Can you haggle over the cost of new specs?

BigTezza

Hi

It's time for the dreaded annual eye test and new specs. I wear varifocals with reaction (?) lenses but I'd say the prescription is quite mild.

There's a weird phenomenon that takes place in Specsavers in that no matter what special offers they might have or money off coupons I can find, I always leave the shop about £250-300 lighter. Last year I thought I'd try a different tack so had mid-price varifocal lenses with just scratch protection added. I also chose a fairly inexpensive set of frames. As the reaction lenses don't go dark in the car when it's sunny I also have prescription sungogs so I took those to the shop and asked for the same prescription lenses to be added to my existing frames to save money - I still left the shop minus £248.

Buying varifocals on the internet seems to be too much of a gamble so I was wondering if anyone out there has ever had any luck haggling the price down at Specsavers or similar and what approach they took?

Thanks

BigTezza

Nobody?!

sarkycow73

I just renewed my glasses @ Specsavers and @ 1st they were trying 2 sell me glasses that would cost me £130 in total including my NHS voucher.......I however had already looked on their website and knew which offers i wanted 2 go 4 and how much i was gonna walk out spending.........so I stuck to my guns and walked out spending the grand total for single lens glasses with the reactalight and non scratch coatings £29.95

My advice is work out what you want b4 u get there and don't let them sway you.

HTH

BigTezza

Wow - that's pretty good! Can I hire you to come shopping with me?!

I find it very confusing as from past experience their offers always have catches e.g. 2 for 1 (and then in very small print...) "if you buy one frame from our 'Blimey How much??" range..". I nearly needed oxygen last time when they said it was £250 for one pair of varifocals and the same lenses put in my own sungog frames - and I didn't even go for their top of the range varifocal lenses!!

I will take a look on the website though and see if I can get some idea. I'd still be interested to know if anyone has actually had any joy haggling with them - I don't know of anyone who has even tried it!

Thanks for the info.

sarkycow73

also just because you had ur eye's tested @ specsavers it doesn't mean you have to buy from them........... you can just take your script to any shop you wish to buy from so hunt around with different retailers.

sarkycow73

as to haggling well if u don't ask u don't get........and it don't hurt lol

BigTezza

True - I've just never heard of it being done with an optician. I've been looking around the main suppliers like D&A etc and my head hurts. They all have slightly different offers!! Looking at the Specsavers website it seems that my lenses would cost around £170 (that's £80 for mid-range varifocal+£40 for thinner lenses inc anti scratch+£50 for reactions). Add in the cost of sungog lenses and I'm back at about £250 yet again!

I just want glasses - not bionic vision! Haggling it is then!

sophlowe45

I spoke to Washin Opticians today (only in London) over the phone to ask some questions about 1.74 thin lenses and it turns out you can haggle!

I ended up going with a different independent optician in London and you can haggle, have no idea if this can work in high street chains like Specsavers, Boots etc.

BigTezza

Thanks for that - a little ray of hope then! I'll have to put on my best pitiful face and see if Specsavers will play ball. If they don't and I feel it's too pricey I'll just take my prescription and walk. Once I have an idea of what I actually want lenses-wise I can ring up a few others and see what they'll do.

sarkycow73

i got glasses that have the thicker arms that tamper down from the frames which hide alot of thickness cos specsavers were tryin their hardest 2 get me 2 have them thinned. i love my new glasses so quids in and stylist 2 hehehehe

lubylwu

My OH has quite thick lenses and usually goes to D&A - his last pair were over £400. So he decided to try Asda this time as they offer thinner lenses as standard, depending on prescription. He got designer frames, thinner lenses, varifocals and reactions lenses with scratch-resistant and anti-reflective coating for £135 +£15 eye test. Have a look here for their latest offers.