The eyewear industry is growing rapidly, especially with the increasing use of digital devices leading to more people needing vision correction. Today, nearly one-third of the 7.7 billion global population wears glasses, and in India, the eyewear market is expanding at a faster pace than global estimates—growing at around 9-11% annually. This sector, where Lenskart operates, is growing even faster at 15-18% per year, making it one of the most profitable business idea.
With rising disposable incomes and growing fashion awareness, eyewear is no longer just a necessity but also a style statement. People now prefer to have multiple pairs for different occasions, which has further boosted demand. Additionally, India has a large aging population, and since eyesight tends to weaken over time, the need for glasses and lenses continues to rise. Despite this growth, market penetration in many regions is still around 25-30%, leaving huge business opportunities to explore.
Lenskart has established itself as a trusted brand in India by offering a seamless shopping experience, both online and through its expanding network of physical stores. With high-quality eyewear at affordable prices and a strong customer base, it has become a go-to brand for millions. For those looking to start a business, opening a Lenskart franchise is a great opportunity to enter this booming industry. The Lenskart franchise cost in India is structured to offer a profitable business model, making it a smart and future-ready investment.
If you’re thinking of stepping into the eyewear business, investing in a Lenskart store could be a rewarding decision, given the strong demand, growing market, and trusted brand presence.
About Lenskart Franchise
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Founder | Peyush Bansal |
| Year Founded | 2010 |
| Vision | Providing affordable and high-quality eyewear across India |
| Products Offered | Prescription glasses, sunglasses, contact lenses, and more |
| Operational Model | Omnichannel (physical stores + e-commerce platform) |
| Number of Stores | Over 1,000 physical stores across India |
| Franchise Benefits | Established brand name, wide variety of products, support from parent company, goodwill |
| Franchise Offering | Marketing strategies, operational support, supply chain management, and access to Lenskart’s customer base |
| Target Audience | Customers seeking high-quality yet affordable eyewear |
| Growth Potential | Expanding footprint in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities |
| Additional Support | Training, technology, and logistics support |
Lenskart has transformed India’s eyewear market with its strong online and offline presence, making eyewear easily accessible across major tier 1 and 2 cities. Initially launched as an online portal in 2008, the brand has expanded to over 320+ stores across 90 cities in India. It processes 300,000 orders monthly, catering to a growing customer base.
Financial Performance & Growth
- Revenue Growth: Lenskart has gained a remarkable upward trajectory, with FY24 revenue reaching ₹5,610 crore, a 43% increase from the previous year.
- Historical Growth: Over six years, the company has seen a consistent increase in revenue, reinforcing its strong market position.
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Why Choose a Lenskart Franchise?
Robust Brand Image
Lenskart developed its brand image as a credible Indian eyewear brand by delivering quality products at reasonable prices. Its price aggressiveness and customer-focused approach have made it a household name. The growth of the brand, with a 66% growth in revenue during FY 2022-23 and ₹1,930 revenue ($260 million), reflects its market coverage and growing consumer trustbase.
Comprehensive Support for Franchisees
Lenskart provides support to its franchise partners through training, marketing assistance, supply chain management, and hassle-free technology implementation. This structured support system enables franchise owners to scale up with ease. Its steady profitability, with net profit rising 37% to ₹93 crore ($12.5 million) in FY 2022-23, ensures long-term viability for investors. With small Lenskart Franchise Cost it is profitable and considerable.
Omnichannel Presence
Unlike other retail businesses of eyewear, Lenskart integrates online and offline store models in a combined form for an improved buying experience. With over 2,000 store outlets and global presence, franchise partners have the benefit of an existing customer base. The company’s same-store sales growth of over 20% annually indicates its sound retail growth strategy.
Innovation and Technology
Lenskart has been a trendsetter in adopting new technologies since day one. From AI-based product recommendations to 3D virtual try-on, the firm is constantly improving the shopping experience. This people-first innovation has been one of the prime movers behind its long-term success, culminating in its FY 2023-24 first-half revenue milestone of ₹1,140 crore ($153 million) and strong investor sentiment.
Increasing Market Potential
The Indian eyewear market is growing rapidly, driven by increasing screen time, changes in lifestyle, and fashion awareness. With organized eyewear growing at 15-18% annually, Lenskart is well-positioned to dominate the market. The valuation of the company had crossed $5 billion as of October 2024, reflecting strong investor sentiment and emphasizing the massive growth potential for new franchisees.
Lenskart Franchise Cost Breakdown
It’s highly capital-intensive to start this business. Quickly, here is a view of the costs:
| Category | Cost (INR Lakhs) | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Franchise Fee | 20 – 30 | For brand name usage, business model, and operational support. |
| Fit-out & Furniture | 20 – 25 | Includes technology, eye-testing machines, and store setup. |
| Initial Stock | 10 – 12 | Glasses, sunglasses, lenses, and accessories for the first store. |
| Royalty Charges | 6% of total sales | Monthly royalty to be paid to Lenskart. |
| Operating Costs | Varies based on location | Rent, wages, utilities, and local marketing efforts. |
- Franchise Fee: The estimated franchise fee for opening a Lenskart store typically falls between INR 20 to 30 lakhs. This fee grants you the rights to use the Lenskart brand name, along with access to their proven business model and ongoing operational support.
- Fit-out and Furniture: Setting up the store’s interior, including necessary technology and specialized equipment like eye-testing machines, will require an investment of approximately INR 20 to 25 lakhs.
- Stock: The initial stock of Lenskart products—including glasses, sunglasses, contact lenses, and accessories—is expected to cost around INR 10 to 12 lakhs.
- Royalty Charges: Franchisees are required to pay a monthly royalty fee of around 6% of their total sales to Lenskart.
- Operating Costs: Recurring costs such as rent, staff salaries, utility bills, and local marketing efforts will vary based on the location and size of your store. These should be carefully factored into your business plan for accurate financial projections.
Essentials for a Lenskart Franchise
Before you actually plan to open a this franchise, here are some prerequisites that you must meet to ensure your business is fruitful:
Location for the store
The most essential criterion of getting a store is location. Lenskart observes that stores preferably should be found in shopping malls or very busy commercial streets. The minimal area of the store is about 300-500 square feet.
Capital
Franchisees need to have a sufficient amount of capital to invest in the opening of the store and buying of inventory, excluding the operational lenskart franchise costs. A cost breakdown is outlined below in this article.
Business Experience
Franchisees do not have any required existing background in retail or optical, although it would be worthwhile to have some experience managing a business.
Brand Ambassadors
Lenskart considers the franchisees who are committed to maintaining the brand and providing excellent service towards the customers.
Human Resource
Trained people shall be recruited or the people recruited shall be trained by Lenskart so that they can offer even better services to the customers and keep their eyes checked.
Documents Required
To gain the franchisee from Lenskart, one needs the following documents.
- Identity Proof-This includes a government issued identity card like Aadhar, PAN card or passport.
- Address Proof: Ideally any proof of residence-cum-address such as utility bills, bank statements, or voter ID cards.
- Business documents: If you already have an existing business, then supporting documents like a certificate of registration of the company or GST registration would be required.
- Financial proof: Copies of bank statements and all other financial records to prove that the person concerned has an ability to raise the amount for the investment.
- Property Documents: This is providing proof of ownership or valid lease in case the property is leased, if the business is to be set up in owned property.
Steps to Start a Lenskart Franchise in India
- Research: Begin by researching the Lenskart franchise business model by really understanding the markets where you have chosen to open it. It will give you a result in terms of potential revenues and problems.
- Contact Lenskart: Once you settle all the things, log on to the official site of Lenskart and find the “Franchise” section. You will need to ask them for an inquiry. Or if you get in contact with their team, then they can directly contact you regarding a franchise.
- Application Process: The franchise team of lenskart will be sending an application form to you. The application form would have all the documents required by your side, which may include financial proof, property details, and ID proofs.
- Location Approval: The location you have chosen to open the store will be reviewed from every aspect by Lenskart to ensure it meets the requirements they have set for themselves. This is on account of area measurement, potential footfall, and accessibility.
- Agreement Signature: Once the location receives approval, Lenskart will provide you with a franchise agreement with terms and conditions. You will both sign it, and then you will be a franchisee of Lenskart.
How to Apply for Lenskart Franchise
One can easily apply for it. The following is the detailed step-to-step process to get you started:
- Preliminary Inquiry: Just go to the website of Lenskart and click on the franchise section for the information of filling up a form containing basic information such as your name, contact information, and city of interest.
- Application for franchise: With the submission of the preliminary inquiry application, a more detailed application form is submitted by one in order to get his franchise application accepted.
- Selection Process: You will undergo a selection process at Lenskart. Then, if your profile matches, then a representative calls you to discuss things ahead. It may even be an interview or a personal meeting where they may assess how business savvy you are and whether you are prepared for taking up the franchise.
- Franchise Agreement: Lastly, when the discussions and agreements are satisfied you sign a franchise agreement from both sides. The franchise agreement will outline all the terms as fees, responsibilities, and the extent of support from the side of Lenskart.
- Store Setup: After signing the agreement, the preliminary process of setting up a store is initiated. The company helps you find the right place, and recruits staff to design interiors.
- Store Launch: After having set-up, Lenskart will again help in getting a launch event arranged for getting buzz in the local market. From here on you are ready to showcase your products and services for the customers to see.
Support and Training Provided by Lenskart
Some of the support and training to be offered here are as follows:
- Location Support : The lenskart offers full market research and analysis in providing a location suitable for the outlet. This helps in identifying the high-traffic locations so that it would be good in visibility and walk-ins, which is very important for retail success.
- In-store design and layout: Maintaining a consistent look, Lenskart takes care of this while keeping in mind the aesthetic framework of the brand so that it is contemporary and customer-friendly. This ranges from product displays to lighting and seating arrangements for customers.
- Training of the Staff: Lenskart offers complete full-fledged training for the store staff. This ranges from teaching a gamut of topics dealing with customer service techniques, sales techniques, and the products.
- Marketing Support- Lenskart has a strong marketing team which it utilizes to target localized national campaigns with its franchisees. They offer both digital and offline marketing in order to help each store with the level of visibility it requires.
- Technology Support: Technology support has been a huge investment in Lenskart, and the franchisees leverage on that. The company has covered up integrated POS, inventory management tools, and CRM software, which have helped run the business effectively.
Is It Worth the Investment?
The Lenskart Franchise Cost of setting up a Lenskart store ranges between INR 30 to 35 lakhs or approximately the franchise fee, interior setup, stock, and working capital. Lenskart also expects royalty paybacks around 6% of the monthly sales by the franchisee.
At this investment cost, it can be said whether the biggest question is whether it is worth it or not. Many franchisees have reported breaking even within 2-3 years, with some seeing a return on investment of X% annually, depending on location and management. However, considering that Lenskart has already established a huge brand name and that their entire large support structure accompanies the franchisees to have easier operations. Also, various reports of good returns are achieved within 2-3 years.
Pros & Cons this Business Model
Just like any other franchise, Lenskart has its pros and cons. Here’s a rundown:
Pros:
- Brand Presence: India is associated with the Lenskart brand, and since day one, the customer trusts the brand, which will bring loyalty.
- The company provides a marketing and technological infrastructure supporting the franchisee
- Good revenues: and profitability are reported by most franchisees since the demand for eyewear is on the rise.
- Training and Support: The general facilitation in opening and running the store reduces the risk for new entrepreneurs.
Cons:
- High Start-up Investment: The investment amount can be very overwhelming for many, especially for the new entrepreneurs.
- Royalty Fee: The 6% royalty fee on sales can be a big chunk out of the pockets of profit at an early date.
- The eyewear business is no game that Lenskart can play in isolation. Franchisees have to slog it out in providing good customer services as well as smart marketing so that local players do not outdo them.
Market Trends of the Eyewear Business in India
Here are some of the major trends driving the eyewear market in India:
Increased Demand for Eyeglasses Corrective
As screen times continue to rise as well as the pervasiveness of digital devices, people have slowly increased their chances of getting eye strain and vision problems resulting in more demand for corrective eyewear in the forms of prescription glasses and contact lenses.
Rise in Fashion Awareness
These days, eyewear is no longer just used as some corrective device for defective vision. Instead, it has become a form of fashion gear, and demand for stylish frames and sunglasses comes from the customers themselves, even young ones who keep acting like a demand stimulant for fashionable eyewear.
Improving Middle Class
The Indian middle class with growing disposable income is progressively demanding premium eyewear products. With the increasing desire for better quality eyewear, people are becoming more brand-conscious and that would help the established market players such as Lenskart.
E-commerce with Omnichannel Retailing
With the availability of various eyewear products through e-commerce, eye care shoppers can be targeted using an omnichannel retailing approach combining both online and offline retailing approaches by Lenskart.
Awareness about Eye Health
Increased campaigns for eye health made people more aware of the importance attached to eye health, and the need for regular checkups and quality eyewear increased many folds. All these factors are likely to lead to persistent demand for eyewear products in the years ahead.
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Conclusion
In the eyewear retail business, this franchise certainly is a great new venture for any entrepreneur looking forward to getting started. With the franchise, Lenskart offers a very well-established brand, constant support, and quality training to make a franchisee flower. And, though the lenskart franchise cost is a very high investment amount and continuous royalty payouts make one think multiple times before deciding to take on the franchise.
But if you are very sure that a retail business will do well and you can get a decent location, then the this model of franchise may be for you.
FAQs
1. How much does the Lenskart franchise cost?
The initial investment comes to between INR 30 to 35 lakhs.
2. What is the royalty charged in the case of Lenskart?
In the case of Lenskart, it charges 6% royalty on sale.
3. How much time would it take to set up a this franchise?
It takes around 45 to 60 days to set up a Lenskart store, but this depends on a specific location and so on.
4. How many Lenskart franchises can be owned?
Yes, Lenskart allows a good franchise to have more than one store.
