Glasses Direct
 | |
| Private company | |
| Industry | Spectacles, online retail |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
Key people | Kevin Cornils (CEO), Howard Bryant (CFO) |
| Revenue |
 £40m (2015) |
Number of employees | 225 |
| Website |
www |
Glasses Direct is an online retailer based in the United Kingdom that sells spectacles direct to consumers.
It was founded by James Murray Wells in 2004 joining the small existing sector of online retailers. In 2009 it received investment from two major venture capital firms.[1]
It is also notable for the legal and regulatory attempts to close it down by several major bricks and mortar competitors.
Marketing
Current methods of marketing for the company include use of Google's AdWords service on its UK portal and pay-per-click internet affiliate marketing.[2] Glasses Direct has also gained newspaper and television coverage through a public relations campaign. Its London Retro own brand has featured extensively in style magazines, including Red, Shortlist and Sunday Times Style.
Rivals
In 2005, rival businesses including Boots, Specsavers attempted to use legal action and an unsuccessful complaint to the General Optical Council (GOC) to close the company down.[3]
In 2006, Glasses Direct's founder James Murray Wells sought election to the GOC, claiming that a representative from the internet was needed. He withdrew after Specsavers managing director Doug Perkins objected to his candidacy and Murray Wells accused Perkins of rigging the election. Perkins maintained that he was concerned that Murray Wells is not a qualified optometrist although this is not a requirement for membership.
It is important to reiterate that the concerns raised by their rivals where also partially shared by the GOC(General Optical Council). I quote "Also in 2006 Wells sought election to the General Optical Council, arguing that internet retailers and their customers needed representation. In response the Managing Director of Specsavers, Doug Perkins, wrote to Specsavers branches asking the company's opticians to rally round one of their own candidates"..candidates with the interests of hands-on, professional practitioners at heart". The General Optical Council had previously stated that it believed internet sales of glasses could pose a risk to "public safety" and its priority was maintaining high standards of eye care for the public, and not members' commercial interests. Murray Wells withdrew from the election after it became clear he would not win a ballot.
References
- ↑ "Growing Business". Growing Business. Retrieved 2011-11-29.
- ↑ "Join The Leading Glasses Affiliate Programme from". Glasses Direct. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
- ↑ Sarah Ryle (2005-03-27). "The man who found specs appeal on the web | Business | The Observer". London: Observer.guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-03-02.