retailecommercestrategy

From Storefront to Closet: How Omnichannel Partnerships Boost Sunglasses Sales

UUnknown

2026-02-23

9 min read

Learn how Fenwick & Selected’s 2026 omnichannel activation shows eyewear brands how to fuse pop-ups, in-store activations and online merchandising to boost sales.

Stop losing customers between the shopfront and the checkout

If your customers are unsure about UV protection, can't try frames before buying, or worry about knockoffs, you’re competing on trust — not just style. In 2026, shoppers expect a seamless blend of physical and digital that solves those exact pain points. The good news: omnichannel eyewear activations close the gap between discovery and purchase by turning in-store experiences, online merchandising, and pop-ups into one coordinated journey. Fenwick & Selected’s recent tie-up — boosted with an omnichannel activation reported by Retail Gazette in January 2026 — is a practical example of how to do it right.

Why omnichannel matters for eyewear in 2026

Eyewear is uniquely tactile and technical. Customers need to judge fit, lens performance, brand authenticity and style at once. That’s why eyewear brands that treat online and offline as separate channels leave conversions on the table. Omnichannel isn’t a buzzword — it’s the architecture for a consistent customer experience where data, inventory and messaging work together.

Try-before-you-buy expectations: AR try-on, in-store mirrors and pop-up fittings satisfy fit anxiety and increase conversion.
Technical transparency: Lens specs, UV certification and test kiosks reduce confusion and returns.
Brand authenticity: Co-branded displays and curated collections help shoppers differentiate designer pieces from knockoffs.
Seamless fulfillment: Click-and-collect and unified returns reduce friction for online buyers.

Fenwick & Selected: a 2026 case study in omnichannel eyewear

In January 2026 Retail Gazette reported that Fenwick had strengthened its partnership with Danish brand Selected through an omnichannel activation. While the public coverage highlights the strategic tie-up, the real value comes from the specific activations that link online-offline pathways. Use Fenwick & Selected as a model to build your own initiatives.

What makes this a useful model for eyewear brands

Fenwick is an established department store with a luxury retail footprint; Selected is a fashion brand with clear aesthetic DNA. Together they show how a department store’s reach and a brand’s identity combine into a richer customer experience. For eyewear brands, the equivalent collaboration is often between a manufacturer or label and a premium retail partner — and the playbook is the same.

Key activation pillars you can replicate

Curated shop-in-shop displays — Fenwick’s approach uses dedicated, visually distinct spaces inside a larger store. For sunglasses, that means zones grouped by lifestyle (driving, sport, luxury) rather than price alone.
Integrated online merchandising — synced landing pages that mirror in-store displays, with live inventory and size guides, so customers find the same assortment whether they’re browsing on mobile or on the floor.
High-impact pop-ups — limited-run activations that bring capsules or exclusives to high-traffic locations, timed with seasonal trends or influencer events.
Phygital touchpoints — AR try-on kiosks, QR codes on displays, and staff tablets that link customers to product pages, specs, and real-time stock.

Practical, actionable strategies: implement omnichannel eyewear activations

Here’s a step-by-step implementation plan any eyewear label or retailer can use to replicate the success of Fenwick & Selected.

1. Start with a unified product taxonomy

Design your merchandising taxonomy around customer intent: style, face shape, activity (driving, sport, leisure), and lens technology. Map SKUs to those categories and push them across in-store signage, ecommerce filters and pop-up displays. A shared taxonomy solves the “I can’t find it online” problem and reduces abandoned searches.

2. Build a single source of inventory truth

Invest in a real-time inventory layer that speaks to both POS and ecommerce. Customers expect to see accurate availability for click-and-collect or in-store pickup. Unified inventory lowers cancellations and mis-picks — critical when customers want to try a frame before buying.

3. Design phygital try-on experiences

Match AR try-on on mobile with physical mirrors and fitting tools in-store. Best practice:

Offer an AR try-on link on every product page and a QR code on the shelf.
Provide fit-measure cards with pupillary distance (PD) and frame size info in-store and online.
Use staff-equipped tablets to save AR snapshots to a customer’s cart or wishlist for later purchase.

4. Make lens tech and protection obvious

Many shoppers come to sunglasses with technical questions: UV rating, polarization, lens material. Remove friction by displaying key specs in both channels and offering on-site demos (e.g., polarized test cards that reveal hidden images) and online explainer videos. Consider a simple kiosk where customers can measure visible light transmission (VLT) or get UV certification printed on the receipt.

5. Deliver curated visual merchandising

For eyewear, visual merchandising must balance aesthetics and education. Use these guidelines:

Group by lifestyle and usage, not only by brand.
Use consistent color tones, props and mannequins that reflect the online photography style.
Include clear, tactile signage for material, lens tech and price bands.

6. Activate pop-ups with a performance mindset

Pop-ups are most effective when they are short, sharable and measurable. A plan for pop-up success:

Run 10–14 day activations at high-footfall destinations paired with local influencers.
Offer exclusive frames or colorways and a QR-linked micro-site for reservations or post-visit purchases.
Track footfall, dwell time and conversion separately for pop-ups vs. permanent locations.

7. Train staff to be omnichannel advisors

Sales associates should be styling and technical consultants. Train them to:

Use tablets to show product pages, reviews, and alternative sizes.
Capture consented customer preferences to power personalized follow-ups and product recommendations.
Offer virtual appointments for follow-up fittings or lens upgrades.

KPIs and measurement: prove the uplift

Measure, iterate, and attribute carefully. Suggested KPIs:

Omnichannel conversion rate: purchases originating from combined online-offline journeys.
Click-to-store uplift: customers who reserve online and complete in-store pick-up.
Average order value (AOV): track AOV for customers who use in-store try-ons vs. purely online shoppers.
Return rate: expect returns to drop as try-on options improve.
Net Promoter Score (NPS): collect immediate feedback after pop-up and in-store visits.

Addressing common objections

Brands often ask: Isn’t omnichannel expensive? Will pop-ups cannibalize regular retail? The reality in 2026 is nuanced.

Start small: pilot an AR try-on program, test a single shop-in-shop, or run a weekend pop-up. Use A/B testing on landing pages and in-store fixtures to determine what drives conversion. Many retailers find that pop-ups increase brand awareness and lead to a net gain in sales when linked to online remarketing campaigns.

“An omnichannel activation isn’t a marketing stunt — it’s an investment in trust. When customers can see, touch and verify lens performance across channels, they buy with confidence.”

2026 trends and what they mean for your eyewear strategy

Late 2025 and early 2026 shaped clear retail trends that eyewear brands should adopt now:

Phygital personalization: AI-powered styling engines that sync with in-store advisors to recommend frames based on face scans and purchase history.
Sustainability as a differentiator: Consumers prefer brands that show transparent sourcing and repair options; offer repair kiosks at pop-ups.
Short-run exclusives: Limited capsule drops — co-created with retail partners — drive urgency and social buzz.
Regulatory transparency: Post-2025, stronger labelling standards for UV and lens claims mean brands that display certifications win trust.
AI commerce assistants: Chatbots integrated into in-store tablets that push product pages, reviews and loyalty offers instantly.

Creative activation ideas inspired by Fenwick & Selected

Turn theory into action with these ready-to-deploy activations:

‘Frame & Film’ pop-up: Pair sunglasses with curated playlists and a short film to create an emotional narrative — sell limited editions at the event with a virtual try-on follow-up.
Lens Lab kiosk: An on-site station offering VLT demos, polarization tests and free UV stickers that print a seal for purchases.
Stylist RSVP nights: Host by-invite events where customers book styling sessions; push pre-event AR try-on to increase attendance.
Scan-to-cart mirrors: Smart mirrors that save the shopper’s selections to a digital cart, enabling purchase later online or in-store.

Budgeting and timeline: a pragmatic rollout

Small to mid-size brands can deploy a meaningful omnichannel pilot for a realistic budget if they prioritize the right elements:

Phase 1 (0–3 months): taxonomy, inventory sync, basic AR try-on integration, training for staff.
Phase 2 (3–6 months): shop-in-shop rollouts, pop-up pilot, visual merchandising assets, local influencer seeding.
Phase 3 (6–12 months): measurement, scale successful activations, introduce advanced personalization and repair/aftercare services.

Checklist: launch an eyewear omnichannel activation in 10 steps

Create a customer-centric taxonomy by use-case and face shape.
Implement real-time inventory across POS and ecommerce.
Deploy AR try-on linked to product pages and shelf QR codes.
Design shop-in-shop or pop-up layouts grouped by lifestyle.
Train staff on product tech, fitting, and phygital sales tools.
Offer visible lens demos and certification on-site.
Run short, measurable pop-ups with exclusive drops.
Collect and act on post-visit NPS and online behavior data.
Optimize fulfillment: click-and-collect, unified returns.
Scale the winning tactics and report uplift vs. a control period.

Final takeaways: the ROI of doing omnichannel well

Omnichannel activations transform eyewear considerations — fit, lens performance and authenticity — into competitive advantages. Fenwick & Selected’s 2026 tie-up demonstrates the modern retail truth: customers buy where they feel confident and understood. If you create consistent, delightful experiences across physical and digital touchpoints, you’ll not only increase conversion — you’ll reduce returns and build repeat customers.

Ready to bridge storefront and closet?

If you’re an eyewear brand or retailer planning an omnichannel push, start with a small, measurable pilot tied to a retail partner. Use curated shop-in-shop displays, pop-ups with exclusive inventory and a phygital toolkit (AR try-on, QR codes, staff tablets). Track the right KPIs and iterate quickly.

Want a ready-made omnichannel checklist and visual merchandising templates tailored for sunglasses? Download our 2026 Omnichannel Eyewear Toolkit or contact our team at sun-glasses.shop to plan a pop-up or shop-in-shop that converts.

Unknown

Contributor

Senior editor and content strategist. Writing about technology, design, and the future of digital media. Follow along for deep dives into the industry's moving parts.