Hey there my fellow bespectacled friends! If you‘re like me, finding the perfect pair of glasses that not only helps you see clearly but also helps you look good is a top priority. That‘s why today I want to share with you my honest review of Glasses.com, one of the leading online retailers of prescription eyewear.
As someone who has been wearing glasses for most of my life, I know how overwhelming and expensive it can be to shop for new frames. So when I discovered Glasses.com a few years ago, I was intrigued by their promise of a huge selection of designer frames at affordable prices, all from the convenience of home. But is Glasses.com really all it‘s cracked up to be? Let‘s take an in-depth look together!
What is Glasses.com?
First, let‘s start with the basics. Glasses.com is an online retailer of prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses founded in 2011. The company is owned by Luxottica, the world‘s largest eyewear company that also owns many popular brands like Ray-Ban and Oakley and retailers like LensCrafters and Sunglass Hut.
One of the biggest selling points of Glasses.com is their huge selection of over 9,000 frames from more than 50 top designer brands. They carry all the popular styles from classic wayfarers to modern cat-eyes in a range of colors and materials. And with prices starting at under $100, Glasses.com aims to make stylish, high-quality eyewear accessible to everyone.
Another convenient aspect of Glasses.com is that they accept most vision insurance plans and offer a prescription lens scanner app so you can easily order glasses with your up-to-date RX. They also offer free shipping and returns, a virtual try-on tool, and a 100% money-back guarantee. Sounds pretty great so far, right? Let‘s see how it all works in practice.
The Glasses.com Shopping Experience
One of the biggest concerns people have with buying glasses online is not being able to try them on first. Glasses.com aims to solve this with their virtual try-on tool that uses your computer or phone‘s camera to show how different frames will look on your face. While it‘s not quite the same as trying them on in person, I found the tool to be surprisingly accurate and helpful for narrowing down my options.
Once you find some frames you like, Glasses.com makes it easy to input your prescription and choose your lens type. They offer single-vision, bifocals, and progressive lenses as well as options like light-responsive transition lenses and anti-glare coatings. The website provides helpful explanations of the different options which I appreciated as someone who admittedly gets confused by all the lens jargon.
In terms of cost, I found Glasses.com to be very competitive with other online retailers. With frames starting at $49 and frequent sales of up to 50% off lenses, it‘s easy to find a stylish pair that fits your budget. And if you have vision insurance, Glasses.com makes it super simple to apply your benefits directly to your order.
I personally ordered a pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarers during one of their 30% off sales and was really impressed with the quick shipping and the quality of the frames. They came with a sturdy case, lens cloth, and even a tiny screwdriver for adjustments. However, one downside is that Glasses.com doesn‘t include free anti-glare coating like some competitors, so that‘s an added cost to consider.
Customer Reviews and Ratings
Of course, don‘t just take my word for it – it‘s important to consider feedback from other customers too. From the reviews I found, Glasses.com seems to have a generally positive reputation but some mixed experiences.
On Trustpilot, Glasses.com has an average rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars from over 1,700 reviews. Many customers praise the huge selection, competitive prices, and fast shipping. One satisfied shopper wrote, "The prices were outstanding and saved me over $250 for my progressive Oakley prescription sunglasses. Super fast delivery and the quality exceeded my expectations."
However, some negative reviews mention issues with the accuracy of the prescriptions, receiving the wrong items, and unresponsive customer service. It‘s worth noting though that Glasses.com representatives do appear to respond to most negative reviews with apologies and attempts to resolve the issues.
On Influenster, Glasses.com has a 4.5 star rating from nearly 600 reviews, with 83% of reviewers saying they would recommend the retailer to a friend. Customers rave about the stylish frames, affordable prices, and convenience of shopping online. "I love purchasing my glasses from this site," wrote one reviewer. "They always have up to date styles and classic frames, for amazing prices."
Again, a few negative reviews cite problems with orders but overall the feedback is very positive. While no retailer is immune to the occasional mistake or mixup, to me it appears that most Glasses.com customers are happy with their purchases.
How Glasses.com Compares to Other Retailers
So how does Glasses.com stack up against other popular online eyewear retailers? Let‘s take a quick look:
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Warby Parker: Known for their trendy, vintage-inspired frames, Warby Parker offers a free home try-on program and stylish frames starting at $95. Unlike Glasses.com, they don‘t accept vision insurance but do offer free anti-glare coatings.
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EyeBuyDirect: EyeBuyDirect has a wide selection of over 2,000 frames starting at just $6, with a virtual try-on tool and 2-day delivery available on some orders. However, they have limited high-end designer options compared to Glasses.com.
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39DollarGlasses: As the name suggests, 39DollarGlasses specializes in ultra-affordable frames (starting at just $39!) but offers a more limited selection of styles. They also don‘t accept insurance and only offer single-vision lenses.
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Zenni Optical: Another budget-friendly option, Zenni has frames starting at under $20 as well as kids‘ eyewear and safety glasses. They have more limited brand-name options but do accept some insurance plans.
So while Glasses.com may have higher starting prices than some discount retailers, they offer an unparalleled selection of designer frames as well as insurance coverage and more lens options. If brand names are a priority for you, Glasses.com is hard to beat. But if you‘re on a tight budget, you may find cheaper options elsewhere.
Tips for Buying Glasses Online
If you‘re new to buying eyewear online, it can feel a bit daunting at first. Here are a few tips I‘ve learned to make the process easier:
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Have a current prescription on hand. You‘ll need to enter your prescription details when ordering online, so make sure you have a copy of your most recent one from your eye doctor.
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Know your measurements. In addition to your prescription, you‘ll also need to know your pupillary distance (PD) which is the distance between the centers of your pupils. You can ask your eye doctor to measure this or use an online tool.
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Determine your face shape and coloring. Different frame shapes and colors look better on certain face shapes and skin tones. Glasses.com has a helpful guide on finding the most flattering frames for your face.
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Use the virtual try-on tools. While not a perfect substitute for trying frames on in person, virtual try-on tools can give you a better idea of how frames will look on you than just viewing them on a plain white screen.
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Check the return policy. Even with virtual try-on tools, it‘s possible you may not love your new glasses once you receive them. Make sure the retailer offers a decent return policy (at least 14 days) in case you need to make an exchange or return.
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Look for promotions. Many online eyewear retailers frequently offer discounts and promotions, especially around holidays. It‘s worth checking retailer websites and signing up for email lists to make sure you don‘t miss a good deal.
With these tips in mind, you‘ll be well on your way to finding your perfect pair of glasses online without breaking the bank!
The Bottom Line
So, is Glasses.com worth a look for your next pair of glasses? Based on my personal experience, research, and review of customer feedback, I‘d say yes, especially if you appreciate a wide selection of designer frames and the convenience of shopping online.
To recap, here are the biggest pros of Glasses.com:
- Huge selection of over 9,000 designer frames
- Competitive prices often cheaper than buying in stores
- Accepts most major vision insurance plans
- Free shipping and returns
- Virtual try-on tool and helpful lens guides
- Generally positive customer reviews
And a few potential cons to consider:
- Pricier than some online discount retailers
- No free anti-glare coating
- Potential issues with prescription accuracy and customer service for some
Overall though, I believe Glasses.com is a solid choice for buying glasses online, especially if you find a great deal on a pair of designer frames you love. And with their generous return policy and warranty, you can shop with confidence knowing you‘re covered if anything goes wrong.
I hope you found this review helpful! Let me know in the comments if you‘ve ever bought glasses from Glasses.com and what your experience was like. Together, we can all find our perfect pairs and look our best while seeing clearly!
