Spectacles ' second pair free' rip off?
Discussion
Anyone else suspicious of the so called free second pair of glasses offered by both high street names and independent opticians?
My wife was recently told her new glasses would be £480 including a free second pair. She said she did not need the second pair as the existing glasses were good enough to be used as a back up. Sales lady said the price was the same if she had one or two pairs!
In the past I have noticed that with the second pair free thing, that just referred to the frames and the varifocal lens had to be paid for so they were not exactly free.
Now we are told that both the lens and the frames of the second pair are "free". Sales lady was quite insistant that the offer was genuine but I wondered why she was so keen to include the second pair when, had she not included them, she could have sold the frames to someone else for £129!
I was told some time ago that the frames actually cost a very few pounds but are sold for many times the cost.
Any thoughts, folks?
My wife was recently told her new glasses would be £480 including a free second pair. She said she did not need the second pair as the existing glasses were good enough to be used as a back up. Sales lady said the price was the same if she had one or two pairs!
In the past I have noticed that with the second pair free thing, that just referred to the frames and the varifocal lens had to be paid for so they were not exactly free.
Now we are told that both the lens and the frames of the second pair are "free". Sales lady was quite insistant that the offer was genuine but I wondered why she was so keen to include the second pair when, had she not included them, she could have sold the frames to someone else for £129!
I was told some time ago that the frames actually cost a very few pounds but are sold for many times the cost.
Any thoughts, folks?
Not Optical Express. It is an independent optician. The frames were priced at £129. The rest is for the "top of the range" varifocals with reactors and wider vision areas for near, mid range and distant clarity.
Given that I have just spent £40 for some excellent Olympus binoculars with a lot more than two lens, the rest seems rather expensive for two bits of ground plastic.
Given that I have just spent £40 for some excellent Olympus binoculars with a lot more than two lens, the rest seems rather expensive for two bits of ground plastic.
Edited by Tafia on Tuesday 16th December 11:12
The reason we have switched to this independant is his repution as being a good optician. He sent me to the eye hospital after I had eye flashes as it could be a sign or a detaching retina. All OK thank goodness. Seems that gel detaching from retina is normal as we rot! It shows as eye flashes, usually on the periphery of vision.
He also found something in my wifes eye which he said could have been there since birth and all previous opticians had missed. Eye hospital again for further checks. They were impressed that he had seen the potential problem and are now "keeping an eye" on the mark to check for possible damaging changes.
However, wife is still wondering why the salesperon was so keen on her having the "free second pair"
He also found something in my wifes eye which he said could have been there since birth and all previous opticians had missed. Eye hospital again for further checks. They were impressed that he had seen the potential problem and are now "keeping an eye" on the mark to check for possible damaging changes.
However, wife is still wondering why the salesperon was so keen on her having the "free second pair"
Edited by Tafia on Tuesday 16th December 18:20
StuntmanMike said:
I can't really see where your coming from, you say your suspicious of the offer then in your OP say they could have sold them to someone else at 129.
I get the buy on get one free glasses, it clearly depends on what type of lenses, clearly states this, you then state you don't want t he free ones, so why moan about it.
The frames cost a few quid, is this the they make a profit on the goods they sell shocker.
Seems in your attempt at sarcasm you misunderstand. I guess there is always one!!I get the buy on get one free glasses, it clearly depends on what type of lenses, clearly states this, you then state you don't want t he free ones, so why moan about it.
The frames cost a few quid, is this the they make a profit on the goods they sell shocker.
The point I was making was that the sales lady was told my wife didn't want the second pair so why did she not keep the frames to sell to someone else? How can the second pair really be "free" if the lens really retail at £351? (to help you understand, that is the total cost less the cost of the frames.)
Sales said the lens people were "giving away" the second pair of lens as a special offer. At £351 retail? I don't think so.
BTW I am not moaning, simply asking what seems to be a reasonable question.
Edited by Tafia on Tuesday 16th December 18:35
Pothole said:
ou're being obscure in the question you're actually asking.
Are you actually trying to ask why the retail price is £351 if they are then happy to 'give away' another pair free?
If so, it's a valid question and you're not forced to shop there...
If not, what IS the question?
I asked: "Any thoughts, folks" Others understood.Are you actually trying to ask why the retail price is £351 if they are then happy to 'give away' another pair free?
If so, it's a valid question and you're not forced to shop there...
If not, what IS the question?
SSC! said:
Some high street shops charge a fortune for lenses. Last time I was in I was quoted £175 for lenses as I get mine filed down. Really really wanted purple Radley ones but total price was near £400. I found direct sight and got same frames and lenses for £135! I have also bought 2 pairs of sunnies as they were bogof! Think I was £60 for them. Probably work exact the same as glasses direct.
Looking at sites such as VisionExpress, Boots and Specsavers, they all seem to be around £175 or so for the: "best" varifocal lens.I think the sales lady may be charging for the lens in what she claims are the 'free' pair.
te.
Wife has ended up paying £489 for the first pair of non-designer glasses with the super dooper top of the range varifocal lens priced at £300 plus £60 for tints.
The second pair were "free" and she sees no difference in the lens, visionwise.
She is taking them back as the "sweet spots" as I call them ( the part of the lens in focus for reading) seem to be smaller than with her last pair of Specsavers lens. She has always had problems with glasses slipping down her nose but with the Specsavers lens she could still read clearly when they slipped.
With the new lens, supposedly with a larger area of focus, she can't. Many have tried to solve the slipping issue with silicone nose pads, various adjustments etc but none seem to work. If the frames are bent tighter behind the ears, she ends up with sore ears.
T
The second pair were "free" and she sees no difference in the lens, visionwise.
She is taking them back as the "sweet spots" as I call them ( the part of the lens in focus for reading) seem to be smaller than with her last pair of Specsavers lens. She has always had problems with glasses slipping down her nose but with the Specsavers lens she could still read clearly when they slipped.
With the new lens, supposedly with a larger area of focus, she can't. Many have tried to solve the slipping issue with silicone nose pads, various adjustments etc but none seem to work. If the frames are bent tighter behind the ears, she ends up with sore ears.
T
Took my wife's new glasses back yesterday and one lady suggested the problem was not with the new glasses ( reading area does not focus with both eyes) but rather that the previous Specsavers pair was wrong but my wife had become used to them so could not adapt to the new pair which were actually correct!
Like an out-of-step squaddie in a platoon of 20 soldiers claiming he was in step and all the others were wrong.
I pointed out that for that explanation to be correct, four opticians in three different towns would have all had to make the same error as my wife has never had a problem when moving to the new varifocal pair of which she has had four new presciptions since she began using progressive lens.
They are now sending the lens back to be altered.
Like an out-of-step squaddie in a platoon of 20 soldiers claiming he was in step and all the others were wrong.
I pointed out that for that explanation to be correct, four opticians in three different towns would have all had to make the same error as my wife has never had a problem when moving to the new varifocal pair of which she has had four new presciptions since she began using progressive lens.
They are now sending the lens back to be altered.
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