Causing a kerfuffle this week has been Pop Specs, the kiosk-based opticians and eyewear brand as seen on Dragon’s Den. Pop Specs describes itself as a more than just an eyewear brand, but a ‘revolution in the eyewear industry,’ with glazed spectacles or sunglasses in under 20 minutes, if your prescription falls within the range of lenses it holds in stock. If not, waiting time falls more in line with regular optical practices.
There’s nothing wrong with any of that, but the company’s partnership with online takeaway food provider Just Eat (News page 4) has polarised opinion in a way that’s rarely seen with industry news. Threads on LinkedIn and Facebook have seen most practitioners fall on the side of ‘this is devaluing the profession’. Those outside the optical industry have praised the move, with several describing it as ‘genius’.
Initially, I worried about what the partnership would say about the profession and where it was heading. Then I worried about the ordering process. How would it work and how would anyone under the age of 16 be stopped from purchasing? A disclaimer regarding customers under the age of 16 is on the Pop Specs website menu, but you do have to click a drop down or information tab to see it.
Just Eat’s terms and conditions state by placing an order on the site, the user warrants they are over the age of 18, but neither seem particularly fool proof, and I doubt a Just Eat delivery driver will verify age at the point of delivery. Leaving customers to write their Axis details in a notes section could be asking for trouble too.
I then considered if the move was, as some had proclaimed, ‘genius’. From a PR point of view, it’s certainly doing well, and it’s not just a new venture for Pop Specs, it’s also Just Eat’s first foray into non-food retail. It’s a bit early to call whether on demand eyewear is going to be a success, but other disruptors in the sector, such as Warby Parker in the US, have widened the appeal of eyewear and more importantly, eye health. If Pop Specs can do the same, then that’s a good thing.