Lenskart Business Model | How Lenskart Started & Makes Money

Lenskart Business Model

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Finding the right pair of glasses was once a struggle. Few options, high prices, and endless store visits. Lenskart changed that.

Now you can get your eyes checked and buy quality, affordable glasses right from home, with reliable service.

Founded in 2010 by Peyush Bansal, Amit Chowdhary, and Sumeet Kapahi, Lenskart set out to make eyewear accessible for everyone.  What began as an online store has grown into India’s largest eyewear brand, with over 2,500 stores worldwide.

Let’s read and understand how Lenskart shaped the Indian eyewear market.

How Lenskart Started- Lenskart Success Story

Peyush Bansal never saw Lenskart as just a business. For him, it was a mission to change how India sees the world by making quality eyewear affordable and accessible for everyone.

He grew up in Delhi and studied at Don Bosco School. Like many, he dreamed of getting into IIT. When that didn’t happen, he moved to Canada to study engineering at McGill University.

In Canada, he had to work long hours as a receptionist to manage his expenses. One day, he met a senior from a nearby computer lab who gave him a book on Visual Basic Programming. That book changed everything for Peyush Bansal.

Peyush started coding at night and got interested in it. His passion impressed others, and he moved from being a receptionist to a coding job.

His growing love for tech pushed him to apply for a Microsoft internship. He was rejected once, but he didn’t give up; he tried again and got in.

During his 3-month internship at Microsoft, he learned how great products are built and even met Bill Gates. He saw how technology could change lives, just like Excel did.

After graduation, he joined Microsoft in Seattle as a Program Manager. It was a dream job, great
company, great pay.

At Microsoft, he learned one powerful lesson “Focus on solving real customer problems, not just running a business”

That thought stayed with him.

So, in 2008, Peyush quit his job and returned to India.

No plan. No business idea. Just a strong desire to make an impact in the Indian economy.

Note: His first startup was SearchMyCampus.com, a platform that helped college students find accommodation, books, internships, etc.

During this time, he met his co-founders of Lenskart, Amit Chowdhary and Sumeet Kapahi. Together, they saw an immense opportunity in the Indian eyewear market.

That’s how Lenskart was launched in late 2010 under Valyoo Technologies, offering affordable and stylish eyeglasses and contact lenses to everyone.

Today, Lenskart stands as a revolution in India’s eyewear market. Built on one simple belief: “Everyone deserves clear vision.”

Lenskart Product and Services

Lenskart offers over 5,000 frames and glasses, along with 45+ high-quality lenses. That’s nearly five times more than any other eyewear retailer in India.

All products, including prescription lenses, come with a 14-day ‘no questions asked’ return policy and a 1-year warranty.

Lenskart Brands

You’ll find top international brands like Ray-Ban and Oakley on Lenskart. But Lenskart have its own premium in-house collections as well, like

  • John Jacobs
  • Vincent Chase
  • Hooper
  • Aqualens
  • Lenskart Air
  • Lenskart Readers

Eyewear Frame Styles

Choose from a wide range of stylish and trendy frames inspired by the latest fashion trends.

Lenskart offers designs like Retro Aviator, Blend Edit, Clubmaster, Rectangle, Wayfarer, Round, Cat Eye, Rimless, Half Rim, and Geometric frames.

They have unique collections such as Hustlr, Patriot, Urban, Blend, Sleek Steel, Matte Essential, and more. Each is crafted to match different styles and personalities.

Contact Lenses

Lenskart offers lenses in multiple colours: green, blue, turquoise, transparent, and more. You can choose based on spherical, toric, or cylindrical power requirements.

Additional Services: Lenskart also offers accessories like eyeglass cases, cleaning solutions, and lens wipes. They also offer add-ons, such as scratch-resistant and anti-glare coatings, for extra protection.

Lenskart Services

1. Home Eye Test
Get your eyes tested at home by a certified optometrist for just ₹99. You can also try 150+ frames and shop right from your doorstep.

2. Free Frame Trial
Enjoy a free eyewear frame trial at home before you buy. Your first frame replacement is completely free.

3. Instant Eye Check-up
Lenskart offers an instant online eye check-up, which you can do by yourself in just a few minutes.

4. Virtual 3D Try-On
Use Lenskart’s 3D Virtual Try-On tool on your phone or laptop to see how different frames look on your face, before making a purchase.

5. In-Store Eye Tests
All Lenskart stores have certified optometrists who provide free eye check-ups anytime you visit.

6. Exchange or Refund
If you’re not happy with your glasses, you can easily exchange or get a refund.

7. First Frame Free Offer
On your first purchase, you get your first pair of eyeglasses free.

Lenskart Business Model

Lenskart runs on an omnichannel model. It runs its business through both online and offline stores.

By selling directly to customers (D2C), it cuts out middlemen and keeps prices affordable while maintaining strong margins.

It manufactures its own lenses and frames, controlling both quality and cost. Using 3D testing and German robotics, Lenskart ensures high precision in every product.

The company follows an inventory-based model and a franchise store setup. It keeps 35% of the revenue and charges an annual fee of about ₹2 lakh from franchise partners.

How does Lenskart make Money?

Lenskart has multiple ways of earning revenue, both from product sales and services.

1. Product Sales

The main source of income comes from selling eyeglasses, sunglasses, and contact lenses through its online website and more than 2,500 offline stores across India.

2. Gold Membership (Subscription Service)

Lenskart runs a Gold Membership program, where customers pay an annual fee to enjoy special benefits like:

  • Buy 1, Get 1 Free frame (you can buy one now and the second later)
  • Free eye tests (at home or in-store)
  • Extra cashback up to 5% on all orders
  • Free lens cleaning and repairs every quarter
  • 10% off on Aqualens products
  • Exclusive deals on top eyewear brands

3. Eye Check-up Services

Lenskart also earns through eye testing and home eye check-up services, performed by certified optometrists.

4. Franchise Fees

The company earns by charging franchise fees from optical retailers who open Lenskart partner stores across India.

Lenskart Funding Rounds

To date, Lenskart has raised $1.08B across 19 funding rounds.

DateFunding AmountRoundInvestors
Oct 04, 2011$4.05MSeries AChitrate ventures
Dec 28, 2012$10MSeries BUnilazer Ventures, Chiratae Ventures
Jan 06, 2014$4.84MSeries CTPG, Unilazer Ventures, TR Capital, Chiratae Ventures
Mar 04, 2014$4.84MSeries CUnilazer Ventures, Chiratae Ventures
Dec 09, 2014$21.8MSeries CChiratae Ventures, TPG, TR Capital
Apr 28, 2015$2.59MSeries CUnilazer Ventures, Ronnie Screwvala
Nov 10, 2015$15.3MSeries CTPG
Feb 22, 2016$60MSeries DIFC, TPG and other investors 
Sep 01, 2016$9.7MSeries EPremji Invest
Apr 19, 2018Series ETR Capital
Aug 7, 2018Series EEpiq Capital Advisors, Steadview
Sep 15, 2019$55.1MSeries FKedaara
Dec19, 2019$231MSeries GSoftBank Vision Fund
Jul 19, 2021$220MSeries GAlpha Wave Global, Temasek and more
Apr 13, 2022$183MSeries HEpiq Capital Advisors, Avendus and more
Nov 4, 2022$144MSeries IDSP Mutual Fund, Chiratae Ventures, Axis Growth
Mar 16, 2023$500MSeries IADIA
Jun 15, 2023$100MSeries IChrysCapital
Jul 21, 2023$18.2MSeries IDove Investments, Defati Investments Holding
June, 2024$200MTemasek and Fidelity

Source

Lenskart IPO

In October 2025, Lenskart entered the stock market to raise about $828 million (₹7,278 crore), making it India’s fifth-largest IPO of the year. The IPO will open up on October 31, 2025, and will close on November 4, 2025. 

The price band for the shares is ₹382–₹402.

  • Allotment date: November 6, 2025
  • Refund & Demat credit: November 7, 2025
  • Listing date: November 10, 2025

Lenskart will use the money from the IPO to open more company-owned stores (CoCo stores) across India. The funds will also be used to cover store setup costs, including rent, leases, and licenses for these new outlets.

Lenskart Competitors

  1. Titan Eyeplus
  2. ClearDekho
  3. Specsmakers
  4. Coolwinks

Frequently Asked Questions Of Lenskart

1. How many Lenskart stores in India?

Lenskart has 2,500 stores globally, with 2,000 of them located in India.

2. Is Lenskart an Indian Company?

 Yes, Lenskart is an Indian eyewear company headquartered in Gurgaon, India.

3. Is Lenskart available in the US?

Yes, Lenskart has a presence in the United States as part of its international expansion. 

4. Who is the CEO of Lenskart, and when was it founded?

Peyush Bansal is the CEO of Lenskart. It was launched in 2010 under its parent company Vayloo Technologies

5. How much does the Lenskart franchise cost?

An annual license fee of about ₹2 lakh is to be paid by the franchise partner to Lenskart. Plus, 35% of the store’s revenue is shared with Lenskart, while the franchise owner keeps the remaining 65%.

6. Is Lenskart a unicorn?

Yes. Lenskart became a unicorn in 2019, and today, it is valued at around $7.7 billion.

7. Is Lenskart profitable?

Yes. Lenskart became profitable in FY25, reporting a net profit of ₹297 crore. The company’s revenue was ₹6,652 crore. About 40% of its revenue comes from international markets, showing its growing global reach.

8. Is Lenskart a Chinese company?

No. Lenskart is an Indian company. While it has manufacturing links/ facilities abroad (including China), it is not a Chinese company.

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