OK, I don't feel guilty anymore. I'm awfully glad I discovered online eyeglasses. I've been wearing glasses since I was about 6 years old--I'm in my 50s now. These greedy opticians have squeezed enough money out of me.
And the $100 pair I got from Zenni is actually about the nicest pair of glasses I've ever had. On Aug 15, 10:19 am, Fred Di <[email protected]> wrote: > 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.- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ 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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
