Prescription glasses have shaken off their ‘geeky’ image and are increasingly being viewed as another accessory with which to create an aesthetic. This shift in perception is causing the eyewear market to diversify, with independent, direct-to-consumer brands challenging the industry’s titans.

Ace & Tate hopes to shake up the eyewear market by offering an innovative and human approach to getting a new pair of specs. People are embracing glasses as means of expressing their identity. Ace & Tate is getting it right with its personable customer services and emotional storytelling.

Selling to China from elsewhere no longer necessarily requires heavy set-up costs and local product registration. Yet it still requires a close understanding of Chinese consumers, how they select products and what makes them tick. So how is e-commerce helping brands to be successful?

Luxury shopping is at the top of to-do lists for half of China's international travellers – despite the fact that they could easily find many of their purchases at home or online. They're opting to travel abroad because it adds an experiential dimension to their shopping trips.