Physical Prescription Eyeglasses Store - a SCAM?

Lrenaldof on 18/12/2018 - 21:39
Last edited 20/12/2018 - 12:46

(/rant mode on)

I've been an Ozbargainer since my first week in Australia, back in 2010.
Now, at age 36, I found that I need to use prescription glasses (+0.5) at work, as my eyes are usually "tired" in the evening.
At the very OPSM shop they made test a few models and my first suggested eyeglasses price was… $460. No way I am paying that.
I then started doing my Ozbargain work to learn about Luxottica and all the brands that belong to the same bunch, but hey, these are glasses for MEDICAL reasons, not brand/fashion, right?
I've bought sunnies online before and deeply regretted it (the fit was wrong). After visiting several shops, I was amazed by:
- prices are usually high for a PIECE OF PLASTIC
- the "cheap" frames (bellow $100) are mostly very ugly and uncomfortable
- the prices about the lens and extras (anti-reflective for example) can change dramatically from shop to shop
- there are LOTS, too many optometrists shops
- one (very ugly) model was selling at a hidden section supper deal for $80. The lady said that with special lenses she could "drop" half of its price.

I was quite surprised that in the era where mankind even PRINT their own plastic items, frames are quite expensive for what it is worth. The profit margins seem to be utterly excessive, which explains the high number of shops so close to each other (just like the mattress shop phenomenon).

To me, the numbers do not add up. Prescription eyeglasses with nothing special (other than non-reflective) shouldn't cost more thant $30, as far as I can tell. This all looks to me like a big SCAM / CARTEL and it doesn't seem to be of any big company's interest bringing these prices to actual decent levels.

I'd be happy to buy the ones from the pharmacy, but I can only find the 1+ models, double of what I need, and I wish to have non-reflective lenses as well.

Has anyone in the community have any better ideas?

UPDATE: As I am typing this I am wearing the Dresden Vision eyeglasses, bought for $49, and I am quite happy with them. The service was way better than the one the optometrists offered when I mentioned that I was on a budget. The whole experience - profile creation, pupil distance check, explanation about options, pick size & color, and making it took 30min - counting the 10min break when I went for a coffee. Their business model is: we're cool and nice, frames are cheap and they use as a marketing tool (broke it? swap for free forever), colorful options, proffit made on the lens. This is exactly what I expected to find when I raised this post. Thank you everyone for the tips.

Health & Beauty Glasses

Comments

  • Cheeper on 18/12/2018 - 22:04
    +2

    I assume it is reading glasses you need?
    Normally I would suggest low strength readers. Decent scratch resistant ones can be had from Daiso for $2.80.
    They are cheap enough so give a pair a try.
    As you want non reflective lenses then it looks like budget specs are not for you and you will have to pay spectacle store price for those.

    • renaldof on 20/12/2018 - 08:42

      My prescription is for 0.5+, and off-the-shelf I can only find 1+, but thank you

  • mskeggs on 18/12/2018 - 22:09
    +6

    Zennioptical or equivalent will post you glasses for under $20. Get a few pairs to try.

    In America there is warby Parker who do cheap nice glasses, but they are still $100.
    It is a bit like complaining there is only $2 of cotton in a designer shirt x yes, but so?

    • tabz on 18/12/2018 - 23:15

      +1 for ZenniOptical

      I bought my first pair at OPSM at a ridiculous price (even after the private healthcare rebate).

      Got my prescription, ordered a backup pair from Zenni and a pair of prescription sunglasses for about $70 delivered and was very impressed with the quality. Took about 3 weeks to arrive though.

      • [Deactivated] on 19/12/2018 - 11:06

        +3 for zenni. order from them for my mum and the glasses come out to about $20, usually order her about 5-6 pairs at a time as she has two prescriptions (distance and reading) and likes to keep pairs for the car, bedside etc. If you aren't in a rush, around most US holidays they will have discounts. they're often posted on here as deals.

    • renaldof on 19/12/2018 - 23:13

      thanks, I will see how I go with the physical shop options first and maybe order a Zennioptical for spare :)

  • EmilySparkles on 18/12/2018 - 22:37

    Have you tried Bailey Nelson or Oscar Wylee at all? I am extremely short-sighted and my prescription usually means that I have to pay a very high price for glasses (e.g. $650), but I went to Bailey Nelson last year and managed to get frames with thin lenses, anti-reflective and some other coating for $350. The frames are really good quality and they have lasted all year. I know Oscar Wylee will send you out 5 pairs in the post if you order online and this service is free for you to try on the frames at home and then you send them back and order the ones you want with a prescription.

    Good luck!

    • RyanMK on 19/12/2018 - 00:09

      Oscar Wylee is decently priced, but the quality of most of their frames seem pretty subpar.

      Granted, I have never bought a pair before, but I checked out two OW stores when looking for a new pair of glasses.

    • renaldof on 19/12/2018 - 23:16
      +1

      thanks a lot for finding this!

  • dizzle on 19/12/2018 - 01:03
    +3

    As always value is in the eye of the beholder (no pun intended). You say it's a medical device but if it's something you wear frequently, comfort and looks do matter. I'm not talking about brands being better, but certainly some styles suit some more than others and some of those styles will cost more due to brands. I've tried cheap glasses, as soon as I went to better ones I could tell the difference in feel and sight. I'm willing to pay for thinner glass, thinner frames, polarised lenses. I also found when I had cheap glasses I treated them cheaply and went through them faster.

    I've brought plenty of stuff online that has turned out different to what I thought they were (even though they still do what they said they did, so my own fault most of the time), but for something I wear as a necessity I wouldn't want to risk that. I also have a personal issue with getting the service from the optometrist and then purchasing from someone else online.

    I don't think it's fair to call it a scam because they cost so little to make. CDs DVDs cost to make vs sale price is big, but you have other costs (licensing/distribution etc). These shops still need to pay staff, rent, optometrists and I'm sure there are many costs I don't know about.

    Plus it's a business, it's there to make money.

    • renaldof on 19/12/2018 - 23:05

      The maths don't add up according to your argument.
      Yes, it is a business and as so I expected to have more competition in the market. There are $200 t-shirt shops and $5 t-shirt shops. It might be that $5 is way too cheap but hey, apparently there is a threshold of quality of the material of $25 around this thing - anything beyond that is style. Why are there so many websites willing to sell decent looking eyeglasses for $20-$30 but no physical stores selling them for, let's say $50-$60? If you rule out the lens this becomes even more evident. I am doubling the price so yes, this should cover all the costs involved with the physical world. In a shopping centre, there could be 2 truly cheap shops and 2 stylish/expensive ones, not 8-10 expensive shops only.
      So, coming back to my initial point, I think it is a SCAM because this market doesn't behave in the "natural" way it is expected from the markets (I'm a lefty just to clarify) and the marketing brainwashes people to trust that it is fair. Profit margins are extremely high for at least one part of the line (Luxottica probably) and maybe they buy any new substantive competitor that shows up (Cartel).

  • seanj on 19/12/2018 - 02:21
    -2

    Youre over 30 and don’t have health insurance? That’s my take from all this. If you’re unhappy with Luxottica try Big W or Costco.

    • o53djz7qTPY4der on 19/12/2018 - 07:18

      Not necessarily. They may just have opted to not pay for the scam that is 'extras' yet have hospital cover.

    • renaldof on 19/12/2018 - 23:08

      My take from your comment is that you should not question a market because you're wrong for not having a health insurance.
      I disagree with you.

  • Geminist on 19/12/2018 - 03:01
    +2

    You can consider checking out Dresden Optics. A startup in glasses.

    They make some pretty durable glasses, and decently styled too with affordable lenses. The service I received from them was decent too. It’s cheap at around $70 to $100, and the parts have interchangeable colours (but same style), so you can swap them out if you crack the frame, or legs etc.

    • renaldof on 19/12/2018 - 23:10

      YES, this is the kind of info I was looking for! I will visit their store tomorrow.
      "Readers, multifocals, sunnies, work glasses, prescription sunnies, contact lenses? We do the lot, without silly mark-ups. Complete prescription glasses and sunnies from just $49."

      Thanks a lot!

    • chichi on 20/12/2018 - 01:24

      Wow what an interesting site!

    • renaldof on 20/12/2018 - 12:46

      bought them @Geminist, thank you!

      • Geminist on 20/12/2018 - 15:26

        You’re welcome!

    • renaldof on 19/12/2018 - 23:18

      @dizzle this is what I am talking about

  • try2bhelpful on 19/12/2018 - 08:22

    Try going to a DFO, often the sunglasses shops also have reading glass sections where the glasses are $5-$10 for a pair. Costco has some reasonable glasses at 3 for $21.

    • renaldof on 19/12/2018 - 23:11

      Unfortunately there is never +0.50 off-the-shelf eyeglasses but thank you

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