Boots Opticians Rip Off

HeyBigSpender

I needed new glasses urgently, and went to my nearest Boots opticians because my usual place had a waiting list. They did all the usual checks. I explained how I was worried about my worsening night vision to the optometrist, so he suggested I add antiglare coating to my lenses.

After testing, I was told that my prescription had changed a lot. They suggested varifocals to make my life easier, and I decided to give them a try. And when I said I was worried about forking out for varifocals in case they didn’t suit me (some of my friends have struggled with them) they reassured me by saying that I could always replace them with single vision lenses at no extra cost. Of course, am now worrying if that means at the same cost as the stupidly ultra expensive varifocal lens cost of which at that point I was unaware, and hence no refund of the difference. If such the case is so, it was not made clear. I suppose it isn’t in their best interest to point out the huge variation in cost at that stage of the discussion.

Then I looked at some frames. The ones I liked the best were very expensive, but at about 80 pounds in the difference with the other ones I liked, I went for the ones I liked the best, on the basis I wear glasses full time. They are as much a part of my face as my nose, so I was prepared to pay a little extra to put something nice there. Then we went through the choices of lenses. I am extremely shortsighted and have always have had the thinnest lenses, as otherwise I have bottle ends and nobody can see my actual eyes. It was a long appointment, much longer than I expected. I guess we had a lot to cover. And they didn’t seem too busy.

At the end of several tiring hours of tests and trying on frames, I was running late and more than ready to finish and leave and collect my kids. I asked for the price and the cheerful young trainee told me the price. Over £600. Hmm. That’s a lot. The frames themselves were over £200. An indulgence, yes. But as I said above, I wear them all the time. But I figured that the frames would be pretty much the same price as everywhere else, yes? I paid half the cost, and rushed off.

This turned out not to be the case, when I checked it seems you can get exactly the same frames elsewhere for between 50 and 70 pounds. I was shocked at the £170 price difference, and as a result, now I am worried that the cost of the lenses are vastly overblown too. I had presumed that the big difference in cost from before was because of the varifocals because I had never had them before. I did ask for a breakdown of the cost at the time and felt a bit fobbed off and distracted. In retrospect, his handling of it seemed very rehearsed. I’m feeling very ripped off.

I am collecting the glasses this week, paying the other half of the price, and will ask for a complete breakdown of the cost, but of course it will be too late for my wallet.

I’m disappointed in Boots. I rather foolishly presumed that they would be competitively priced and not indulge in unnecessary up-selling. I'm not sure if there is anything I can do about it except warn others not to use them.

pmduk

Boots is rarely, if ever, competitively priced for anything.

BorisThomson

Buyers remorse. Never pay such a large amount for anything without going away and doing your research first.

If you'd contacted them the same or next day they may have allowed you to change the order. It's likely too late to do that now, but call in the morning and see what they say. Be polite, you're not happy with the price but that's not their fault.

Tigsteroonie

Sorry but it sounds as though you didn't do your homework. Boots opticians are no better, no worse, than any other chain optician. Some people swear by independents, others see no difference in getting a prescription and buying glasses.

HeyBigSpender

I hear you, and agree with above comments. Yes, I didn’t do my homework, and was rushing, for a variety of reasons (not least, I couldn’t actually SEE anything and that is quite disorienting), but yes, at the end of the day, I should not have taken for granted that Boots would be on the same level as say Specsavers, who I have never had a problem with, and in my experience are less opaque. I wrongly presumed they would be similar. Hopefully my rant will act as a warning to those wandering in through high street Boots doors presuming not to be ripped off.

Buyer beware. But please, buyer beware even more when you go to Boots opticians.

missile

Visionexpress do a money back 30 day cancellation. :T

Prinzessilein

Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience with Boots....I was there a couple of weeks ago and have nothing but praise for them!

After the eye-test it was decided I need new glasses, the optician handed me over to the young lady in charge of helping people choose their new glasses...She was absolutely brilliant! I chose a couple of frames I liked, and she pointed out that my lenses cannot go into this style of frame, and then she excused herself and came back with a choice of half a doze or so frames that WOULD work with my lenses, and that were all similar to my original choices....When I chose the two I wanted (distance and readers) , she went through the 'standard' price with me, and a few optional extras...when we came to agreement as to what I wanted, she spent a few minutes working out the cheapest possible way to price them up (I have an NHS voucher...plus they had a few 'offers' such as second pair at half-price et.c)...She then had a colleague come and double check that the best possible price had been offered (standard procedure at our Boots)...and booked me in for a fitting the following week when my new glasses were ready.

I'm guessing that like all optician you get good and poor branches...and I was lucky, and the OP unlucky with their local Boots!

LadyDee

Why is it always a rip off or a scam when people buy things in a hurry, they're running late, making a very important purchase, don't do due diligence, don't ask questions exactly what the T&Cs are?

It's always someone else's fault.

RichardD1970

I've used Boots for the last few years as I have to have my prescription safety glassed done through them so get my normal glasses done at the same time.

Always found the service and advice excellent.

Last time I asked (on spec) about an eye test for my wife as she was well overdue. They fitted her in then and there and spent over an hour going through loads of different frame and lens options, taking photos on the computer so she could see them on (no good looking in the mirror, her eyes are too bad for her to see).

Nothing but praise for them and wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

pmduk

It's exactly the same with me, my Specsavercs optometrist found a condition which was pretty difficult to confirm. But at the end of the day, that's why we have eye tests.

Ladykernow

If you don't get on with the varifocals, they do a 30 day comfort guarantee. But you may find they work really well for you. Especially as you can use them all the time and not have to switch from reading glasses to distance.

It's good to go away with knowing exactly what you have on your glasses. You didn't have to buy them there and then. I know you said you were in a rush.

Do you know what quality of varifocal you have chosen? It's sometimes worth paying a bit more in terms of quality with varifocals. Not sure what everyone else feels about this?