Eyemart Express sees potential in buy now, pay later offering

A Dallas-based value optical chain is launching a flexible payment option in its stores across the nation by the end of March.

The new "buy now, pay later" (BNPL) financing option gives consumers a three-month, no-interest plan to make purchases from Eyemart Express, including frame upgrades like UV coatings and progressive lenses. Eyemart Express is offering its new BNPL option in partnership with payment technology platform Sunbit.  

According to a recent survey from CouponFollow, 73% of consumers who have made a BNPL purchase said their most recent BNPL purchase allowed them to add something to their cart or buy something more expensive due to the monthly installment option. One in three respondents would not have been able to make their latest purchases without a BNPL plan. Forty-six percent have made a BNPL purchase in the beauty and health category, spending an average of $249.

Six-month and one-year BNPL interest-bearing plans through Sunbit are also available for shoppers who would like more time to make payments. Due to state restrictions, Eyemart Express stores located in West Virginia and Wyoming are not eligible for the BNPL solution at this time.

The retailer allows shoppers to be approved for the BNPL option in as little as 30 seconds, and all in-store opticians have completed training to help ensure a seamless customer experience.

"We are constantly focused on improving our customers' lives by helping them see better with new glasses and now by relieving a potential financial burden with a new payment option,” said Eyemart Express CEO Michael Bender. “The Sunbit model is aligned with our convenience-focused service that makes the process of getting new glasses fast and easy. This partnership enables us to further our position as a leader in the optical space with our emphasis on the customer's experience.”

Eyemart Express operates 229 stores in 41 states under the Vision 4 Less, Visionmart Express, and Eyewear Express banners.