Want Warby Parker? Mobile Ways to Save on Smart Frames

October 26, 2012

Not too long ago, I blogged about how I saved over $400 dollars with SnipSnap at Lenscrafters. Eyeglasses are one of those things you should never, ever even think about buying without a coupon. The unfortunate things is that most people end up buying eyeglasses in a hurry, when a pair is lost or broken, and they don’t take the time to save. SnipSnap solves that problem at Lenscrafters, Pearle Vision, America’s Best and more.

Warby Parker is an amazing startup offering sleek, vintage inspired prescription eye wear for less than $100 a pair. Best part: for every pair of glasses purchased, Warby Parker provides a pair of glasses to someone in need by funding global non-profit partners like VisionSpring. Did you know that 15% of the world’s population can’t learn or work properly because they can’t afford prescription eye wear? That’s a billion people who can’t live up to their potential. Vision correction increases a person’s productivity and income by 20%. Think about what the world could do if only everyone were able to see clearly.

It’s kind of incredible that one company can make glasses affordable to the poor and the not-so-poor. (Glasses are way too expensive for almost everybody.) So it’s beyond amazing that Warby Parker has teamed up with social gift-giving apps like Wrapp and Just Because to offer even more savings to loyal and new Warby customers.

Unless you’re near a select Warby showroom, you’ll have to purchase a pair of Warby Parker’s online. They’ll send you up to five frames to try on for free, and then you’ll submit your prescription with your order. Warby’s customer service is phenomenal (they’ll ever answer your tweets with personalized YouTube videos). And they’ll do almost anything to make sure you’re happy with your glasses. Want to order a pair of Warby Parkers online? Ask one of your friends to send you a free Warby Parker gift card from Wrapp (offers are worth $10-$20 depending on the day and the person).

Or you could ask for a $1 gift card good for $20 off Warby Parker using Just Because.

$75 = a pair of glasses for you and a pair of glasses for someone who desperately needs them. And a win win turns into a win win win with mobile coupons. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Bonus: Warby Parker is currently taking its showroom on the road with the Warby Parker Class Trip bus tour nationwide. Stop by when Warby visits your city to find your perfect pair of glasses!

I visited the Warby school bus in Philadelphia yesterday and fell in love with these frames!

(I also had fun with the free Class Trip photo booth.)

 

Posted by Christiana

Just Because Makes Social Gift Giving an Everyday Thing

September 17, 2012

From: Give The Gift Of Startups: Just Because Lets You Give Freebies To Friends From The Startups You Love | TechCrunch.

Social gift giving apps are huge, so it makes sense we’re seeing so many of them. And I love that each one has its niche. There’s Wrapp, which lets users celebrate Facebook friends with smaller free or larger paid gift cards to select popular stores like Sephora. There’s Gyft, which mobilizes the plastic gift card giving business for hundreds of restaurants and retailers and lets users store all their gift cards in their smart phones. And then there’s Giftly, which skirts retailers all together and lets users give custom, personalized gift cards that can been redeemed for absolutely anything, anywhere.

Enter Just Because, a new IOS app that’s designed to let users give the gift of their favorite startups – no special occasions necessary. How does it work? Just Because lets users give their Facebook friends gift cards as exciting introductions to select startups searching to spread the word. Even though most of the gift cards are valued at $15-$20, they only cost $1 to send! In the world of social gift giving apps, Just Because is most akin to Wrapp, in that it lets users give gift cards to their Facebook friends for (next to) nothing. But, with Just Because, the focus is less on celebrating birthdays or anniversaries and more on celebrating some of the most amazing start-ups out there now.

”We’re trying to change the economics of what it means to send somebody a gift,” says [co-founder Matt] Hartman. “The use cases [for the app] are not just attached to special events, they’re more about the people and the brands: ‘this made me think of you – this brand – just because.’”

Just Because creates a huge opportunity for startups establishing themselves with new customers. And the appeal shows in the list of those companies offering gift cards through Just Because: Uber, BirchBox, TaskRabbit, Warby Parker, Trunk Club, Jack Threads, BetaBrand, MoxieJean, Bespoke Post, and Cheeky Chicago.

Just Because requires a Facebook login, and gift cards are delivered exclusively via Facebook wall posts. Each gift card can only be received once per person, and gift card codes can only be redeemed by first-time customers (to any given startup).

Just Because isn’t as snazzy as some other gift giving apps, but I’m in love with its concept and its offers are pretty first-rate. What’s up for grab in the Just Because store now? Oh, just $20 to Warby Parker, $15 to BucketFeet, and $20 to Uber, among other great $1 gift cards.

I definitely dig sharing startups you love with friends you love. Remember that kid who told you about TOMS? That word of mouth was the best present ever, and it didn’t even come with a gift card attached. So imagined what Just Because can do for you.