"Why this title? A lot of people find us this way."
How people find us
A lot of people find us this way. We, like most businesses, like to know how you discover us, and this term of Brands like Warby Parker is in our top three, just behind Home Try-On and a Warby Parker Alternative.
We don't advertise much; we're not that kind of brand. First and foremost, we are eyeglasses people. All of us are either opticians, frame makers, or in the business in some capacity. Warby is another thing — they're not glasses people; they're looking to make as much money as they can with as little as possible. We like creating cool eyewear first and running a business second.
Our story
If you're just discovering us, we started in New York City in a bedroom in a small apartment. I am a trained frame maker and designer. I spent many years designing for other brands in New York City and wholesaling frames to optical stores. After gaining some popularity, we were able to branch out on our own. That's when we started our journey selling directly to you.
I tracked down a retired frame maker at an industry convention and talked him into training me. Two years. After that I bought machines — a CNC mill, a wire core inserter, tumblers for polishing — and set them up in the other bedroom. I slept in one room. The machines ran in the other. The first frames I sold went to friends and a couple of local stores. That's really where this started.
The shared ground
We both sell online. They used to offer a home try-on, and we still offer a home try-on. I think a lot of brands now offer something similar. That's probably where it ends.
As a company, our philosophy is to make cool eyeglasses and keep high quality. We don't cheapen our product to keep our margins. We want to make a profit, of course, to keep the lights on and our employees paid, but that's not why we do this. I fell in love with frame making and the details and patience it takes to design one. As an owner, I am involved in designing and purchasing material from our suppliers. I learned that keeping things small keeps things fun.
The difference
Our acetate comes from Japan. The metal components come from the same manufacturers that supply Salt, Dita, Alain Mikli. Same materials, genuinely. The price difference between us and those brands isn't the product — it's everything around it: the retail space, the marketing budget, the middlemen. We don't have any of that, so we don't charge you for it.
Frames come with lenses included. Our lens offering is what you find in a boutique optical, and we charge less than them. Our lenses are higher quality than our online competitors, and a lot of what we do is made from scratch — so you, in turn, get the highest quality lenses for less than your local store. We don't have to sell you on it when we already offer it.
In closing
Home try-on was not invented by them, but they made it popular. It was a concept our customers liked and wanted, so we obliged. We get a kick out of people finding us through terms like Brands like Warby Parker or Warby Parker Alternative. They received a lot of money to advertise their name and keep it relevant.
We're not traditional business people like them. We want to make amazing glasses and keep prices fair. So if you discovered us by searching for Brands like Warby Parker or Home Try-On — nice to meet you.
Ready to find your pair
If you would like to learn more about Nerdy Frames and our frame offerings, visit our eyeglasses collection. Ready to try some on? Start your free home try-on.
— Geraldo Delgado, Founder · Nerdy Frames, est. 2012
P.S. While you're here, play a round in the arcade.
Unfortunately, we don't have any direct partnerships with vision insurance providers, but we can assist you in getting a reimbursement for your purchase after you have paid in full at the time of purchase. In order to be reimbursed, you will first need to fill out a form from your insurance provider. After you fill out their reimbursement form, you will need to provide an itemized receipt, which we can provide you with once you have completed your purchase. We've provided some links below of popular vision insurance providers to help you get started.
Please contact your vision insurance for more information on how to file for a reimbursement.
If you have any question or you need an itemized receipt, please email us at [email protected]
We accept both FSA and HSA payments, as long as they are in the form of a credit or debit card. After you have had completed a purchase with your FSA/HSA, you can then file for a reimbursement with your vision insurance provider.
