Yes the lenses and frames are probably made in China. The guy who spent 15 minutes assembling your glasses was probably paid less than $5 for that time. Similarly for the clerk who waited on you. The remaining $490 went into the pocket of a greedy optician.
There are very few consumer items sold in America that have the ridiculous markup that eyeglasses do. If you bought a Computer for $600 from Dell in the US, then went to the street market in Bejing, or Hong Kong, or Tokyo, you could probably find on equivalent one for less, maybe $400 or $500, but not for $100. 10 or 20 or 30% markup is reasonable. But the markups optical shops charge should be criminal. This industry has be wrought with fraud and abuse for 100 years. Congress felt compelled to pass a law.... 50 years ago... requiring eye Dr's to hand you a copy of your prescription. Prior to that they would keep it secret and insist that you but glasses from them. 60 minutes did an exposee on the inflated cost of eyeglasses 20 years ago, Since then the costs of lenses and frames has fallen dramatically with efficient production in China. But instead of passing that cost savings along, optical shops raised prices, laughing all the way to the bank as an uneducated public paid and paid. Just last week, the local TV station has a reporter who helps people save money on various items. I heard a teaser about a story were he bragged that you don't have to pay $200 for a pair of glasses, you can get them for $40. I emailed him telling about $8 glasses from Zenni, no response. The $40 shop advertised heavily on that TV station. The same thing with Consumer reports, they did a story a while back about various optical shops with prices over $100.. I emailed them about Zenni and other on line sources, no response. On Aug 14, 7:13 am, Lucille <[email protected]> wrote: > I ordered two pairs of glasses. My order took 5 weeks to arrive. > > Pair #1 is a titanium rimmed, oval frame. My prescription calls for > progressive lenses, and I ordered photochromic lenses. I have a > strong nearsightedness correction (-7.00). I had to order mid-index > lenses because Zenni doesn't do progressives with high index. I was > worried that the lenses would be too coke-bottleish, but they're > fine. The lenses are about 1mm thicker at the outside edge than a > similar pair I have that's high index. The frames I ordered have a > small, narrow lens so that helped. The lenses have also had their > edges polished nicely and they fit the frame perfectly. The > prescription seems to be accurate, the AR coating looks good, and they > darken up in sunlight and lighten up indoors just like they're > supposed to. All this for $100...compared to over $600 for my last > pair of glasses that I bought from a local optician (and they're > falling apart after 3 years of gentle handling). > > Pair #2 is a plastic frame. I ordered single vision lenses with a > dark 80% tint for prescription sunglasses. These are very nice, > also. They cost $15. > > I've heard some people comment on poor quality with Zenni optical, but > both of these glasses look fine. They're actually more flattering > than my other glasses that I've paid top dollar for. > > I'm thrilled with this. I wear glasses all the time, and now, instead > of paying a small fortune for them, I'll be able to order new glasses > whenever I want. I'll be able to have a wardrobe of eyeglasses. > > I have to admit I've felt a bit guilty about this. I feel like I'm > contributing to the outsourcing of American jobs by buying my glasses > direct from a Chinese company (I believe that Zenni is making the > glasses in China). But I guess the local opticians that I've been > going to my whole life haven't felt any guilt about overcharging me > for my eyeglasses. If I'd just be saving a little money by ordering > online vs. buying locally, I'd buy locally. But the savings here is > just too huge to pass up. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Check us out at the oft-updated http://glassyeyes.blogspot.com! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "GlassyEyes" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/glassyeyes?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
