Last Updated on May 16, 2023 by amy
Buying glasses can be expensive, especially if you don’t have vision benefits to help defer the costs of frames and lenses. One option you might consider is buying your glasses online.
Many websites offer the opportunity to purchase glasses online. They have many frames and lens choices, just as your optician’s office or eyewear retailer would. Most include instructions on measuring pupillary distance and frame size and tips for finding the right frames for your face. A try-on-at-home option allows you to try one or even several frames to find out what is best for you.
Sounds great, right? For the most part, it is. Shopping for glasses online is convenient and allows you to shop in the privacy of your own home.
But is buying glasses online a cheaper option than buying glasses in person?
Most importantly, you can save money by buying glasses online instead of at an optical or eyewear store. According to a Consumer Reports survey, purchasing glasses online can save consumers as much as 40 percent compared to walk-in eyewear stores. Some reports state savings from buying glasses online can be as high as 70 percent!
Even designer brand frames can be found for much less than you would pay in a physical location. The Wall Street Journal reported that a Polo Ralph Lauren frame for women sold for $209 at LensCrafters and was found for as little as $154 on websites selling glasses online.
One reason for the lower prices is that, in many cases, the websites manufacture the glasses in-house; thus, they don’t have to charge extra fees for distributors or labs. Of course, there’s also no overhead of paying rent or property taxes on a facility as a walk-in store would.
Another great feature of online optical sites is that some partner with walk-in stores for free adjustments, so you can buy glasses in-store without ever leaving your house during the purchasing process.
Getting Your Glasses Online: Not Always the Way to Go
In some cases, buying glasses online is not for everyone. Where you’re saving in your pocketbook might cost you in other ways.
For instance, it is suggested that only an optician should fit you for frames to ensure accuracy, such as correct pupillary distance measurements. You might get glasses that aren’t a good fit for you, and you’ll have to go through the hassle of returning them and trying again. Also, many optical websites don’t take insurance, so while costs might be lower, you’ll incur all the expenses yourself, even if you have vision insurance.
If you want to learn more about buying glasses online or are considering this option and want to shop for frames, check out Classic Specs at www.classicspecs.com. Call us at 1-800-896-2561 with any questions you might have.
