Oct. 14, 2020
Online eyewear seller Zenni has had a very good year, with consumers shifting more than ever to a preference for virtual shopping. ModernRetail recently interviewed Zenni’s chief product officer, Bai Gan.
Here is what he told writer Gabriela Barkho about the company’s success during this unprecedented time.
Barkho notes that the online eyewear company, which sells prescription glasses priced at around $40, is currently tracking to $325 million, up $75 million from 2019. It also recorded a 258 percent year-over-year revenue increase from Blokz the brand’s blue-light filtering lenses.
Glasses that Protect Against Harmful Blue Light Are Still in High Demand
“One of the successful launches to come out of this period has been our Blokz lenses, which had been in the works for the past two years. Naturally, customers working or learning from home began looking for glasses capable of filtering high energy blue light and ultraviolet light.”
Virtual Try-On is a New Online Shopper Expectation
“With thousands of styles to choose from, picking frames online can be overwhelming, especially for new customers. So we upped our virtual tryout tool to minimize this obstacle. This was done by adopting a 3D solution that captures the wearer’s face, where they can turn their head and see how the frames look on the nose bridge.”
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Shifting Ad Spending to Where Consumers Are Spending Significant Time
“This period has also presented changes in the market and the importance of reaching customers with different needs. Gaming and online schooling are a great example of that. So we made strategic shifts in digital spending and ad placements, especially ones highlighting virtual try-on and Blokz glasses. For example, we doubled down on esports and digital entertainment channels to reach customers exposed to increased screen time.”
Focus on Continuous Improvement & Innovation
“For many of these [online] consumers, the tipping point has been annihilated by Covid, so we plan to continue serving them by updating services. This means providing a robust optometrist team and innovative virtual try-on features. At the same time, we’re adding new eyewear products that go beyond vision, such as certified safety glasses and sports glasses, which just launched.”
