Glasses Buying Cost Cutting Plan Article Discussion Area

glassesdirect_company_representative

moredeadthanalive wrote: »

Just thought I would give you an account of buying new glasses from GlassesDirect.

At the beginning of Sep, I phoned up GD to ask about the types of bifocal lenses they use, and after understanding that they would be similar to what I have already, I gave my order over the phone. I asked for the rep to read back the prescription to make sure all was OK, which was done. I had to phone back a bit later when I realised that they had not asked for my pupillary distance (mine is wider than their standard distance) and tell it to them. I was slightly miffed that I had to do it, but was probably more excited at the prospect of getting new specs soon.

Excellent value – rimless, transitions, antiscratch and antiglare and UV. All for £121 after a discount. Boots rimless start at over £150, without lenses!!! And specsavers make you buy 2 pairs for around £350 for similar specs.

They arrived 10 days later and I excitedly tried them on but vision on the left was blurred. I checked the paper work and found they had set the axis to 38 instead of 78! But they had read it back to me correctly.

Their return procedure is straightforward. You print out a form from the website and return Freepost. I took a certificate of posting to be sure. The glasses were returned in a further 21 days and I am very pleased with them. Good value for a smart part of glasses. But the correction took longer than the original order and I was expecting special treatment for a potentially disgruntled customer.

I emailed GD customer service to say how disappointed I was with their mistake and suggested that more care should be taken. At no time was my complaint acknowledged, or an apology given or that the mistake should never have happened.

So, all in all, you get much better value than the high street, but if things go wrong, I wouldn’t expect them to bend over backwards to sort you out.

Hello moredeadthanalive, and again as with the previous message I'm *so* sorry it's taken me so long to reply.

I'm really sorry you've had this experience, and quite surprised. We really pride ourselves on our customer service and we work hard to make sure we *do* go the extra mile.

We've obviously made a mistake in the initial transcribing and not replying to an email, which has left you not feeling great about us. Again I'm surprised with that, we aim to respond to 95% of all emails within 24 hours.

Could you private message me your details (order number/email address), and I can look in what's happened with the communications here, plus I'll ask why the correction took so much longer than the initial order.

I'd change your final sentence, keep the bit about better value than the high street, but if things go wrong, I WOULD expect us to bend over backwards to sort you out. Which is why when I read about a case like this where it seems like we haven't, I make sure I dig around to find out why.

If you start out feeling like this: :mad: we normally aren't happy until you feel like this:

Again, sorry you had this experience, but if you private message me some details of your order I'll find out what happened as I'd far rather you were more like this again:

[Deleted User]

Arch_23 wrote: »

Hi,

I'm keen to take advantage of cheaper glasses by buying online. My main concern is that my prescription is quite hight (-10 Sphere).

Do the online sellers cater for such strong prescriptions?

I am in exactly the same situation. (-10)

PLease let me know if you find out £500 a pair of glasses is just not possible at the moment. and the fantastic £13.70 voucher for complex lens is more of an insult than anything.

looking for high refractive index (1.8 min) anyone know?

jelly_baby2110

I do agree that the NHS complex voucher entitlement is a joke.
At the moment, the highest refractive index plastic is avaliable in in a 1.74... after that it would be glass which can be up to 1.91.
With regards to prescriptions over +/- 10.00DS, unless there is a person registered with the GOC, i.e. an Optom or a Dispensing optician, any company would break the law if they supplied prescriptions to this prescription.
I am a pre-reg Dispensing Optician so I have seen first hand what can happen when internet spectacles "go wrong". However before you all shoot me down in flames I do understand that in some cases they can be of help to patient. However I have to say that with most prescriptions an estimate of a PD worries me and if there is no one qualified actually dispensing these spectacles, this worries me more!!

lawsofnature

moredeadthanalive wrote: »

What do you want, jam on it?

As Bill Gates says - "Life is unfair, get used to it"

They are so cheap anyway, why quibble about a few pounds?

Don't be so rude! I simply wanted some clarity about which discounts can and cannot be used. It's misleading for Glasses Direct to advertise that the trial cost is refunded, when they do not make it clear that one only receives this refund when not using other discount codes.

And don't make assumptions either: my pair of glasses were not cheap - the order was for over £200.

lawsofnature

glassesdirect_company_representative wrote: »

Hi lawsofnature, and *so* sorry for taking so long to respond, unfortunately I wasn't receiving updates that the thread had been updated for some reason.

Currently our system only allows a single discount code to be applied, so you should choose whichever discount code gives you the greatest value off your pair of glasses. If you come through from quidco, then then discount code will already be applied.

Unfortunately this is a systems issue which we're looking to address longer term so that some discounts can be applied together.

The Home Trials discounts issue should now be resolved by the fact that we've made Home Trials free so you can try out your four pairs without having to pay anything, thereby getting rid of one of the discount codes!

The 10% discount for 2 pairs was a test, and was in place of free delivery with 2 pairs. I'm really sorry if the site showed them both simultaneously, that's something that shouldn've have happened. Again, we have gone back to the the simpler free delivery with 2 pairs.

So in summary: Only 1 discount code can be used at a time, free delivery will be applied on 2 or more pairs, and home trials are now free.

We try to be clear, and I'm sorry you received mixed messages from different people within the company. That's something we'll need to clear up internally and I'll make sure your message is passed around inside GD

Thanks for the reply (I wasn't expecting one, so no need to apologise). It would just be a lot easier if you made it clear on the website that one discount code can be used. I noticed you've changed your trial, and I may take you up on this to get some specs for my Mum.

On a general basis, I found the GD a good service, and the two pair of glasses we received were good, although I returned one pair as I was not happy with the lens finish (too thick and slightly flimsy on a rimless frame - customer services said I could get a refund if I wasn't happy, and sure enough I was fully refunded, although I did have to chase up confirmation of this as I received no automated refund email). The pair of glasses we kept are excellent quality for the price.

lawsofnature

flexiblefish wrote: »

I am in exactly the same situation. (-10)

PLease let me know if you find out £500 a pair of glasses is just not possible at the moment. and the fantastic £13.70 voucher for complex lens is more of an insult than anything.

looking for high refractive index (1.8 min) anyone know?

Asda are doing a deal at the moment on high index lenses - they aren't charging more if you require high index lenses.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2025831&highlight=lawsofnature

Pssst

flexiblefish wrote: »

I am in exactly the same situation. (-10)

PLease let me know if you find out £500 a pair of glasses is just not possible at the moment. and the fantastic £13.70 voucher for complex lens is more of an insult than anything.

looking for high refractive index (1.8 min) anyone know?

I feel your pain...my specs script is -9.50/-8.50.

I wonder if you have investigated disposable contact lenses as a solution?

I use them 99% of the time and they are the perfect solution.

i have found this co but cant vouch for them. I think they are an affiliate site of another company. CLs are really worth checking out..

http://www.eyeexperts.co.uk/

Craven

Hi I just thought I would share this with you. Asda are offering prescription glasses 2 pairs with designer frames ,coatings, and thin lenses for £90. Anybody that has a high prescription would be quids in. My prescription is -8.00. I have just purchased mine with thin lenses. The lenses alone are over £150 at opticians.:j

Jakes_3

I think you can look again at the high street - I know for a fact that Specsavers have complete specs for £25 because I have a pair. And I guess if you get two pairs for £75 (which are of a higher spec though there's nothing at all wrong withmy £25 pair) you're only paying £37.50 each pair which is still less than you say.

koru wrote: »

Buying on line is a good option, but I think Martin goes a bit too far in dismissing any alternatives.

Sure, you can pay £99 at Dollond & Aitchison for basic frames, if you are really stupid or rich, but to use this as the only comparison is to exaggerate the cost benefit of buying online. There are plenty of cheaper options and special offers at most opticians. A realistic price for a basic frame on the high street would be more like £40. Still more expensive than the real cheapies online, but not that much extra, and at least you do get to see the frames and try them before you buy and get them fitted to your exact face, and take them back easily if they are faulty.

And if you want designer frames, which many of us do, then again the difference in price is less marked. Indeed, if you are a Costco member (or know someone who is), they sell designer frames for as little as £40, including frames, so online is no cheaper at all.

I'm not an optician and I'm not saying don't buy them online, but I think the choice is not as clear as Martin suggests.

nellykim

Hi... Can anyone tell me please... Would an optician be willing to fit new prescription lenses ( varifocals ) into the frames already being used at the moment ?..Has anyone ever done this ? what's to stop people doing this if its possible - they would save even more, surely ?

thanks