£13 for two pairs of prescription glasses Deals Discussion

glassesdirect_company_representative

andyjsi wrote: »

I'm slowly getting there with my order, but delivery is coming up at £7.90?

I thought it was £3.95 per order, not per pair of specs?

It is £3.95 per order, I don't know why that's happened - it's not something I've come across before.

You can either order and send a follow up email with the order number telling us to refund the extra delivery, or try and re-create the order. I'd like to follow up directly but I don't think I can private message you as I'm a company rep.

amanasj1

I don't write on these boards but as an Optometrist
I just want to clarify some of the earlier points and let people know why glasses sold in opticians are expensive compared to online.

first point though to relieve any fears:
1) free eye tests should be exactly the same as paid for ones no matter where you get your eyes tested. You'll get good optometrists and occasionally a few bad ones regardless of how much you paid for the eye test.

2) Eye tests can be made free or very cheap e.g. about 20 pounds (compare that with going to the dentist) because the true price of the eye test is subsidised by the sale of specs. i.e. Those who need specs are effectively paying a contribution towards those who don't need specs so that the eye test is affordable.
If the public were to demand that this didn't occur then the true cost of an eye test would be around 60-70 pounds! As a result most people would avoid eye tests as long as possible and many people would lose vision due to undetected diseases such as glaucoma or diabetes.

This is why optometrists are angry about online sales. They provide no services other than undercutting an optician after we invest hundreds of thousands on the latest technology to keeps the publics eye safe. In the long term this will damage the profession and the publics health. The online suppliers do not think of the future of the profession and eye health care in the UK because they are not health care professionals. They have employed a few D grade opticians to make themselves look respectable.

On a side note to get specs made up you need a measurement called p.d. Opticians are not obliged to give this with the prescription and so the online dealers simply take an average value. This is totally unnacceptable as visual distortions could occur and I am convinced that sooner or later someone will have a serious accident as a result. If an optician were to take an average value for the p.d. we would be punished by the g.o.c and closed down...

andyjsi

glassesdirect_company_representative wrote: »

It is £3.95 per order, I don't know why that's happened - it's not something I've come across before.

You can either order and send a follow up email with the order number telling us to refund the extra delivery, or try and re-create the order. I'd like to follow up directly but I don't think I can private message you as I'm a company rep.

Well I got to the payment screen, entered my card details and then it errored, no way of knowing if it went through or not, but basket is now empty and it's not showing any orders.. so i guess i'd better start again!

glassesdirect_company_representative

zziggy wrote: »

Why could you not cope with the extra traffic after you gave explicit assurances that you could?

We had planned for increased traffic, and coped yesterday with a huge amount of extra traffic. Today was an even greater level, and unfortunately it proved too much. We're doing everything we can to increase capacity. We're most definitely sorry.

We've plenty of stock for all our key styles, and more on the way so there shouldn't be any problem getting the pair that you want when the site gets back on both feet again.

Purple_Turnip

andyjsi wrote: »

Well I got to the payment screen, entered my card details and then it errored, no way of knowing if it went through or not, but basket is now empty and it's not showing any orders.. so i guess i'd better start again!

I've been going through the payment process for ages! Every time it fails...

Also, sometimes it will say that my basket is empty, but then when I refresh it all reappears... so maybe refresh it a few times just to be sure before you have to start from the beginning again!

glassesdirect_company_representative

So we've agreed to extend the 2nd pair free offer at £39 until the 5th of August so that there isn't the worry about the offer running out so soon.

Also we're committing to drop products from £49 down to £39 if we do start running out of styles at that £39 to make sure you'll have the same breadth of choice.

glassesdirect_company_representative

amanasj1 wrote: »

I don't write on these boards but as an Optometrist
I just want to clarify some of the earlier points and let people know why glasses sold in opticians are expensive compared to online.
....

This is really *not* the thread for this discussion but some very quick replies
- High street opticians may be angry about online sales, but it is simply due to a business model built up over decades that makes the industry vulnerable to other business models.
- The smarter high street opticians are realising online is actually an opportunity and an extra channel to reach out to customers rather than a terrifying thing to be feared and destroyed.
- Your point on PD measurements is one that is particularly frustrating as you cannot have it both ways. If you're worried about innaccurate PDs causing problems for customers....then give out the measurement with the prescription and don't deliberately withhold it! (on this point - we will use averages up to certain prescription strengths, then insist on a PD measured by opticians for higher prescriptions. Based on recommendations by our advisory board which includes a professor of opthalmology, and a consultant opthalmic surgeon)
- Your description of my colleagues as 'D list opticians' is simply insulting and not even worthy of response

Anyway, as I said, I don't think this forum is the appropriate place for this debate.

amanasj1

glassesdirect_company_representative wrote: »

This is really *not* the thread for this discussion but some very quick replies

If this thread is not the place for this discussion then whats with the lengthy reply? Obviously you felt the need for damage control before upholding forum rules.

Charlie94

Glasses Direct reprsentative I have a question for you.

I am having an eye test tomorrow. What information do I need to get from my optician. Obviously I need to get what power I need but I have read about PD measurements. Will my optician give this to me. I already pay for contact lenses from them so hopefully they will give this to me.

I am thinking about purchasing designer glasses from your website so I really want to make sure the glasses come with the ideal lenses for my eyes. Is there an option to enter a PD measurement or do you always just choose an average?

So basically my question is please list the info I need from my optician so I can get the perfect lenses from your website.

amanasj1

[QUOTE=
- Your point on PD measurements is one that is particularly frustrating as you cannot have it both ways. If you're worried about innaccurate PDs causing problems for customers....then give out the measurement with the prescription and don't deliberately withhold it! [/QUOTE]


If we do this we go bust... no ifs no buts!! who then will do your eye test?