Our operations
Synsam Group conducts operations in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and e-commerce / omnichannels in each country. Franchise operations are also conducted in Iceland and the Faroe Islands.
The basis of Synsam’s activities is its network of stores, where customers can meet an optician for eye examinations, choose glasses, sunglasses or contact lenses, take out subscription services and also get style advice, as glasses are increasingly a fashion item. By the end of December 2022, Synsam had 536 stores in the Nordic region, the vast majority of them directly-owned.
Owing to its size, efficiency and innovative capacity, Synsam is able to offer its customers a comprehensive range of both products and services at competitive prices. In addition to the stores, Synsam has a strong online presence via Synsam, Profil Optik and Ai’s own websites and social media, enabling customers to meet and interact with Synsam when and where it best suits them. This makes Synsam the industry leader in integrating digital channels into the customer encounter.
All Synsam stores offer a range of services, from style advice to eye examinations by licensed opticians, but also more advanced eye examinations at dedicated eye health centres. Today, Synsam has 60 such centres in the Nordic countries, and the aim is to reach customers with potential eye problems in order to refer them to local partners, such as private eye clinics. Synsam also offers a corporate solution where the Group is responsible for the delivery of products and services to the employees of various companies.
Omnichannel – stores and online in combination
The stores, together with the various digital channels on which Synsam is active, create a platform that provides an integrated customer experience and a harmonised price image, regardless of the channel. The Group has systematically reduced the number of franchise stores to ensure consistent brand positioning and to fully coordinate both promotions and prices.
In the period 2021–2023, the Group is planning 90 new stores. Most of them are either Megastores, which are a larger store format for the best locations, or Recycling Outlets, which support the Group’s sustainability efforts by selling second-hand glasses, or sunglasses, at attractive prices. The products are recycled from Synsam’s Reuse and Recycle Boxes, which are located in all the Group’s stores. As of December 2022, Synsam has 5 flagship stores, 32 Megastores and 24 Synsam Recycling Outlets.
As part of its omnichannel concept, the Group has set up an online store where virtually all of Synsam’s services and products are on offer to customers – from eye examinations to style advice. The Stylelab application enables the customer to test glasses digitally, directly on a mobile phone. Synsam is continuously improving its online offering to provide the best customer experience in the industry.
Synsam and the future – development opportunities
Synsam has identified a number of additional initiatives that may help to promote growth over time. In eye health, there are opportunities to open more eye health centres and to enter into strategic partnerships with private eye clinics. The Synsam Hearing concept can be developed further. Another interesting market is that of corporate customers where Synsam, by offering computer glasses, eye examinations and other services, can drive traffic to the stores. The market for corporate customers is stable and Synsam is well positioned. In the longer term, it will also be possible for Synsam to expand in Europe either through its own concepts or through acquisitions.
Read more about Synsam Group here or about our presence in each market through the menu on the left.