Mister Spex
Mister Spex SE is a Berlin-based omnichannel optical retailer selling prescription eyewear, contact lenses, and sunglasses through its e-commerce platform, 65+ company-owned stores, and 400+ partner opticians across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, serving 7–8 million customers with both branded and private-label frames.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Mister Spex does
Mister Spex SE is a Berlin-based, publicly traded (Frankfurt: MRX) omnichannel optical retailer operating in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The company sells prescription eyewear (42% of revenue), contact lenses (38%), and sunglasses and services (20%) across an asset-light, multi-channel model: a direct e-commerce storefront, 65+ company-owned retail stores, and a network of 400+ partner opticians that together have served 7–8 million customers. Catalog breadth spans more than 10,000 SKUs from over 100 brands including boutique/luxury labels (Prada, Gucci, Tom Ford) and exclusive private-label collections such as Mister Spex Collection, Smart Collection, and Michalsky for Mister Spex — the private label capturing approximately 25% of frame sales at a 20–40% price advantage versus traditional optical retailers.
The technology stack centers on a Salesforce Commerce Cloud + Retail Cloud platform (migration announced March 2026), consolidating previously separate online and in-store operations onto a single platform to enable personalized, AI-supported customer experiences. Proprietary customer-facing technology includes a 3D virtual try-on (live webcam and photo upload), AI lens consultation for personalized prescription recommendations, and a recommendation engine that supports private-label and campaign conversion; a Berlin-based master workshop (Berliner Meisterwerkstatt) handles in-house lens insertion and quality control. The Mister Spex Switch subscription (€9/month, launched 2025 via Circuly infrastructure) layers recurring-revenue rental on top of the transactional base, while services such as home trial (€9.95, refundable on purchase), free in-store eye tests, video consultation, and lens replacement (from €59.90) sit alongside the core product offering.
The business model is direct-to-consumer and unit-priced for the core catalog, with a small but growing recurring subscription stream; pricing on entry-level single-vision lenses starts at €19.95, progressive lenses from €99.95, frames €49.95–€479.95. Growth has been sacrificed for margin and structural simplification: FY 2025 revenue of €181 million fell 16% on deliberate pricing discipline and exits from unprofitable international online markets, while gross margin expanded ~580 bps to 55.6% and SpexFocus restructuring delivered ~€20M in EBITDA savings. Management announced an asset-light operating model transition in July 2026 (closing the Berlin-Spandau distribution center, outsourcing logistics to Arvato and production to Rodenstock, ~125 employees affected) and filed to move from the Prime Standard to the General Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange to reduce compliance overhead.
Mister Spex firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Mister Spex
- Legal name
- Mister Spex SE
- Website
- https://misterspex.de
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Mister Spex SE is a Berlin-based omnichannel optical retailer selling prescription eyewear, contact lenses, and sunglasses through its e-commerce platform, 65+ company-owned stores, and 400+ partner opticians across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, serving 7–8 million customers with both branded and private-label frames.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Mister Spex industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Optical Retail
- NAICS
- Optical Goods Retailers (456130), Optical Goods Retailers (45613), Offices of Optometrists (62132)
- SIC
- Ophthalmic Goods (3851)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Optical Dispensing & Eyewear Retail (Glasses/Frames/Lenses) (HLAKAKAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sunglasses (Non-Prescription) (CRAAAKAB), Luxury & Designer Eyewear (CRAAAKAD), Luxury Eyewear (Sunglasses & Optical) (CRAKAFAG), Optical & Eyewear Store-in-Store (CRAGAHAF)
Keywords
Where Mister Spex is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Mister Spex business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- Prescription Eyewear: Core revenue driver accounting for 42% of revenue. Includes prescription glasses with single-vision and progressive lenses, frames from branded and private-label collections.
- Contact Lenses: Second largest revenue stream at 38% of revenue. Includes daily lenses, monthly lenses, toric lenses, multifocal lenses, and colored lenses from brands like TrueLens, Air Optix, Dailies, Acuvue, Biofinity, and Total.
- Sunglasses & Services: Sunglasses (prescription and non-prescription) and additional services including eye health checks, lens replacement, and adjustments account for 20% of revenue.
- Mister Spex Switch Subscription: Subscription service for renting designer glasses and sunglasses starting at €9/month. Includes insurance for damage, theft, and loss. Customers can have up to three pairs at a time with option to swap every 12 months. Early results show AOV nearly 3x higher than regular purchases.
- Private Label Frames: Private label collections (Mister Spex Collection, Smart Collection, Michalsky for Mister Spex, etc.) capture ~25% of frame sales. Offers 20-40% price advantage over traditional retailers.
- Lens Replacement Service: New glazing service for existing frames, starting at €59.90 for prescription lenses and €99.85 for sunglasses.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Single-vision lenses starting at €19.95 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Progressive/multifocal lenses starting at €99.95 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Reading glasses starting at €49.95 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Blue light filter lenses starting at €29.95 |
| Subscription | Monthly | Mister Spex Switch subscription from €9/month |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Lens replacement service from €59.90 |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Home trial service fee €9.95 (refunded upon purchase) |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Mister Spex product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Mister Spex is an omnichannel optical retailer selling prescription glasses, sunglasses, contact lenses, and related eye-care services through its e-commerce platform misterspex.de, 65+ company-owned retail stores across Germany, and a network of 400+ partner opticians. The assortment spans 10,000+ SKUs across 100+ brands including private-label collections and exclusive designer collaborations. Revenue mix is 42% prescription eyewear, 38% contact lenses, and 20% sunglasses and services, complemented by a glasses rental subscription (Mister Spex Switch from €9/month) and in-store services such as free eye exams and lens replacement.
Product overview
Mister Spex operates as an omnichannel optical retailer combining an e-commerce platform with over 65 physical stores and a network of 400+ partner opticians across Germany. The core offering spans prescription glasses (including single-vision, progressive/multi-focal Gleitsichtbrillen, and reading glasses), sunglasses, and contact lenses, supplemented by proprietary private-label brands (Mister Spex Collection, Smart Collection) and exclusive designer collaborations (Michalsky, aboxofsweets, Prinz Pi). Key differentiators include a digital-first sales model with virtual try-on technology and AI-powered personalization, complemented by physical retail with free eye exams. The subscription service Mister Spex Switch enables glasses rental from €9/month, while services like home trial, lens replacement, and video consultation support the customer journey. The recent Salesforce platform migration (Commerce Cloud and Retail Cloud) consolidates online and in-store operations for unified AI-powered customer experiences.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Mister Spex Switch: Subscription service enabling customers to rent designer glasses and sunglasses starting at €9/month
- Mister Spex Collection
- SpexPro
- Smart Collection
- MARC O'POLO Eyewear
- BOSS Eyewear
Products and services
- Prescription Glasses (Brillen)
- Sunglasses (Sonnenbrillen)
- Contact Lenses (Kontaktlinsen)
- Mister Spex Switch Subscription
- Smartglasses
- Sports Glasses with Prescription Lenses
- Mister Spex Collection (Private Label)
- Designer Collaborations and Boutique Brands
- Free Eye Exam (Kostenloser Sehtest)
- Lens Replacement (Neuverglasung)
- Video Consultation (Videoberatung)
- Mister Spex Retail Stores
Quantifiable outcome
- 20% increase in brand search volume from 'Spex It' campaign
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Mister Spex
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Mister Spex technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
AI capability7 records
Feature5 records
Mister Spex partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- ArvatocoreLogistics operations outsourced to Arvato as part of asset-light operating model transition announced July 2026. Berlin-Spandau location closing by end of 2026.
- RodenstockcoreProduction partnership with Rodenstock for lens manufacturing as part of asset-light operating model. Also supplies SpexPro premium lenses developed in collaboration with Rodenstock.
- SalesforcecoreMister Spex selected Salesforce to modernize its technological infrastructure by migrating from customized legacy systems to Salesforce Commerce Cloud and Retail Cloud platforms. Implementation consolidates online and in-store operations onto single platform, enabling standardized processes, personalized customer experiences, and AI-powered capabilities. Rollout begins in DACH region with Salesforce Professional Services.
- HOYA LenscoreSupplier of premium prescription lenses. HOYA lenses available as high-end option for Mister Spex customers.
- SEIKO OpticalcoreSupplier of quality lenses used in lens replacement services. SEIKO Optical provides lenses for Mister Spex glazing workshop.
- EssilorcoreLeading lens manufacturer supplying quality lenses for prescription eyewear. Essilor lenses available as part of Mister Spex lens options.
- CirculycoreCirculy powers the Mister Spex Switch subscription infrastructure, enabling the glasses rental subscription service launched in 2025.
Scale indicators18 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Mister Spex competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Mister Spex social profiles
Digital presenceMister Spex financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Mister Spex leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Mister Spex subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Mister Spex funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds10 records
Investors16 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Mister Spex M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A4 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Mister Spex
What does Mister Spex do?
Mister Spex is an omnichannel optical retailer selling prescription glasses, sunglasses, contact lenses, and related eye-care services through its e-commerce platform misterspex.de, 65+ company-owned retail stores across Germany, and a network of 400+ partner opticians. The assortment spans 10,000+ SKUs across 100+ brands including private-label collections and exclusive designer collaborations. Revenue mix is 42% prescription eyewear, 38% contact lenses, and 20% sunglasses and services, complemented by a glasses rental subscription (Mister Spex Switch from €9/month) and in-store services such as free eye exams and lens replacement.
Is Mister Spex a public or private company?
Mister Spex is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Mister Spex founded?
Mister Spex was founded in 2008. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Mister Spex based?
Mister Spex is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Mister Spex make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Prescription Eyewear is the primary driver. The others are contact Lenses, sunglasses & Services, mister Spex Switch Subscription, private Label Frames and lens Replacement Service.
Does Mister Spex have an API?
No public API is recorded for Mister Spex.
What industry is Mister Spex in?
Mister Spex's product category is Online Optical Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAKAKAL, Optical Dispensing & Eyewear Retail (Glasses/Frames/Lenses), with a secondary code of CRAAAKAB, Sunglasses (Non-Prescription). Its NAICS code is 456130 and its SIC code is 3851.