Tuesday, October 19, 2021 12:27 AM
In addition, the Eyemart Express IT team developed all the proprietary software and platform in-house to make this shopping benefit possible, the retailer told VMAIL.
“We quietly held the soft launch of our online shopping with same-day, in-store pickup option over the summer and are excited formally announce it now,” chief executive officer Michael Bender told VMAIL. “Right now, our customers can shop with us using this option in 230 of our stores. Our Farmers Branch store [and a recently opened smaller footprint store in North Carolina are] currently the only locations not operating with this purchase option.”
See Also
Individual Vision Insurance Plans | Eye Insurance | AnthemEye Care Insurance in WilmingtonEyemart FAQEyemart Express Prescription Eye Glasses & FramesMore information on the BOPIS option is available here.
Bender added, “We believe this shopping option will be well received with our customer base. We know that across the industry, it can take up to two weeks for consumers to receive new glasses. With this technology, we are removing the barrier of time, and providing consumers with more flexibility to shop with us. They can now shop from their home, office, or even a vacation, and see clearly immediately without the hassle of tracking a shipment or waiting weeks for their glasses to be ready.”
Keith O’Connor, Eyemart Express’ vice president of information technology and software development, said it was important to the company to keep all the technology in-house to ensure a seamless user experience for its customers and our stores. “Our unique business model with on-site labs enables us to offer this service without disrupting operations,” he said.
O’Connor said he believes that as technology evolves, there likely will be a “Phase Two” rollout of the Eyemart Express BOPIS service, but at this time the company is evaluating how customers and stores are using the platform.
He added, “We began beta testing in early spring, which helped us ensure that the technology worked and that it was easy for shoppers of all ages to get new glasses using our in-store pickup option. Our goal was to build it in a way that a consumer didn’t need to be tech savvy or have multiple online accounts to shop with us.”
“We are still in the midst of a global pandemic and everyone’s comfort level is different,” Bender added. “This is an excellent option for our consumers who need new glasses and are looking to limit their public interactions.”
He also noted that, with the recent hiring of Femi Enigbokan as chief growth officer, for Eyemart Express “expansion is certainly on our roadmap for 2022.”
With 232 stores in 42 states, Eyemart Express ranks among the top 10 optical retailers in the country with its family of brands: Vision 4 Less, Visionmart Express, and Eyewear Express.
