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The role of the ECP has always been part of the original vision for Iristocracy, an online fashion and accessories style retailer.

The site showcases curated eyewear brands and collections as well as trend-related fashion accessories including handbags, scarves and jewelry. Iristocracy features 3-D virtual try-on (VTO) technology, using face-tracking from French firm, Total Immersion.

To build that “bridge with ECPs,” founder Natasha Vora explained that Iristocracy encourages customers to take the eyeglasses they buy from the site to their eyecare provider. In fact, the site bills itself as “prescription-free,” which means the company encourages online eyewear shoppers to have their prescription filled with their regular eyecare professional. Those who do so within 30 days of their order ship date can receive a $50 Visa prepaid gift card from Iristocracy. There are now a growing number of Iristocracy Ambassasdors around the country who are actively partnering with the website in such a way.

Launched just last month, Iristocracy is now advancing a Retail Try-On Kit program. The program allows customers to choose up to four frames from Iristocracy, and have them shipped free of charge to a retail eyecare practice upon approval.

Seek Eyecare, in Fayetteville, N.C. is one of the first locations in the country to feature the Retail Try-On Kit. Marcus McNeill, founder and optician, a long-term optical industry veteran, founded Seek to create a unique environment to sell high-end, upscale collections.

McNeill said, “From the moment I heard about the Retail Try-On Kit from Natasha, I was in. And, this has been a ‘win’ in the very short time we’ve had it in the store. Eyewear’s big opportunity is to increase multiple sales, and with a strong female customer base, we are stoked to see them so excited to use the on-site touch screen, see themselves in the frames and share their looks with us and with their friends and family.”

McNeill has developed and posted several videos about the Iristocracy concept, has showcased it to patients on Seek’s Facebook page and is reaching out to local media about the new idea. Said McNeill, “The ‘wow factor’ is through the roof. We had a customer just the other day exclaim, ‘My ophthalmology clinic doesn’t have anywhere near this type of technology.’ We love it.”