Meta Glasses Go Appointment-Only At Retail

Plus: Amazon sizes up AR

Author

Avinash Duggempudi
September 24, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

ClickZ Eyewear

Here's what's happening this week in the world of eyewear eCommerce and smart eyewear:
- Meta gates Ray-Ban Display behind appointment-only retail demos.
- Amazon targets 100k AR units for warehouse rollout.
- MiOptics therapeutic optics land across top independent labs.
- OpenAI eyes ChatGPT glasses, hires Apple hardware talent.
- SCAD debuts US-accredited fashion eyewear design minor.

⏱️Why Finance and Marketing Measure Growth Differently and How to Bridge the Gap?

At eTail™ Connect West, Fospha’s VP of Growth Jamie Bolton hosted a panel with leading retail brands on the future of measurement. Three themes stood out:

  • No single model is enough: Teams combine MTA, MMM, and incrementality for a fuller picture.

  • Finance vs. marketing tension: Finance demands proof; marketers need daily direction.

  • Speed vs. rigor: Annual MMM updates can’t keep pace with weekly budget shifts.

👉 Fospha closes that gap - the only full-funnel MMM delivering daily, ad-level insights built for teams to grow DTC, Amazon & Beyond.

📌WEEKLY MUST-KNOWS

Meta is gating purchases of its $799 Ray-Ban Display glasses behind appointment-only demos at Best Buy, LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut, and Ray-Ban stores, with many locations booking into October and November. The approach manages constrained supply and reduces try-and-return behavior while shifting discovery to in-store assisted selling. Eyewear retailers become the primary conversion channel at launch, requiring trained associates, prescription-friendly demos, and queue management.

Amazon plans an enterprise-first rollout of AR glasses, targeting 100,000 units for US warehouse workers by 2026, followed by a consumer model in late 2026 or 2027. The strategy builds operational credibility and data moats while intensifying competition with Meta, Apple, and Samsung. Expect earlier traction in B2B use cases and accessories before fashion-led consumer adoption.

Percept Corporation’s MiOptics therapeutic optics using narrow-band green light are now available through leading independent labs across North America in plano and prescription blanks. Clinically validated to help mitigate migraines, photophobia, anxiety/PTSD symptoms, and related conditions, the product expands the medical-need segment for eyewear. ECPs and labs gain a differentiated, science-backed category that requires clear claims governance and staff education.

IDC projects XR spend to rise nearly 20% in 2025 to almost $12 billion, with smart glasses awareness growing as products enter opticians, fashion eyewear shops, and electronics retailers. Usage is expanding beyond gaming into productivity and entertainment, while display-less wearables remain the entry point through 2029. This signals new footfall, merchandising, and education opportunities for eyewear retail as mainstream consumers encounter on-face AI.

📅Smartly Advances NYD: Why AI Means More Creativity, Not Less

At Smartly Advanced NYC, Fospha's CEO Sam Carter and CPO Dom Devlin joined industry leaders to debate the role of AI in growth.

The takeaway? From platforms to creators, the consensus is clear: AI isn’t about replacing jobs. It’s about extending human creativity and unlocking new opportunities for marketers to grow.

⚡QUICK READS

SCAD Launches Fashion Eyewear Minor: SCAD introduces the first accredited US fashion eyewear design minor, expanding the talent pipeline across design, manufacturing, and merchandising for brands scaling collections.(More)

GlassesUSA Taps Shenseea For Curated Collection: GlassesUSA partners with dancehall star Shenseea on a curated frame edit, underscoring creator-led merchandising to drive DTC conversion and social commerce.(More)

ClickZ is a ClickZ Media publication in the DTC eCommerce division