FramesDirect.com
FramesDirect.com is an international online eyewear retailer. The company sells eyewear products such as eyeglasses, sunglasses, and contact lenses through its website. FramesDirect.com sells designer and brand name eyewear products with over 110,000 models displayed on its website. Founded in 1996, FramesDirect.com was one of the earliest online optical retail stores. Company history. Co-founders Dhavid Cooper, OD and Guy Hodgson, OD are both originally from South Africa where they moved from to the United States in the 1980s. The two business partners had several optometry practices in Houston, Texas operating from 1986 until 1994 when they had an  opportunity to sell their offices. After taking a year off, the two co-founded FramesDirect in 1996 and launched FramesDirect.com later that year. The company was headquartered in Houston until Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Ike forced their customer service representatives to relocate to Austin, Texas, and eventually the rest of the office followed. In 2010, Essilor, a prescription lens manufacturing company, acquired the majority stake in FramesDirect.com. Shortly after, Essilor partnered with FramesDirect.com to create and launch MyOpticalOnline.com, an online service that allows independent eyewear practices to sell their products online. The company has been recognized by the MassMutual Financial  Group and U.S. Chamber of Commerce with a Blue Chip Enterprise Award, and in 2000, FramesDirect.com was a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award. Operations. FramesDirect.com sells over 400 brand name frames such as Ray Ban or Oakley, which consumers can search for and purchase on their own at any time on the company's website. Consumers can purchase frames, prescription eyeglasses, prescription or plain sunglasses, and contact lens refills. After choosing the desired frames, the consumer goes through a three-step process to order lens including choosing the lens type, lens thickness, and optional enhancement  features. FramesDirect.com has a customer service team staffed by opticians that are available on the phone or over online chat. FrameFinder Virtual Try-on. FramesDirect.com's patented FrameFinder Virtual Try-on system assists in the online buying process by showing customers how potential purchases look like using pictures. The system allows you to see the frames on various models showcasing different face shapes, or customers can upload a personal picture to see what the frames would look like on their own face. Armed Forces Eyewear. Armed Forces Eyewear (AFEyewear) is a division of FramesDirect.com that sells discounted eyewear products to  military personnel and their families, the national guard, reserve members, veterans and first responders. AFEyewear uses the customer's name and birth date to verify his or her active or former military status and then offers eyewear products with a 30 percent discount off the listed retail price.