"Optician Haggling" Discussion

What’s this about?

You can save £100s haggling in high street stores or for broadband contracts, insurance and more. The first point of call is read the full Haggling guide. Then, this discussion is specifically to talk about haggling tips for
Opticians

If you want to discuss airport parking in general please go to the Haggling guide Discussion.

If you’ve got a suggestion/tip


Simply click reply and add your suggestion, though its worth scanning down first to check it's not been duplicated.

Related Discussions
«134

Comments

  • nedmundo
    nedmundo Posts: 1,160
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    The title of the thread is offensive - we are not car salesmen you know!
    If anyone came into my practice and started haggling, I would give them directions to the nearest bucket shop and then point them to the nearest exit. Prices are set for a reason (to cover exceedingly high costs etc) and quite frankly, hagglers are likely to not going to appreciate the difference between the specs I dispense and cheaper ones found in competitors and online. They are also likely to be more trouble in future.


    There - that should kick this thread off!
    Beware the character seeking personal gain masquerading as a moral crusader.
    :beer:
  • Slapps
    Slapps Posts: 654 Forumite
    Maybe it's me but if your selling items then really your no different, as a salesman is a salesman weather they are selling cars, glasses or even a service. If it's ok to haggle money off a car then why not a pair of glasses. Personally I find it offensive that( through no fault of my own) I have to pay high prices just to have the luxury of being able to see.
    Rant over
    1st son born 11/02/05 2nd son born 09/01/08
    thats all i'm adding to the human race so think yourselfs lucky lol
  • Missed out on the specsavers free reaction lenses and got mine when they were doing the 2 for 1 offer, didn't really need 2 pairs of glasses and asked them if they could do the free reaction lenses but was given a firm no.
    I hate migraines.
  • McKneff
    McKneff Posts: 38,816
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    Forumite
    I didnt have a problem recently in Specsavers. I am 59 years old so too young for the 60 year old promotion. they offered me 25% and i said it would be great if i could be included in the 30% deal, no problem. My £425.oo glasses cost me under £300.00 and my sight test cost me a tenner with a coupon on the back of a Morrisons till receipt. I was well pleased.
    make the most of it, we are only here for the weekend.
    and we will never, ever return.
  • marcowil
    marcowil Posts: 687
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    nedmundo wrote: »
    The title of the thread is offensive - we are not car salesmen you know!
    If anyone came into my practice and started haggling, I would give them directions to the nearest bucket shop and then point them to the nearest exit. Prices are set for a reason (to cover exceedingly high costs etc) and quite frankly, hagglers are likely to not going to appreciate the difference between the specs I dispense and cheaper ones found in competitors and online. They are also likely to be more trouble in future.


    There - that should kick this thread off!

    I hope you have a thriving business because with the attitude you are displaying you must lose custom quite often
    The Daily Mail
    Tagline - "Why let the truth get in the way of a story to incense Middle England"
  • It all depends on your prescription.
    I have a very complex prescription. Usually cost me £400-£500 !!!
    Only once have I used a cheap optician and I will NEVER do it again. Now I save up and go to D & A. absolutely wonderful service.
    I do however go at sale time to get half priced frames!!!
  • Missed out on the specsavers free reaction lenses and got mine when they were doing the 2 for 1 offer, didn't really need 2 pairs of glasses and asked them if they could do the free reaction lenses but was given a firm no.

    Yep I missed out on this one too and also got done for coatings that I really didn't need (note: do not go to opticians when hung over!) bah!
    Have to go back in Jan again so will see what I can get then if I need new lenses :)
  • I used to buy my lenses from my optician until I discovered the internet prices were a lot cheaper so I stopped the direct debit for the opticians lenses. A few months later he asked why I'd stopped so I told him that his prices were £90 for 90 pairs but online they were £65. So he offered me at £60! Can you believe it?! I bit his hand off & was faithful for a while until I discovered Tesco.com do the same ones at £51 inc delivery....
    I'm a lenses tart and will happily go wherever offers the best deal. Why not?
  • I used to work in an optitians and can tell you all for fact, the mark up on lenses and frames is astronomical. Frames in the budget ranges cost less than £1.00 to buy in, certainly not more than a couple of quid. Designer frames cost from about £30.00 upwards and sell for over £100.00.

    Basic lenses again are cheap to make, a few quid each as are basic contact lenses.... HOWEVER

    complex prescriptions, coated lenses, staff costs, equipment costs, contact lens trials and fitting and complex contact lenses etc are a lot more expensive so profit margiuns are a lot lower.

    The problem with trying to haggle in a branch of a chain of optitions is that all the prices are fixed, however go somewhere that is still selling lenses and frames seperatly and I am certain frames can be hagggled for quite easily.
    Independants need stock to turn over quickly to keep peoples interest and will be quite glad to discount a frame that they want rid off.
  • Hi
    Horsechestnut, can I ask what put you off going back to a cheapy place for your glasses? I too have a complex prescription and normally have to pay around £350. The coating on my glasses has started to detiriorate, leaving me walking round in a perpetual fog! This happened after about 2 years and optician said, basically, tough! So I was looking at the online sites, but d'you think they are no good?
    Cheers
    Sarahp
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 342.5K Banking & Borrowing
  • 249.9K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.4K Spending & Discounts
  • 234.6K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 607.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 172.8K Life & Family
  • 247.4K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.8K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards