ZenniŽ Optical A Frugal Choice for Quality and Stylish Eyeglasses
Written: Mar 08 '09
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I have needed corrected lenses since early grade school. The problem has always been that I'm hard on glasses. They tend to get set down sometimes on their lenses when not in use. I've been known to fall asleep in them as well. The biggest problem for be with respect to glasses has always been weight. Heavier framed glasses give me an almost instant headache from the pressure behind the ears. For that reason I often wear contacts but need glasses to give my eyes a rest. I need the lightest weight frames I can find that won't trigger headaches. The lightest weight frames I finally found that don't trigger headaches are either frameless lenses or half-framed lenses with thin, light weight and flexible arms. This style averages in the $350 CDN mark for my prescription.
Zenni® Optical Online Store is a discount supplier of 1.57 High Index Lens complete prescription eyeglasses from $8. They keep their prices low by cutting out the middleman as there is no brick and mortar store. The glasses are ordered online and shipped directly to you from their overseas lab in Hong Kong. This is a DIY way to order low priced glasses starting at $8. You will need your prescription as well as the distance between your pupils in centimeters. If your optometrist does not give this measurement on your prescription you can get someone to measure it for you as it is difficult to measure it yourself.
The website: The website is clean and very easy to navigate. The colour theme is shades of blue with a pale creamy orange accent. The main body and eyeglass description font is an easy to read black on a white background. There are labeled buttons on the side bar so you can browse by price, material, frame styles and more. Clicking one of these will take you to the selection of eyeglasses in that category. The eyeglasses are presented in a two column table with a picture of the eyeglases and link "see detailed info" in the first column and the frame number with specs in the second column. Buttons across the top include home, general information, contact, view cart/checkout. The general information button expands to a drop down menu for further choices. The information in this section is a must read for understanding your prescription details and how Zenni® Optical works.terms. Information on how to choose the right frame is included. The detailed information is well presented and easy to understand.
To order: You will need your current eyeglass prescription including pupillary distance (PD) If the PD is not on your prescription you can have someone measure it for you in millimeters as it is difficult for you to measure yourself.
Guarantee: All orders are custom produced and unique so all sales are final. If you are not satisfied with your eyeglasses for any reason you can return them to Zenni® Optical within 4 weeks for a 50% refund. They do not reimburse shipping costs for returns. They do point out that a 50% refund is very generous as the industry standard on custom produced merchandise is no refund if the order was filled according to the specifications as ordered. Eyeglasses being returned for a warranty issue must be returned within 30 days. No warranty issues are addressed after that period.
Repairs: Zenni® Optical does not offer a repair service or a lens replacement service. You can order a replacement nosepad or screws along with a too to replace these parts free of charge. You must provide the original order number and frame number to request these service parts. If you break a frame you can order a replacement frame if the frame is still available. The price is 50% of the cost of the original frame (frame only) and $2.95 for shipping and handling.
Returns: All returns require a return authorization (RA) number. They must be returned in the case they were originally shipped in and the order number must be recorded on the yellow order number label that was included with the order.
The shopping cart: Zenni® Optical uses a series of pick your frames then give the details of your lenses then check out to give your credit card information. This is a very simple procedure. However, I assumed when I went to order my second pair my information would be automatically available but it wasn't so I had to re-enter everything and the same with the third pair so this is rather unexpected when you are a repeat customer.
Shipping: There is a small charge for shipping but it is quite reasonable at $4.95. The eyeglasses are shipped directly from their overseas lab by Hong Kong Post. Arrival times vary from approximately 10 days for single vision eyeglasses to three weeks for multi-focal eyeglasses or those with additional options. The eyeglasses arrive wrapped in a special cleaning cloth tucked safely in a plastic eyeglass case. The glasses and case are packaged in a bubble envelope.
Customer Service: This is very much a DIY service with the website is set up to make ordering glasses rather easy. There is an 800 customer service number to call. I used it twice, once for clarification in filling out the online form and the second time to ask about the tracking of my third pair of glasses. Each time the customer service representative was friendly and answered my questions. I have no complaints about their customer service at all. They can also be contacted through the online form on their website or by email.
My orders: I've made three separate purchases from Zen Optical. The first purchase in July 2008 was 4243 half rim stainless steel small classic rectangle in 14 gold with anti reflection coating (w s/h $19.85). The second pair was the same frames, same colour but with photochromic added (w s/h $58.85). The most recent purchase in January 2009 was 4648 metal alloy stainless steel half rim in 18 red with photochromic added (w s/h $58.85). My total cost for three pairs of glasses was $137.55, less than what I would have paid for one pair here. This is a real bonus for us since we do not have any kind of eyeglasses insurance coverage so pay out of pocket.
My experience: I know all the advertising for Zenni® Optical says you can get a pair of glasses from $8 well you can but there is shipping on top of that so really it is at least $12.95. That is going to be the cheapest you can get a pair of glasses. Anti glare coating is $4.95 but I find it a well worth addition for night driving. Lens tint , photochromic lenses, clip on sun glasses, and bifocals cost extra. My prescription strength is OD -3.00, OS -2.75.
I ordered my first pair then waited anxiously for them to arrive. They took about 2 weeks to arrive which I did not feel was a long shipping time. I put them on and was immediately pleased. They were lightweight and fit perfectly but best of all they looked good! They certainly did not look cheap. I was so pleased I immediately went online and ordered a second pair of the same style but with photochromic lenses. When they arrived once again I put them on and was pleased. The photochromic lens always have a hint of tint so I appreciate having one pair of clear lenses for the grey winter days. I also appreciate the photochromic lenses to protect my eyes when outdoors. They adjust nicely to all levels of outdoor sun.
I am very, very pleased with my purchases! My eyeglasses look good, fit good and people have complimented me on them. I'm already shopping for another pair and my husband is shopping for two pairs. My only complaint with Zenni® Optical is they have so many choices of lovely frames that I'm like a kid in a candy store. I can now afford to have a few pairs of prescription eyeglasses for a fraction of the normal cost so I'm no longer restricted to seeing the same frames on my face every day. Now I can have a little fun with my eyeglasses!
My recommendations: I cannot stress enough this is a DIY process. Make sure you use a current eyeglass prescription and ask for the PD to be noted on your prescription. If someone measures your PD measure it at least twice. If you already have a pair of eyeglasses use the numbers on the arm to find frames in that size or close to that size. Of the available options I really do recommend getting the anti-reflection coating. Once you fill out the order form, check it at least twice for any errors. After you click that confirm button, sit back and wait for your new eyeglasses to arrive.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
gardengnome
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Location: Ontario, Canada
Reviews written: 84
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
I love nature, cooking, and canning. I want quality in the products I use.
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