Cheap glasses
I had an eye test recently, and needed to get a new pair of glasses. Those of you who wear glasses will know how much of a shock it is to find out how much any of the high street chains of opticians want to charge you for even the most basic of frames. I have a very simple single vision prescription, and I find it incredible that a very non-descript pair of glasses would cost me more than £100, without even anti-scratch coating included in the price.
So it was time for this cheapskate to investigate the online options. After a bit of searching, I settled on GlassesDirect. They have quite a good range of frames, and prices start at an amazing £15 for the frame, lenses, anti-scratch coating and a hard case (I apologise for sounding like an advert1). I went for a pair from the cheapest range in the end, and I’m really happy with the way they turned out. The quality seems every bit as good as the pairs I’ve had from high street opticians. The fit was also pretty good from the start, requiring only a slight tweaking of nose pads which I did myself.
I generally like to support local shops if I can (though the majority of opticians around here are chains rather than independent shops), but when there’s such a massive price differential between physical and online stores, it seems ridiculous. The opticians may claim that you get better after-sales service and fitting with them, but I’m sure it’s not more than £85-worth of difference. Really, at £15, it’s worth getting a pair just to try them, even if you decide you prefer buying glasses from chain opticians.
1 No affiliation with the company, just a satisfied customer etc. etc…↑
1
Over the last 40 years I have designed more spectacle/sunglass displays than any other single product, and have had on my desk frames with the makers price tags still on them, ganted they are "Over the counter" choose them yourself products, but prices in the range of £2 or £3 are not unusual. This has led to some interesting conversations with opticians when they try to convince me that a pair of Dunhill frames are worth £150; at which point my wife usually leaves the shop.
Being over 60, my eye tests are now free, so here we go....
I am now off to watch "The Choir".
by Jonathan Briggs @ 11/12/2006 9:06 pm • Permalink •
2
Aha, I see how it works. Should you have a requirement for simple single vision reading glasses, then you are in ReadySpecs territory, as sold by the likes of Foster Grant, at which point your £15 is competing head on with the sort of thing you can find in most chemists. If, however, you require bi-focals or varifocals with corrections for astigmatism, as do I, then even with the cheapest frames you are at the £95 mark, before you've added any kind of coatings such as anti-glare or anti-scratch; at which point they are getting more expensive than Specsavers.
Never mind, can't win 'em all.
by Jonathan Briggs @ 12/12/2006 8:59 am • Permalink •
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Earlier this year I was doing an ophthalmology rotation and the consultant was quite vocal about informing us that in his view the internet was THE best and only place in his view to buy glasses - quite scathing about opticians in general too
by Dave McConnell @ 12/12/2006 9:00 pm • Permalink •
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Damn! I wonder what kind of costs physical stores are paying to jack up prices by 700%? Maybe they're just charging you for the psychological comfort of going to a "real" store instead of a skeezy-feeling internet retailer...
by Aaron F. @ 12/12/2006 9:44 pm • Permalink •
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I used to work for an opticians. The problem is that an eye-test costs the company around £40, with optician's fees, equipment etc., but only charge around £20, and the NHS only give them £18. So they make up the loss by overcharging on glasses. I would say that frames are generally overpriced but the lenses do cost quite a lot to manufacture. Where I worked even if you didn't pay for an anti-scratch coating we'd put one on anyway because it was quicker and easier. The internet is great for 90% of people who need simple glasses made but the other 10% will have problems, especially as it's very hard to measure your own pupil distance. But as you say, at £15 it's worth finding out!
by Joanna @ 20/12/2006 6:25 pm • Permalink •
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Yah, I'm late in replying, but being a glasses-wearing person myself I couldn't pass up on it. I hate choosing and buying glasses, and would never ever buy them online or cheap. And that for the same reasons I won't buy my bras online or cheap. My glasses have to fit perfectly, and I must be sure that when they fall to the floor or I sit on them, they won't be buggered.
I've got a fairly small head, so buying glasses that "fit" is actualy quite difficult. Whenever I need new ones I walk around opticians shops, checking out cool frames, to notice they are all too wide.
Plus I wear them all the time, so it's very important for me I look good with them, and that's something you can't test online.
by Frances @ 24/12/2006 1:57 pm • Permalink •
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I should have said that GlassesDirect, at least, will ship the frames to you to try out for £2.50 per frame. You just send them back in a postage paid envelope when you're finished with them. That's what I did with mine, because I wasn't sure that they would either fit me or suit me. Also, they provide the dimensions of their frames on the site, so if you have a pair of glasses that fits you well, you can choose frames with similar dimensions.
by bsag @ 24/12/2006 3:24 pm • Permalink •
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Plenty of sites selling glasses online now just naming a few: glassesdirect.co.uk spex4less.com spexmaniac.co.uk ispectacle.com(cheapest for budget) all these sell glasses with from around £15.
by Talha @ 04/01/2007 1:31 pm • Permalink •
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The competition is hotting up for online glasses sales. I took the plunge last week and bought a pair for £14.95 from Fashion Specs Direct. They DO charge £2.50 postage - but their frames start at £9.95!
by Jules Foster @ 14/04/2007 7:59 pm • Permalink •
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I agree there are a lot of different companies selling glasses over the Internet. And it's agreat way to save money. I've bought my last two pairs from http://www.nuglasses.co.uk and they were brilliant. I saved a lot of money and it was easier, I didn't have a pushy sales assistant breathing down my neck!
by George Kingdom @ 16/04/2007 3:56 pm • Permalink •
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Got agree with you John, I bought from nuglasses as well and the service was excellent.
by Jane Brooks @ 16/04/2007 6:47 pm • Permalink •
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I have taken Julians's advice and bought some glasses for £9.95 from Fashion Specs Direct .
I ordered them on Monday and they were delivered today. They called me mid-week to update me on my order.
Oh - and the glasses are PERFECT!! Highly recommended.
by Belinda Archer @ 20/04/2007 11:38 am • Permalink •
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Folks - just received 5% discount code for Fashion Specs Direct . It's FSDACC5 and I got it in an email from them today!
by Julian Foster @ 21/04/2007 9:28 pm • Permalink •
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just received a pair of oakley glasses from I spectacle got them from less than a third off my local opticians. Had a look at fashion specs direct but the designer prices seemed a bit steep compared to other online sites
by Talha @ 22/04/2007 12:11 am • Permalink •
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