No one chooses to not have perfect vision. As someone who is wholly discombobulated until finding her glasses in the morning, I could do without that particular morning ritual. However, I must live in my truth. I can’t see much without my glasses. Here’s the thing: glasses can cost a pretty penny even when you have eye insurance.
You’ve likely heard of the old saying, “If you build it, they will come.” Well, let me tell you something else: If you make something cheaper, folks will come a whole lot faster! Enter the geniuses behind Warby Parker.
Who is Warby Parker?
Warby Parker was the brainchild of classmates Neil Blumenthal, Andrew Hunt, David Gilboa, and Jeffrey Raider at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 2010. As of today, Warby Parker is one of the most well-known retailers of eyeglasses that allows individuals to purchase affordable and stylish eyeglasses from the comfort of their own homes.
What does Warby Parker want?
Convenience and affordability in the ordering of prescription glasses was an innovative concept back then. Warby Parker took a chance. Chances can be risky. However, you might have heard of the saying “No risk. No reward.” (Anyone else full of these old yet powerful sayings? It can’t be just me!)
Warby Parker knew the market. They recognized consumer behavior of traditionally purchasing glasses by scheduling an appointment, trying on and selecting glasses, and then waiting to get those very same glasses.
Quite simply, in my opinion, Warby Parker wanted more options for those of us who need to wear glasses but don’t want the hassle of acquiring them. That seems very consumer-focused to me! Could they have provided glasses at a cost that was just slightly under the norm? Yes, they could have. However, they priced their product in a way that shook up the market and shook up consumers’ expectations.
Need more proof that Warby Parker was consumer-centered with their approach? Try this on for size: “Warby Parker developed a “Home Try-On Campaign” where consumers are able to order five pairs of glasses online, which are shipped to the customer’s home to try on at no charge. Consumers are then able to pick the pair that best suits them and return the remaining pairs at no charge” (18).
Does Warby Parker have a winning strategy?
I would say yes, they do. Honestly, I heard of Warby Parker years ago. However, I have never made a purchase from them. I have, however, used Zenni. What does this mean in the grand scheme of things? Well, it means that Warby Parker was an industry leader that paved the way for other companies like Zenni. Consumers don’t have to settle for doing things the way that they’ve always been done. Yes, change can be difficult. However, with companies like Warby Parker that recognize and listen to their consumers’ needs, they’re bound to earn lifetime customers who are eager to spread the word of their satisfaction. More often than not, those customers will spread the word about their positive experiences via social media. Their close friends, friends of friends, and more will learn of Warby Parker mission to continue making an impact. That’s certainly a vision that many can get behind.
What about you? Are you a Warby Parker customer. Let me know of your experience.
Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed this homework blog post as much as I enjoyed writing it (maybe even more).
Need glasses or want to go straight to the source? Check out Warby Parker for yourself: History | Warby Parker
Want to read the Warby Parker case study for yourself? You can find it the e-textbook here: https://www.amazon.com/Strategic-Social-Media-Marketing-Change-ebook/dp/B01M0HK3QL
However, if you’re not a fan of Amazon, here are the book’s details:
Strategic Social Media: From Marketing to Social Change
L. Meghan Mahoney and Tang Tang
Wiley
2017
ISBN: 978-1-118-55690-0
You’ve provided an engaging and insightful look into Warby Parker’s social media marketing strategy, highlighting its consumer-focused approach and the impact of its innovative practices. I’d like to delve deeper into how some of these elements are particularly effective in building and maintaining relationships with consumers, as well as fostering brand loyalty.
1. Consumer-Centric Approach with Affordability and Convenience:
Your observation that Warby Parker shook up the market by offering more affordable and convenient options is spot on. By understanding the pain points of traditional eyewear shopping—such as high costs and the inconvenience of in-store visits—Warby Parker positioned itself as a brand that genuinely listens to its consumers. This consumer-centric approach not only attracts customers but also fosters long-term relationships. As discussed in Module 3 on Consumer Behavior, meeting consumer needs and exceeding their expectations is key to building strong, lasting relationships.
2. The Home Try-On Campaign:
You rightly point out the significance of Warby Parker’s Home Try-On Campaign. This initiative not only provides convenience but also reduces the risk associated with purchasing glasses online. By allowing customers to try on multiple pairs of glasses at home before committing to a purchase, Warby Parker enhances the customer experience and builds trust. This strategy is effective in creating loyal customers who appreciate the brand’s understanding of their needs. Module 5 highlights how reducing perceived risk through innovative services can significantly impact consumer loyalty, which Warby Parker has achieved with this campaign.
3. Social Media and Word-of-Mouth Marketing:
Your mention of how satisfied customers spread the word about their positive experiences via social media is crucial. Warby Parker has effectively leveraged social media to amplify word-of-mouth marketing, which is one of the most powerful tools for building brand loyalty (Erdoğmuş, and Çiçek, 2012). When customers share their satisfaction on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X, it not only increases the brand’s visibility but also builds a community of loyal customers who advocate for the brand. This strategy aligns with the concepts discussed in Module 5 on Social Media Marketing, where user-generated content and social proof are highlighted as key drivers of brand loyalty.
Warby Parker’s consumer-focused approach, innovative Home Try-On campaign, and strategic use of social media are all key elements in building and maintaining strong relationships with consumers. These strategies not only attract customers but also turn them into loyal advocates who are eager to share their positive experiences. Your analysis captures these points well, demonstrating why Warby Parker continues to be a leader in the eyewear industry.
References
Erdoğmuş, İ. E., & Çiçek, M. (2012). The Impact of Social Media Marketing on Brand Loyalty. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 58, 1353–1360. https://doi-org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.09.1119
Hi Devin,
Thanks for commenting!I appreciate the deep-dive into my assessment.
-Ashley
Thank you for the read, very well written. I especially enjoyed the fact that you put a lot of thought into your post. The colors and layout attracted me more to the post (as good marketing should), the organization of the post and bullets of the different categories. This was well thought out and put together beautifully.
I would also agree the strategy in which was used for this brand was, to me, “a think outside of the box” kind of strategy. Try on at home at home campaign, I thought this was a great way to bring in more customers. Let’s not forget the free shipping! Who doesn’t enjoy free shipping and at the very least, all the customers would have to do is upload pictures to the brands social media plat form(s).
Again, thank you for your link/post.
Linda
Hi, Linda, and welcome to my blog! Thank you for your kind words.
Excellent point about free shipping! I am guilty of abandoning an online shopping cart if the cost of shipping is more than what I want to pay. I love that Warby Parker really shows that they’re consumer-focused instead of just saying that they are. My husband is from New Orleans, and a phrase that I’ve caught onto him saying when he’s trying to prove something is, “I’m gonna show you better than I can tell you.” I can wholeheartedly see this as Warby Parker’s strategy, and it does seem to be a winning one.I’ll have to check out their try on at home feature. I’m intrigued. Zenni doesn’t have that, but they do have an online glasses try-on. Zenni requires you to align your face in an oval on the screen and turn your head from side to side. The system does its magic and shortly after, you’re able to virtually try on any pair of glasses on the website.
You mentioned that the home try-on campaign was a good way to bring in more customers. What would you say is Warby Parker’s strategy for keeping their current customers?
-Ashley
Hi Ashley,
I agree with your assessment of Warby Park and its social media marketing strategy, including the use of your adages such as “If you build it, they will come” and “no risk, no reward.” I think you did a great job at showing how Warby Parker used elements of social media marketing to build and maintain relationships with its consumers such as with its “Home Try-On Campaign” in which customers were able to try on glasses for free in the comfort of their own homes. This coupled with the company encouraging its consumers to share their photos and experiences was a great way to engage its audience while also building and maintaining brand loyalty. By incorporating them into the conversation, the company gave its customers a stake in the game by adding value and engagement to their experiences.
Kim and Drumwright (2016) cite Baird and Parasnis (2011) as stating, “For marketers, social media should serve as an ideal channel for engaging consumers through a variety of brand activities that will lead them to subsequent engagement behaviors (e.g. trial or purchase) (Baird & Parasnis, 2011)” (para. 2). Warby Parker does a great job of utilizing social media to engage with its audience by adding elements of fun, humor, education, and appeal by creating content tailored to its audience who, judging from their user-generated content, are innovative, curious, and charismatic. Warby Parker’s YouTube channel has a selection of educational videos such as “The History of Glasses in 60 Seconds” and “What Goes into a Pair of Our Glasses” (Warby Parker, n.d.). As for curiosity and charisma, they have social media influencer, Emma Chamberlain sporting their eyewear. The company has many more pieces of content on its other social media platforms, but I just wanted to highlight the use of its YouTube channel.
I think this ties into the fun appeal behind the brand which I see a resemblance of in your blog post. I think keeping things fun, exciting, and conversational makes it easier for audiences to engage with a brand’s content and message. You did a great job of this in your case study blog post, and Warby Parker did a great job of this with their social media marketing strategy. I enjoyed reading your blog post. Thank you for creating and sharing this!
Works Cited
Baird, C.H., & Parasnis, G. (2011). From social media to social customer relationship management. Strategy & Leadership, 39 (5) (2011), pp. 30-37
Kim, E., & Drumwright, M. (2016). Engaging consumers and building relationships in social media: How social relatedness influences intrinsic vs. extrinsic consumer motivation. Computers in Human Behavior, 63, 970–979. https://doi-org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1016/j.chb.2016.06.025
Warby Parker. (n.d.). Videos [YouTube channel]. YouTube. Retrieved August 12, 2024, from https://www.youtube.com/@warbyparker/videos
Hi, Paul! I’m glad you liked my assessment of the Warby Parker case study we were assigned. I really appreciate the additional information you offered here. It provides more depth to the conversation.
Warby Parker’s YouTube channel sounds absolutely delightful. You wouldn’t expect a glasses company to have so much personality and content that is not only engaging but informative. It’s quite refreshing.Upon your deep dive of their social media, is there anything you thought they could add to take their content to the next level?
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I hope to see you again.
-Ashley
Hi Ashely –
Thanks so much for providing your overview of this case study. I think the flow of the information and the layout of copy is great and makes for easy reading and easy navigating. This was a great conversational and personal read – I really enjoyed your little specifics and comments about your own experiences.
I had never heard of Zenni before, looks like it is very similar to Warby Parker. Do you think the success of Warby Parker is mainly attributed to their social media marketing? And is there a specific reason you have used Zenni instead of Warby Parker? I wonder if it is for a reason that they have addressed in their social media marketing.
I think their social media marketing is very creative, engaging and utilizes very relevant topics to keep people entertained. They use silly things like “The phrase “nose in a book” never sat right with us because why is your nose that close to the book? Do you need glasses?” (facebook.com) with all the social hub-bub about a number of new book series, there’s been a lot of talk about reading. As well as “It would appear that you don’t even need 20/20 vision to see who Lady Whistledown is” (facebook.com) during the height of the new Bridgerton season release. I also scanned through their social platforms and they appear to have really engaged staff who are interacting and responding in a timely manor to comments and questions, which I think is also critical to social success. Consumers will stop coming to your social pages and definitely stop posting if they are not getting responses or answers to questions, so this approach to marketing will certainly provide a better customer experience. It also just generally makes consumers feel heard – which sometimes is all they need!
https://www.facebook.com/warbyparker
https://x.com/warbyparker
https://www.instagram.com/warbyparker/
Hi Katie, and thanks for reading! I’m glad you had a pleasurable reading experience as a first-time reader of my blog.
You asked why I chose Zenni over Warby Parker. I didn’t choose Zenni. Zenni chose me. Honestly, back when I was a broke graduate student many years ago, one of my peers was wearing quirky glasses that I admired. To my delight, they were not only cute but affordable. Moreover, when I ordered a pair, I was delighted that they were affordable and not just cheap. I hadn’t heard of Warby Parker until a few years later when I was on social media more often. Now,the reason why I still haven’t used Warby Parker is a simple matter of brand loyalty. Like many, I’m a creature of habit. That being said, if Zenni does something I find unsatisfactory, now I know exactly where to go–Warby Parker. I absolutely think that Warby Parker’s creative and consistent use of social media has contributed to their success. However, I wouldn’t say that it’s a main attribute of their success. I engage with and/or am aware of many different companies because of their social media. Still, that doesn’t mean that I’ll buy their products. I would say that their social media marketing has grown their audience, increased their brand recognition, and given a solid platform for their current and potential customers to engage in a well-established community.
What about you? Are you a Warby Parker customer or supporter? If not, would this case study and what you gained from looking through their social media turn you into one?
-Ashley