Mister Spex

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.

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

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

• Online eyewear retail
• Prescription glasses sales
• Contact lens subscription
• Virtual try-on technology
• Optical retail stores

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Sunglasses & Services: Sunglasses (prescription and non-prescription) and additional services including eye health checks, lens replacement, and adjustments account for 20% of revenue.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Lens Replacement Service: New glazing service for existing frames, starting at €59.90 for prescription lenses and €99.85 for sunglasses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core 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

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability7 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ArvatocoreOthers · 1 July 2026Logistics operations outsourced to Arvato as part of asset-light operating model transition announced July 2026. Berlin-Spandau location closing by end of 2026.
• RodenstockcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2026Production partnership with Rodenstock for lens manufacturing as part of asset-light operating model. Also supplies SpexPro premium lenses developed in collaboration with Rodenstock.
• SalesforcecoreTechnology or Integration · 23 March 2026Mister 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 LenscoreOthersSupplier of premium prescription lenses. HOYA lenses available as high-end option for Mister Spex customers.
• SEIKO OpticalcoreOthersSupplier of quality lenses used in lens replacement services. SEIKO Optical provides lenses for Mister Spex glazing workshop.
• EssilorcoreOthersLeading lens manufacturer supplying quality lenses for prescription eyewear. Essilor lenses available as part of Mister Spex lens options.
• CirculycoreTechnology or IntegrationCirculy 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

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/misterspex

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds10 records

Investors16 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A4 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mister Spex