From WSJ piece on Warby Parker:

Many things have gotten pricier in the past 15 years. Not Warby Parker’s most affordable glasses, which have cost $95 since the brand’s inception in 2010.

Warby Parker grew 14% last year. It did this while keeping its hero $95 price point. This shows that a focused value proposition can thrive even with inflation. The company used a few key strategies. It controlled its supply chain. It created a tiered pricing model. It constantly refreshed its product line.

Why this matters for product leaders: Warby Parker proves that a single, resonant value proposition can survive. It even thrives through tariffs and inflation. The $95 anchor creates a clear mental model for shoppers. It forces every internal decision to prioritize affordability.

How Warby Parker Enables Growth

Vertical integration is a cost shock absorber. The company owns two optical labs in the U.S. It runs its own stores and e-commerce. This allows Warby to bypass some tariff impacts. It can move production out of China. It can also iterate on SKUs faster than rivals.

It uses a price ladder instead of across-the-board hikes. About 60% of frames still start at $95. But progressive lenses, blue-light filters, and new designs move customers into higher price points. This has lifted revenue per customer every year since the 2021 IPO.

The “forever price” creates a psychological moat. Holding the $95 price for 15 years builds trust. Even minor increases on premium SKUs feel reasonable. Competitors raised their entry prices multiple times.

The company is expanding its demographic. It targets aging consumers who need pricier progressive lenses. This offsets softness among younger, more price-sensitive buyers. It broadens the total addressable market without changing the brand ethos.

Takeaways for Product and Design

Invest in a flagship offering that never changes. Innovate around the edges. Each new frame style or lens upgrade drives upsell. The flagship price anchors customer perception. This balances consistency and novelty to stay relevant.

What PMs Can Steal Today

Protect your base plan or entry SKU. Make your finance team justify any changes to it.

Build flexibility into your production. Own or partner on production to protect pricing.

Use anchoring to make premiums feel like upgrades. They should not feel like price gouging.

Segment by life stage and functional need. Progressive lenses are Warby Parker’s pro tier.

Warby Parker’s playbook shows that growth is not about volume at all costs. It is about defending the core promise. Then widen the margins around it. Do this with customer-aligned innovation.

At some point, Warby Parker’s base price offering will go up. Nevertheless, with that 15-year track record, this is a successful case study of anchoring value prop around your core offering.