Where do you buy your glasses?

[HockeyIlliterate]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

I've looked online, couple places are interesting and the price is amazing compared to most stores but I feel like I need to try everything on.

This is precisely the ethical problem that I have with buying glasses online v. buying them in a store.

I don't think that you can really "try on" a pair of glasses online. They may look nice on the screen, but they may not (and probably do not) fit your face in reality. Instead, you really do have to go into a store and try on pair after pair after pair.

But yet the prices online are substantially cheaper than anything the store can offer, and so I feel like a sucker for buying the glasses in the store. But if I don't buy the glasses in the store, and instead buy them online, am I not reducing the store's incentive to even offer glasses to try on for free? And when I need a new pair years from now, will that store even be around if all of their (former) customers now buy their glasses online instead?

It is a no-win situation for an ethical consumer, I'm afraid.

[photon]

Some of the online stores let you exchange them for free, my wife went through like 6 or 7 pairs from.. I wanna say clearly contacts... before she found a pair she liked, and I'm pretty sure all the back and forth shipping was either free or very close to it.

EDIT: Also could be a business opportunity, become a showroom for frames. Get the online places to pay you to have frames for people to try.

[evman150]

I use eyebuydirect.com and only buy during their 2 for 1 sales.

I've bought five or six pairs from them. One pair didn't fit, but they cost 12 bucks so I didn't even bother sending them back.

[Mister Yamoto]

The days of buying glasses at a 2000% mark up are over.

The first time I ordered glasses online I was skeptical. The prices were so low that I thought it must be too good to be true. But I figured if they turned out to be junk I'd just eat the loss and go buy glasses at the store. The first pair I ordered online were 30$ US and comparable to glasses that I was paying 300$+ for. They fit fine and came in about a week.

If trying on glasses before you buy them is worth an extra few hundred dollars a pair for you then go for it. Better stock up on them because I can't imagine many of those places will be around in a few years. Pearl Vision 2016 = Blockbuster Video 2002

[PepsiFree]

Went to Pearl Vision today actually.

1. Wow, old person store.

2. $200 seems like a "decent" price for frames there (FRAMES!)

3. "Do you have these in a different color?" - "What we have is what we have." - "Can you check somewhere else?" - "No."

... All the marks of a dying business. I might try 1-2 places but I just can't see myself doing anything but online. I know I'm a glasses-rookie but oh my god it's expensive in the store.

Has anyone tried Warby Parker? (I think it's called).

[TurdFerguson]

very similar trends/challenges in this industry to that of consumer electronics. The concerns that killed future shop and create pressure on best buy are the same for purely brick and mortar eye-ware shops. they turn into showrooms but not final purchase destinations. Groups need to figure out better omnichannel sales strategies that keep the consumer, regardless of where they purchase, online or in-store.

[Mister Yamoto]

FWIW I used Zenni Optical. I have nothing but good things to say about them.

[troutman]

Elton John's collection

[Drury18]

I used to go to Costco and had no issues at all. The Costco in the NW has a guy working there with 20+ years as a dispensing optician and you get the same, if not better service then you would at a optometrists office or any eye glasses place.

Now I have a complicated astigmatism prescription and pretty much stuck with using the optometrist for my lenses because they are close to specialty made. I run $500-600 for the most basic lenses I can for my prescription. I will still buy my frames at Clearly Contacts or something because I refuse to pay $200-300 for name brand frames. And they aren't even styles I like.

[jeffh]

Eye exams can vary in price by a fair bit. I found costco to be among the cheapest (about $90). I think Iris charges upwards of $150. My benefits only cover about $80 of an eye exam.
You can measure pupillar distance on your own(get someone to measure with a ruler from centre of left pupil to centre of your right pupil in millimeters).
I would reccommend costco and clearlycontacts.ca for contacts, but it is nice to get them sized/fitted initially at an actual store. Another +1 fot Optiks International, lots of variety, lots of brands, lots of choice.

Edit: Even better deals can be had down in Mexico. My in-laws occaisionally venture down to Temeculah(sp?) and get dentistry and prescription eye wear for cheap. I gave them my old frames to get new updated lenses at a mere $40USD, of course it took a some haggling.

[fokkerfan]

Got my last pair from http://www.goggles4u.com/ super cheap and they arrived from Pakistan in about a week. You can upload a pic of yourself and try the glasses on online.

[peter12]

Costco, for sure.

[Leeman4Gilmour]

Originally Posted by HockeyIlliterate

This is precisely the ethical problem that I have with buying glasses online v. buying them in a store.

I don't think that you can really "try on" a pair of glasses online. They may look nice on the screen, but they may not (and probably do not) fit your face in reality. Instead, you really do have to go into a store and try on pair after pair after pair.
.

There is such a huge difference in cost that you can buy 3 or 4 pair (maybe 5) online for the same price as in store. If you end up not liking a couple, you just donate them and still come out ahead.

[Teh_Bandwagoner]

Originally Posted by ricosuave

get your prescription from the doctor and go to

www.clearlycontacts.ca

www.zenni.com

These websites are good if you have a low, standard prescription. But I would say if you're anywhere more than a -2.5 you should probably go to a physical store.

[foshizzle11]

Well, we just got two pairs for my stepson at this place:
http://www.eyesiseyecare.ca/

The name is unfortunately given when you say it, it sounds just like ISIS. Anyway, we got the eye exam and two pairs of glasses for $200. That is a children's special but I am sure they have good deals for adults too.

[OBCT]

Originally Posted by Teh_Bandwagoner

These websites are good if you have a low, standard prescription. But I would say if you're anywhere more than a -2.5 you should probably go to a physical store.

Believe it or not, I have a -9.0 prescription and mild astigmatism, and I've bought glasses from Zenni three separate times.

For regular everyday use, they're not bad. They are in no way fancy, but I simply cannot argue with the price.

Oh, and Zenni's prescription sunglasses are almost as cheap as their regular glasses, which amazed me, and they're actually decent quality (although the selection is extremely limited in some sizes).

I honestly think it's worth a try. I was very skeptical at first.

[Da_Chief]

+1 for Hesla at Fyi Southcenter.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Went to Pearl Vision today actually.

1. Wow, old person store.

2. $200 seems like a "decent" price for frames there (FRAMES!)

3. "Do you have these in a different color?" - "What we have is what we have." - "Can you check somewhere else?" - "No."

... All the marks of a dying business. I might try 1-2 places but I just can't see myself doing anything but online. I know I'm a glasses-rookie but oh my god it's expensive in the store.

Has anyone tried Warby Parker? (I think it's called).

How did this go, Pepsi?

The only thing lost or broken in my entire move were my glasses. I've been hacking it ever since as I wait my insurance to activate, and now that it has, I can get some relief from the pounding headaches, squinting at text, and generally, not really ever knowing what is going on.

Warby Parker seems really cool.

[PepsiFree]

Funny enough (re-reading that post) I ended up going to a smaller shop (I now forget what it's called) and got a pair. It was more than I wanted to pay but it was mostly covered so I took the plunge.

I was a little concerned over fit with a lot of online options but Warby Parker has a great free shipping/returns program so I still would've gone with them, but I just happened to stroll into a shop and fall in love with a pair.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Funny enough (re-reading that post) I ended up going to a smaller shop (I now forget what it's called) and got a pair. It was more than I wanted to pay but it was mostly covered so I took the plunge.

I was a little concerned over fit with a lot of online options but Warby Parker has a great free shipping/returns program so I still would've gone with them, but I just happened to stroll into a shop and fall in love with a pair.

I'm chatting with a Warby Parker customer rep as I write this post. Seems pretty good. I am also nearly blind at this point, so moving into desperation territory.