Mister Spex: From online pioneer to omnichannel future

Key Insights

• The optical industry has a global volume of around 100 billion euros. Germany, at roughly 7 billion euros, is an important market for companies like Mister Spex, which focus on prescription glasses, sunglasses and contact lenses.
• Mister Spex has adjusted its marketing strategy to reach less price-sensitive customers. It now focuses on the upper funnel to reach people aged 40 to 60 who are looking for high-quality optical products.
• With augmented reality, Mister Spex lets customers try on glasses virtually. This greatly improves the shopping experience and helps customers find the right pair in a huge range of 10,000 models.
• Artificial intelligence is used to improve the customer journey. Through face scans and personalized glasses recommendations, the algorithm saves customers time and makes it easier to choose from the large product range.
• Mister Spex plans to introduce subscription models and telemedicine services such as iHealthCheck, in order to create regular customer interactions and offer additional services such as glasses insurance to strengthen customer loyalty.
• For the future, Mister Spex is betting on stronger performance in its existing stores rather than opening new ones. This is supported by a repositioning and an improved range of services such as premium lenses.
• The company is currently focused on the German market and rules out internationalization through its own stores for now. It prefers partnerships or acquisitions to potentially expand into new markets.
• Mister Spex is increasing profitability by adjusting price levels in its stores. It relies on tailored customer advice and a redesigned store layout, which enable a higher conversion rate and better customer experiences.

In this Kassenzone episode, Karo talks to Stephan Schulz-Gohritz, CEO of Mister Spex, about the company's challenges and future plans. The online optics pioneer was founded in 2007 and today has a turnover of over 200 million euros. Stephan has been part of the company since January and has extensive experience in brand development.

A central topic of the discussion is expanding the business model. Originally started as a pure online provider, Mister Spex is now focusing on an omnichannel strategy. Stephan explains that the growing demand for eye tests made it necessary to set up physical stores. The company currently operates 66 of its own branches and cooperates with around 300 partner opticians. Customers can select glasses online and have their eye test done in stores.

When it comes to brand positioning, Mister Spex is increasingly targeting older customers who buy high-quality progressive glasses. New premium products, optimized store layouts and more intensive advice are meant to strengthen its image as a competent optician.

Stephan emphasizes that Mister Spex's future lies in optimizing its own brand and branches, while internationalization could be considered later. Listen to the new podcast episode to hear more about Mister Spex's omnichannel strategy, visions for the industry and virtual reality in the buying process!

Key insights. Mister Spex (AI-generated)

👓 The optical industry has a worldwide volume of approximately 100 billion euros, with Germany at around 7 billion euros being an important market for companies like Mister Spex, which focus on corrective glasses, sunglasses and contact lenses.

🛒 Mister Spex has his marketing strategy adjusted to less price-sensitive to address customers, and is now focusing on upper funnel, to target groups aged from 40-60 years to reach out to those who are looking for high-quality optical products.

💻 With Augmented Reality Does Mister Spex enable a virtual Trying on Of glasses, what that shopping experience significantly improved and helps customers from a huge range of 10,000 models finding the right pair of glasses.

🤖artificial intelligence Is used to improve Customer journey used. By face scans and personalized Eyewear recommendations Does the algorithm save the customer zeit and makes it easier to choose from the wide range of products.

📦 Mr. Spex plans Subscription models and Telehealth services like iHealthCheck to introduce regular customer interactions to create and additional Services like Eyewear insurance to offer in order to customer loyalty to strengthen.

🏢 For the future, Mister Spex is counting on a stronger performance in the existing stores, instead of opening new Stores. This is achieved by a repositioning and an improved service offering like premium lenses supports.

💼 The company is currently focusing on German market And includes a internationalization About own Stores Off for now, but preferred partnerships or acquisitionsto potentially expand into new markets.

💰 Mister Spex boosts the profitability by adjusting the price levels in the Stores and focuses on tailor-made customer advice as well as a revised Store design, which is a higher conversion rate and better customer experiences enables.