Zenni Optical store review
Jun. 29th, 2009 06:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ghost2My experience might be of some interest to anyone who wears glasses and is particularly appalled by their high cost.
It had been five years since I bought new eyeglasses. I have a relatively strong prescription and really shouldn't have waited that long, so in early June I finally went in for an eye appointment to get a prescription. Nothing majorly wrong with my eyes at this point, but the glasses I needed cost $220. Yeah, I'm not one of those lucky people whose prescription qualifies for the "two pairs for $99" deal at Sears Optical.
I probably could have paid less than $220 at Wal-Mart, for example, but my previous glasses came from there and I didn't care for their quality. I sucked it up, bought from Sears, and then started to look around for a cheaper alternative for possible future use.
That was when I found the online store Zenni Optical. A complete pair of prescription glasses ordered from them can cost as little as $12.95 (including shipping). Mine cost an extra $9 because of my strong prescription, but $21.95, postage included, is still really cheap.
Too good to be true? I had my doubts. First, I checked around online and found plenty of satisfied customers, as well as some complaints. (To be expected, of course.) Based on my research, the place seemed legit and I decided to order a sample pair, just to see. The day after I placed my order, Zenni Optical e-mailed me to confirm that I had properly entered my prescription. (Apparently, they don't do that with everyone, just with the people whose numbers seem odd.) That was a positive start; I liked the double-checking. As it turned out, I had chosen the correct figures and replied to say so. Zenni responded that they would process my order right away.
When the glasses were ready, I received an email that included a tracking number. The glasses themselves arrived a few days later. From the time I placed the order to the time I received the glasses, the entire process took a little under three weeks. That's not much longer than I had to wait for Sears to produce my other, much more expensive pair.
Now you must be wondering about the quality of the Zenni glasses. Very nice, all things considered. The prescription seems accurate, and they look good. The part of the frames that holds the lenses is solid enough. My only quality concern is that the temples (the sections on each side of the glasses that go over your ears) seem flimsy. Of course, I did go for the cheapest possible frames.
In fact, when I placed the order, I was pretty much guessing at what I should pick. I rather randomly chose the frames color (dark gray, mostly because I've never had that color before) and I took a stab at what frame size would be reasonable for me. Turns out I guessed pretty well. I like the fit and look of the glasses, and would be willing to wear them in public.
Overall, I think Zenni Optical offers a nice deal. They seem especially good for anyone who's on a tight budget, wants a backup pair of glasses in case their primary pair gets damaged, or likes to experiment with different frames.
Has anyone else out there ordered from them? What did you think?
It had been five years since I bought new eyeglasses. I have a relatively strong prescription and really shouldn't have waited that long, so in early June I finally went in for an eye appointment to get a prescription. Nothing majorly wrong with my eyes at this point, but the glasses I needed cost $220. Yeah, I'm not one of those lucky people whose prescription qualifies for the "two pairs for $99" deal at Sears Optical.
I probably could have paid less than $220 at Wal-Mart, for example, but my previous glasses came from there and I didn't care for their quality. I sucked it up, bought from Sears, and then started to look around for a cheaper alternative for possible future use.
That was when I found the online store Zenni Optical. A complete pair of prescription glasses ordered from them can cost as little as $12.95 (including shipping). Mine cost an extra $9 because of my strong prescription, but $21.95, postage included, is still really cheap.
Too good to be true? I had my doubts. First, I checked around online and found plenty of satisfied customers, as well as some complaints. (To be expected, of course.) Based on my research, the place seemed legit and I decided to order a sample pair, just to see. The day after I placed my order, Zenni Optical e-mailed me to confirm that I had properly entered my prescription. (Apparently, they don't do that with everyone, just with the people whose numbers seem odd.) That was a positive start; I liked the double-checking. As it turned out, I had chosen the correct figures and replied to say so. Zenni responded that they would process my order right away.
When the glasses were ready, I received an email that included a tracking number. The glasses themselves arrived a few days later. From the time I placed the order to the time I received the glasses, the entire process took a little under three weeks. That's not much longer than I had to wait for Sears to produce my other, much more expensive pair.
Now you must be wondering about the quality of the Zenni glasses. Very nice, all things considered. The prescription seems accurate, and they look good. The part of the frames that holds the lenses is solid enough. My only quality concern is that the temples (the sections on each side of the glasses that go over your ears) seem flimsy. Of course, I did go for the cheapest possible frames.
In fact, when I placed the order, I was pretty much guessing at what I should pick. I rather randomly chose the frames color (dark gray, mostly because I've never had that color before) and I took a stab at what frame size would be reasonable for me. Turns out I guessed pretty well. I like the fit and look of the glasses, and would be willing to wear them in public.
Overall, I think Zenni Optical offers a nice deal. They seem especially good for anyone who's on a tight budget, wants a backup pair of glasses in case their primary pair gets damaged, or likes to experiment with different frames.
Has anyone else out there ordered from them? What did you think?
no subject
Date: 2009-06-30 04:49 am (UTC)