The Future of Digital Retail Is So Bright You Gotta Wear Shades
DTC companies are turning to physical retail in an attempt to prove they are more than just hype
“They make your forehead look big,” my straight-shooting wife belted out with a chuckle. “Okay…” I said, slightly offended. “How about these glasses?” hoping for a more confidence-building response. “Now you look like that televangelist preacher from the 90s, Jim Baker,” she replied.
“I think we’re done here,” I said to the lab-coat-wearing salesperson.
I’ve never found the experience of buying eyewear fun, but when the digital darlings of prescription glasses, Warby Parker, came along, we cheered them on. Warby Parker filled a void in the mature eyewear market, and have since built an elaborate supply-side network and developed a captivating brand strategy. They solved a vexing problem for consumers — the challenge of figuring out which glasses fit their head, face, and personality best — by shipping customers up to five different styles. Most of all, though, the company was dedicated to making the eyewear shopping experience more enjoyable and less clinically draining.
Yet, I worry how the rosy view of Warby Parker’s announcement to go public via a direct listing might fog up our better judgment and…
