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1-800 Contacts Doubles Down on TV Advertising During the Pandemic

More people are calling the online retailer—and they’re staying on the phone longer, too

1-800-contacts-delivered-CONTENT-2020 — 1-800 Contacts typically generates 20% of its sales over the phone, but calls are up 85% since March.1-800 Contacts

By Paul Hiebert

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1-800 Contacts has been selling contact lenses over the telephone since 1995, but it’s never received as many calls as it has since the Covid-19 outbreak began.

At the outset of the coronavirus crisis, government orders to shelter in place meant fewer people were willing to venture far from home. Plus, with eye doctors largely closed for business, renewing a prescription became difficult. Given that 1-800 Contacts both ships products directly to customers and offers an online prescription-renewal tool called Express Exam, demand for the company’s services has surged during the pandemic.

“Intentional

Paul Hiebert

Paul Hiebert is Adweek's deputy editor of special projects.

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