On A Mission To Change The Industry

Sid Sethi, the Founder of Specscart shared the challenges and triumphs of his entrepreneurial journey at Startup spotlight, by The Masood Entrepreneurship Centre in Manchester on 9th February, 2023.

Specscart is a fast-emerging eyewear retailer that is taking the eyewear industry by storm through tech and innovation. In an inspiring exchange with team MEC, Sid spoke about his vision of changing how people perceive glasses as a mere instrument of sight correction and how he and his team have been working tirelessly to change that view to making glasses a fashion accessory, which is sustainably produced and sold at a fair price.

The Turning Point

Sid launched Specscart whilst a student at the University of Manchester. It began when he broke his glasses a day before his second-semester exam. He tried to purchase a pair the next day, which turned out to be an ordeal. The prices were too high, the choices were limited, and the delivery time was excruciatingly delayed considering the urgency of his situation. This experience led him to design a company committed to solving these issues.

With no initial investment, the startup took o after it was awarded the Albert Gubay Awards in 2017, kickstarting the business with a grant of £5,000 and a 2-year rent-free shop in Walkden Town Centre. In 2018 Specscart won the Venture Further Award in the business category with the 1st prize of £10,000. This enabled the Walkden store to install comprehensive eye testing equipment and start free eye tests for all. Within a few months the Walkden store had delivered hundreds of free eye-tests for the community.

At the event, Sid spoke about the measures taken by Specscart to make the eyewear shopping experience a delightful one: ‘’We will disrupt the monopolised eyewear industry! So the consumer can get more out of their purchase. We are taking small but powerful steps with modern designed stores, delivering prescription glasses within 24 hours, and keeping the highest quality standards by making glasses in the UK. We work hard to provide the latest designs and best prices to our family of customers."

The Specscart Story So Far

Specscart is on its way to the top from a one-man show to a team of 18 driven and motivated members spread across 3 stores and a production lab. Specscart is constantly improving its service and o erings to serve its customers better. Through their online store they now offer free worldwide shipping. Their 7-day free home trial with four frames and three lenses is one of a kind provided by anyone in the UK currently. However, what makes Specscart stand apart from the rest is the customer- first mindset, with their swift yet personalised service keeps their clients coming back to the store.

They are loved for their quick turnaround time; they get your prescription glasses ready within 24 hours through their Specscart rocket service. Through their ready-to-help customer care, Specscart has acquired a reputation for being the people's champion amongst its customer tribe.