Integrate « news feeds » to feed your website with articles already published elsewhere, to reduce costs. 

[To find inspiration for your eyewear catalog, check this out]

Smooth navigation

Next step: share your content to the biggest audience possible, so that it creates traffic to your website and encourages people to spend time on it. Publishing content regularly is also a good way to remind your existing client that you can be useful to them. So spread the word in your newsletters, social media accounts, etc... 

Once visitors get to your website, make sure that it offers a clear design and seamless navigation. Pay attention to the following points: 

• A clear menu to get to the right category right away
• Pages that don’t weigh too much so that they load quickly
• A responsive design fully optimized for mobile devices (2/3 of internet sales are made from a smartphone!)
• An original design that reflects your brand image with style and uniqueness 

 
Check out the following optical websites that did a good job with their design: 

 A brand that targets a young audience with unbeatable prices

A clear design with a virtual mirror, and the choice to buy online or go to the physical store 

The fitting and the choice of the frame: the crucial steps  

Glasses are both a fashion accessory, a facial enhancement tool and a way to correct one's vision. The frame must, therefore, meet the aesthetic expectations of the buyer, his personality but also the morphology of his face. 

This is certainly the most critical step in the overall buyer’s journey. To avoid abandonment at this key moment, you must find a way to reassure, build trust and convince your audience to complete the purchase.   

Here are the main tools that will greatly enhance the customer experience: 

• Showcase the frame from different angles via visuals of the utmost quality: front, quarter and profile views, ability to zoom in on the details ...
•  Show your collection worn by models (or real people) and make sure they convey your brand spirit
• Give a maximum of product information:  the history of the model for the frames fans, the weight of the frame for the addicted to comfort...
• Offer the possibility to share the visual (s) of the product by adding social media widgets next to the pictures.
• Offer a virtual try-on system that will allow the buyer to try the frames like in a physical store, with the smartphone/PC camera acting as a mirror. The solution should offer a selfie option, so the user can get the opinion of relatives before finalizing his choice.
• If you have a physical store, add a “click & collect” option, so you don’t lose potential clients who are not comfortable to buy online. 

Follow these tips to offer an optimal customer experience, stand out from the competition, create a real WOW effect and maximize your conversion rate.