Canada’s Guide to Selling Glasses Online: Building Your Business Plan & Legal Setup

Posted September 19, 2025

Who is this article for?

Two paths, one playbook. If you’re new to e-commerce, you’ll learn how to choose a structure, register for taxes, and design a plan you can actually operate. If you already run a brick-and-mortar optical store, you’ll map your in-store strengths—professional oversight, adjustments, aftercare—into an online channel without tripping over privacy, consumer-contract, or accessibility rules.

This article does not constitute legal, accounting, or tax advice. Regulations vary by province and situation and change over time. Always consult a qualified lawyer and accountant/CPA before acting.

A business plan you can run (not just read)

Start with a one-page plan you’ll revisit weekly:

Positioning & Assortment — Define your niche (prescription sportswear, safety glasses, kids, minimalist acetates, specialty tints) and list the first 20–40 SKUs that prove the concept.
Unit Economics — Model COGS (Cost of Goods Sold) for frames, lenses, coatings, packaging, and shipping. Set margin tiers (good/better/best) and budget a remake/returns allowance so surprises don’t wipe out profits.
Volume & Capacity — Forecast weekly orders for 12 weeks. Note constraints: lab lead times, packaging throughput, customer service coverage.
Acquisition Plan — Commit to one “always-on” channel (search/shopping) and one compounding channel (SEO/education).
Trust Assets — Prioritize the five pages that reduce hesitation: Prescription Flow, PD Guide, Warranty/Remakes, Shipping & Returns, Privacy.
Cash Discipline — Track your cash conversion cycle. Avoid dead inventory; scale winners.

Existing stores can start with top in-store sellers online, then phase in lens options and coatings as patterns emerge. New brands should keep SKUs tight and expand only from real demand.

Choose a structure and register properly

Common choices in Canada include sole proprietorship, partnership, and corporation. Corporations provide limited liability and can simplify investment and succession planning; sole proprietorships are simpler but place liability on the owner. Decide whether to incorporate federally or provincially; if you trade under a name that isn’t your legal name, register that business (trade) name in each province where you carry on business. Obtain your business number and key program accounts (e.g., corporate income tax, payroll if applicable).

Indirect taxes (GST/HST and, where applicable, PST/QST)

GST/HST. Register when you are no longer a small supplier (generally when your worldwide taxable supplies exceed the small-supplier threshold). Charge the right rate based on place-of-supply rules, and file on time.
PST/QST. If you are considered to be carrying on business in a PST/QST province, you may need to register and charge that province’s tax even if you’re based elsewhere. Assess your footprint: inventory location, solicitation, advertising, fulfillment, and shipping patterns.
Platform settings. Configure taxes correctly at checkout, and test inter-provincial orders before launch.

Your accountant can tailor registrations, filing frequencies, and place-of-supply nuances to your model.

Privacy, consent, and marketing basics

If you collect prescription and customer information (you will), Canada’s private-sector privacy rules require meaningful consent, appropriate safeguards, limited collection and use, and access on request. Publish a clear privacy policy, explain how data is used, and document retention practices.

For commercial email or SMS, anti-spam rules require consent, clear sender identification, and a working unsubscribe in every message. Maintain an auditable consent log inside your ESP (Email Service Provider) / CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software.

If you sell to Québec residents, be mindful of Québec’s updated privacy obligations (often referred to as Law 25), including naming a privacy officer, maintaining governance policies, and conducting privacy impact assessments for certain systems or cross-border data flows.

Consumer-contract rules for online sales

Internet sales are subject to provincial consumer-protection laws. Expect requirements around pre-contract disclosures, a confirming copy of the agreement within a set timeframe, and specific cancellation rights if disclosures aren’t provided. Build these obligations into your checkout and order-confirmation templates; much of the disclosure naturally lives on your Shipping, Returns, Warranty, and Terms pages.

Professional standards (who can dispense)

Provincial health-profession statutes and college standards govern who may dispense prescription eyewear. In Ontario, for example, opticians, optometrists, and physicians are authorized. Ensure licensed oversight for Rx orders, honour expiry dates, and verify that orders match prescriptions. Reflect this in your SOPs and in customer-facing copy (“all Rx orders reviewed by a licensed professional”).

Accessibility & payments (make it easy, make it safe)

Public-facing websites must meet accessibility expectations, and in some jurisdictions, larger organizations have explicit standards and reporting (e.g., WCAG 2.0 Level AA targets). Regardless of size, following accessibility best practices—alt text, contrast, keyboard navigation, captions, readable PDFs—improves conversion and reduces support.

For payments, use a provider and platform with strong security and PCI DSS compliance. You still own admin security: enable MFA, restrict staff permissions, and monitor logins.

Publish-ready policy checklist

Privacy Policy (consent, purposes, safeguards, access, retention).
Terms of Sale / Internet Agreement Copy (key disclosures + printable/retained confirmation).
Returns / Remakes / Warranty (plain language; timelines and conditions).
Shipping & Cut-offs (methods, costs, processing times, provinces served).
Marketing Consent (email/SMS consent language + one-click unsubscribe).
Accessibility Statement (targets, exceptions, and commitment to ongoing improvements).
Professional Oversight Notice (licensed review of Rx orders; Rx expiry honoured).

Quick setup paths

New e-commerce brand — choose structure; obtain business number and GST/HST; assess PST/QST; select platform; publish privacy/terms/returns; wire consent-compliant email; launch a 20–40 SKU assortment with clear prescription flows.

Existing optical store — keep your current corporation; add an online trade name if needed; align SOPs to show licensed oversight for online orders; enable local pickup and in-person adjustments; ensure consumer-contract disclosures appear in checkout and confirmations.

Bottom line — the winning plan is simple, measurable, and compliant. Start with a lean assortment, write the policies that build trust, register the right tax accounts, and let professional oversight shine in your online experience.

In this Series: Canada’s Guide to Selling Glasses Online

Canada’s Guide to Selling Glasses Online: Why Now Is the Best Time to Start
Canada’s Guide to Selling Glasses Online: Building Your Business Plan & Legal Setup
Canada’s Guide to Selling Glasses Online: Creating a Strong Brand Identity
Canada’s Guide to Selling Glasses Online: Finding Frames, Lenses & Reliable Suppliers
Canada’s Guide to Selling Glasses Online: Designing and Launching Your E-Commerce Store
Canada’s Guide to Selling Glasses Online: Prescription Management & Compliance
Canada’s Guide to Selling Glasses Online: Packaging, Shipping & Returns
Canada’s Guide to Selling Glasses Online: Pricing for Profit and Growth
Canada’s Guide to Selling Glasses Online: Marketing to Get Your First 100 Customers
Canada’s Guide to Selling Glasses Online: Using Virtual Try-On & Tech Tools to Build Trust
Canada’s Guide to Selling Glasses Online: Scaling and Automating Your Business
Canada’s Guide to Selling Glasses Online: Trends & Future Opportunities