Specscart. Urmston is live now. Where are you?
With the opening of its third store in Urmston, Specscart, a Manchester-born eyewear startup is expanding at a rapid pace. Apart from the three brick-and-mortar based physical stores, Specscart also has a significant online presence today. But how it has managed to reach here in just about five years of existence is a story from which all startups can learn something. But before that let’s talk about Specscart Urmston.
Specscart. Urmston
Specscart Urmston went live on 5th March 2022. The creatively designed store is located at Unit 9A, Eden Square Shopping Centre, Urmston, Manchester.
With its third store in Manchester, Specscart has covered the entire Manchester region and now plans to upscale its presence even beyond. This has been made possible with the continued love and support of Mancunians. On going through their reviews, I was left fascinated by the goodwill that the company enjoys.
The opening of Specscart Urmston was indeed grand, and the turnout too was awesome. It was a reflection of the good things that await Specscart in the future.
With the launch of Specscart Urmston, Specscart has also added new collections to the shelves. Similar to its other stores, you will find a kind and affectionate team, with each one of its members always willing to go the extra mile to serve those who walk into the store.
The free eye test service remains intact and inclusive. Anyone can avail this service, whether they have a NHS voucher or not. One-of-a-kind free 24 hour dispatch service is also available. So, if you need an urgent pair of glasses, Specscart can come to your rescue.
To experience the variety of Specscart, you can make a visit to Specscart Urmston and see it for yourself.
Specscart’s Story
The Spark
It all started when Sid Sethi, a student in the University of Manchester broke his only pair of prescription glasses, just a day before his semester exams were scheduled to begin. On visiting some high street shops of Manchester to look for an emergency pair, all that he encountered was disappointment.
Sid was stunned by the high price tags of glasses, even the single vision ones. Another thing that added to his disappointment was the thick glass panes behind which the glasses were locked. If you wished to try on any pair, it would not be possible without the help of the store staff. This was definitely not a hassle-free experience. And what else? The ordered pair arrived much after his exams were over.
The Idea
Even Sid wouldn’t have imagined that it would be the unfavourable customer experience at the high street shops of Manchester that would become the reason behind the idea of Specscart.
Basically, Sid had identified three problems – high prices, bad customer experience, and high turnaround time. And these were the exact problems that Specscart was going to address.
The Initial Push
At the Albert Gubay Enterprise Awards 2017, Sid pitched the idea of Specscart and was declared the winner. From the proceeds of the award – the prize money and a rent-free rental space in Walkden – Specscart launched its first store. This is how the idea was converted into reality.
The Expansion
In 2018, Specscart expanded into Bury, with its second store going live. Today, Bury is also the headquarters of Specscart. It also has its state-of-the-art lab here, where the glazing of glasses lenses are done in a super efficient manner, using modern machinery.
In early 2021, the Walkden store of Specscart was moved to a four times larger retail space in the same shopping complex. And now, the third store in Urmston, which has recently opened.
Specscart has also got an e-commerce segment. This is from where it caters to the population of not just Manchester, but the entire UK, and even beyond national boundaries.
The heights that Specscart has scaled in about five years of its existence is no mean feat, and there is a lot to learn for startups – whether in the eyewear space or not – from the amazing growth story of Specscart.
What lies ahead
Specscart has a mission of changing the way people perceive eyeglasses – at the largest scale possible. This is indeed ambitious, but looking at the way that it is going, it is definitely achievable. And well, the signs are clearly visible.
