Zenni Optical (NGC)

[Dean Rose]

Thought you frugal Guzzi owners might be interested in this.

Cindy and I just received our glasses from Zenni Optical and they are great. Very reasonable price too, I got new titanium frames progressive bifocals/ Photochromic Lenses for $124. All done online.

http://www.zennioptical.com

Dean

[bettythebear]

I have now bought three pairs of glasses from Zenni, and have nothing but good things to report! Prices for various pairs: $15, $27, $53.

[cloudbase]

My wife and I have bought several pairs from them.  Highly recommended.

[Triple Jim]

Same here, the family is up to about four or five pairs now.  The only problem I've had is last time I checked they don't do trifocals.  When I wanted a custom pair for welding and closeup work, I had to go to another online company, www.eyeglasses4you. net

[bpreynolds]

Geez, I've bought like 8 pairs from them in the last 3 years or so, and some for as little as $35 (that's without glare reduction and other upgrades).  Like another poster, I have been fantastically pleased.  Counter that with at least 2 or more pairs of $150 - $200 glasses I had to take back to Dr. Bizer's for incorrect prescription   
I can hardly believe how they provide these glasses at these prices. 

[Triple Jim]

I can hardly believe how they provide these glasses at these prices.

They're breaking the monopoly that's been held for decades, according to this (rebutted) Forbes article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/anaswanson/2014/09/10/meet-the-four-eyed-eight-tentacled-monopoly-that-is-making-your-glasses-so-expensive/#5af7bdbf6b66

[Lannis]

I can hardly believe how they provide these glasses at these prices.

Some is convenience - you'll notice that your local optician will provide cleanings and adjustments and such forever; some people like that.

Some is habit - a lot of folks, especially older ones, want to go to a local person who will help them.

And some is monopoly - they've been able to operate this way for years and get by with it.   That's obviously changing!

I almost went to "glassesusa" for my last set, but since I was in the optician's with Fay anyhow, I went ahead and told them to put new lenses in my old frames.

$544.   Never, ever, again ....

Like everywhere, retail is changing ...

Lannis

[antmanbee]

I have purchased from all of these places for my son. Averaging about $8-10 per pair with excellent results and shipping about 10 days from China.

Google coupons for different promotions for these sites.

http://www.zennioptical.com/

http://www.glassesshop.com/promotion/buy-one-get-two-free?source=linkshare&siteID=.7WaaTN6umc-xNfPaAv8sXRVOsdvivSzrw

https://www.eyebuydirect.com/eyeglasses/men

http://www.goggles4u.com/slickdeals.html

[ITSec]

I should note that EyeBuyDirect did a half-and-half job for me. I ordered a pair of bifocals and a pair of prescription sunglasses from them - both the same frame and prescription, ordered at the same time. The sunglasses came right the first time, but the standard glasses took three tries to get correct. The first pair was off-center on one side (i.e., the bifocal line wasn't correctly positioned). The second try was cut too close to the edge of the lens, and the etchings for alignment showed. The third pair was finally correct. All this took about 6-8 weeks and numerous phone calls (each time) and trips to the post office to send the faulty pairs back.

The outcome was satisfactory - but the road there was rocky. Oh, they never offered anything as a consideration, just "OK, we'll finally admit there might be a problem, send them back".

[Dean Rose]

Some is convenience - you'll notice that your local optician will provide cleanings and adjustments and such forever; some people like that.

Some is habit - a lot of folks, especially older ones, want to go to a local person who will help them.

And some is monopoly - they've been able to operate this way for years and get by with it.   That's obviously changing!

I almost went to "glassesusa" for my last set, but since I was in the optician's with Fay anyhow, I went ahead and told them to put new lenses in my old frames.

$544.   Never, ever, again ....

Like everywhere, retail is changing ...

Lannis

Lannis, those lenses must have been made out of Dilithium Crystals for that price.

Cindy and I got ripped off like that a few years ago by a local Optometrist up in Blacksburg. We've been going to Sams lately the daughter suggested Zenni, glad we tried them.

Dean 

[Triple Jim]

Sam's can be OK, but you need to back out all the options they add by default.  Before I knew about Zenni I got a couple pairs of bifocals from Sam's for right around $90 each.  I got a chuckle when the lady at Sam's said she had priced polycarbonate lenses, but I could save money by getting plastic lenses.  Funny that they're told to make acrylic lenses sound extra inferior by calling them "plastic".

[oldbike54]

<sigh> We owned a small optical lab for about 8 years , most folks escaped W/O going bankrupt . The normal cost of a pair of single vision glasses ran about $120.00 , bifocals about $140.00 . For that price my sister would spend the time to make sure the glasses fit properly , trust me , your head isn't symmetrical . Then the doctors decided to get in the business ,and drug the insurance companies with them , now it looks like they have been displaced by the internet . What next , online dentistry ?

 Dusty

[bettythebear]

<sigh> We owned a small optical lab for about 8 years , most folks escaped W/O going bankrupt . The normal cost of a pair of single vision glasses ran about $120.00 , bifocals about $140.00 . For that price my sister would spend the time to make sure the glasses fit properly , trust me , your head isn't symmetrical . Then the doctors decided to get in the business ,and drug the insurance companies with them , now it looks like they have been displaced by the internet . What next , online dentistry ?

 Dusty

Ha! DIY root canal kits for only $129!

[acogoff]

 I've had high buck progressives for about a dozen years and do not like the ones I purchased from zenni about 1 year ago and do not wear them because of the following. They are ground properly narrowly right in the dead center only, which requires about 300 percent more head movement than I am used to and never had as much trouble with the side to side vision. Requires way too much neck movement for an old neck that doesn't crank from side to side like it used to. Next time may just go with the old line type. The price is right though. Not such a deal if they won't get worn though.

[rdbandkab]

I got a set of heavy-duty sport frames from Zenni.  They're perfect for those times we get caught out in the evening.
I'll  I'm thinking I paid around $30 for them w/a couple of the upgrades.

[jkguzzi]

Zenni has allowed me to have two pair of glasses in each vehicle, one tint and one clear. I always use the 6.95 frames. My last order for 3 pair of bifocals and one single vision was $103.00

[Lannis]

<sigh> We owned a small optical lab for about 8 years , most folks escaped W/O going bankrupt . The normal cost of a pair of single vision glasses ran about $120.00 , bifocals about $140.00 . For that price my sister would spend the time to make sure the glasses fit properly , trust me , your head isn't symmetrical . Then the doctors decided to get in the business ,and drug the insurance companies with them , now it looks like they have been displaced by the internet . What next , online dentistry ?

 Dusty

When lenses alone for a normal pair of glasses (progressive bifocals, nothing radical, coated lenses, self-pay, no insurance) are $500 in the optician's, and $80 on-line for the same lenses ... that's one a them "game-changers".

For a 40% difference, I'll stay home and have a nice lady fit them to my face.   For a 600% difference, I'll send them a web-cam shot and let them do their best on-line ....

Lannis

[Triple Jim]

Zenni has allowed me to have two pair of glasses in each vehicle, one tint and one clear. I always use the 6.95 frames. My last order for 3 pair of bifocals and one single vision was $103.00

Yes, a low price gives the freedom to get several pairs for different uses.  One pair I got has single vision lenses in the prescription of my bifocal lenses, and I leave them by the computer.  It's really nice to see the screen and keyboard, and things on the table clearly without having to keep tilting my head.  You just need to tell them they're going to be reading glasses, and they adjust the pupillary distance to be a little less, to allow for your eyes being aimed inward.

[oldbike54]

When lenses alone for a normal pair of glasses (progressive bifocals, nothing radical, coated lenses, self-pay, no insurance) are $500 in the optician's, and $80 on-line for the same lenses ... that's one a them "game-changers".

For a 40% difference, I'll stay home and have a nice lady fit them to my face.   For a 600% difference, I'll send them a web-cam shot and let them do their best on-line ....

Lannis

 Edit , sorry , kind of misread your post Lannis . Still , the only glasses we ever sold for more than about $200.00 were some pairs that had very expensive frames and safety glasses that had to meet very strict OSHA requirements .


 We never ever paid $500.00 for a pair of lenses , no idea why you say that . Our normal cost for a pair of lenses was about $20.00 . Add in about $25.00 for the machining process , and $25.00 for a low priced pair of frames with a one year guarantee we retailed those at $120.00 . When the doctors decided to get in the mix and control the insurance , that's when the prices started going way up .

 Dusty

[PJPR01]

<sigh> We owned a small optical lab for about 8 years , most folks escaped W/O going bankrupt . The normal cost of a pair of single vision glasses ran about $120.00 , bifocals about $140.00 . For that price my sister would spend the time to make sure the glasses fit properly , trust me , your head isn't symmetrical . Then the doctors decided to get in the business ,and drug the insurance companies with them , now it looks like they have been displaced by the internet . What next , online dentistry ?

 Dusty

Right after Online Plumbing - can you imagine:  www.CracksRUs.com

For those who might be worried about having their jobs outsourced in the future, becoming a plumber or dentist is not a bad idea quite frankly...awfully hard to send that type of work overseas...

[oldbike54]

Right after Online Plumbing - can you imagine:  www.CracksRUs.com

For those who might be worried about having their jobs outsourced in the future, becoming a plumber or dentist is not a bad idea quite frankly...awfully hard to send that type of work overseas...

 There are already robots in development to do those jobs .

 Dusty

[trippah]

As the father of an optometrist, I will note that as insurance companies keep reducing their payments and more and more buy glasses on line, one of the reasons for being seen by an optometrist (living person type) is to check for medical issues that haven't "exploded" yet.
 My wife just ordered a pair of glasses from 4 eyes for about $250., a great deal less that the local optometrist's office $750.  He also, as my daughter reviewed the charge sheet, performed an "out of pocket" unneeded test for $70. extra. hmm, either he sees the writing on the wall or has always been sticking it to his patients.  (and yes, I am thinking of reporting him to the state board, can't decide given my stay out of conflicts to keep my blood pressure down attitude).

[Lannis]

 We never ever paid $500.00 for a pair of lenses , no idea why you say that . Our normal cost for a pair of lenses was about $20.00 . Add in about $25.00 for the machining process , and $25.00 for a low priced pair of frames with a one year guarantee we retailed those at $120.00 . When the doctors decided to get in the mix and control the insurance , that's when the prices started going way up .

 Dusty

I wasn't trying to comment on YOUR prices or what your business's wholesale costs were ... I'm sure they were just what you said they were.

I'm saying that for a little pair of frameless glasses with non-bifocal lenses, Fay paid over $800 four years ago.   For my last set of lenses, in my OLD frames, "A.G. Jefferson, your Guild Optician", a 75 year old business in Lynchburg, Virginia, charged me $554, no insurance involved.   

I've always bought my glasses locally with whoever had the best deal, and have never paid LESS than $300 for the lenses and $150 for the frames.   I'm "part of the problem", because I never knew that those prices were possibly TEN TIMES what they should have been, and so I paid.   I never found a place like you described you were involved with.

When I found the on-line glasses world, where I can sit in front of my web-cam, have the application take a picture of me, and then show what I look like in any of 1000 different frames, and then take my prescription and make me a set of nice glasses for $100 total .... I've realized what the local opticians and optometrists have been doing to me over the years .....  Pretty bad, and anyone that does like that ought to go out of business today and live in a refrigerator box under a bridge, and I'll shed no tears for them ...

Lannis

[Orange Guzzi]

This thread reminds my of the movie "the jerk"  Steve created the "opti grab" frame.  Made a fortune and then found that people were going cross eyed from wearing them..

Gonna book mark the Company for future needs though.