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Goggles4u

goggles4u.com

Quick Notes:


Introduction:

Goggles4u is now based in the US, although I believe they still manufacture (and probably ship to some degree) from Pakistan. Pricing in USD & CAD via localized sites. They sell both single-vision and bi-focal/varifocal (regular and progressive) lenses. Methods of contact include a toll-free 24-hour number, live chat, a callback feature (available in "over 20 countries"), a website form, and fax (US, UK, and Germany numbers). Payment methods include Visa, Mastercard, Discover, AmEx, Diner's Club, JCB, and Paypal. Goggles4u is listed by the BBB with an "A-" rating.


Impressions:

In the past, Goggles4u was well-known for flexibility in their customer service, being quick to send replacement parts without hassle if somebody had a problem. I haven't had enough recent reader-input to ascertain whether or not this still holds true, but complaint levels have remained extremely low regardless, and maintaining their BBB status leads me to believe that customer service is still strong.

Goggles4u has abandoned their previous model where near every pair of standard single-vision glasses came out to $30 with free coatings and shipping. Instead, frames are now offered at various price-points (primarily at $4.95), with lenses starting at $6.94, and shipping being extra.

Personally, I preferred the "old" pricing method, as a standard $30-gets-you-everything was not only something that made Goggles4u unique, but was also very simple and straightforward for customers. There's something to be said for knowing *exactly* how much glasses will cost right from the get-go. That said, the new effective prices come out even cheaper than before. I understand where Goggles4u may have been coming from when they made the change. Different price-points offer them more flexibility in terms of frame selection, and advertising frames for "$4.95" looks more attractive than advertising complete glasses for $29.99, particularly when most of the competition is advertising for under $10 (despite generally coming out to much more than that once lenses, coatings & shipping are added).

That said, Goggles4u still offers free coatings with most lenses, and their shipping is a very reasonable $4.95 within the US. They're also very clear and up-front with a chart in their "Pricing" page, giving all the checkout-prices you would expect for every lens based on a $4.95 frame.

Just about all of their discount frames are the same price at $4.95, though periodically the prices are discounted even further.

Lenses start at $6.94. They have a quick price chart on their site that may help people to compare the cost based on the lens type they're after (click on the "Help Center" section on their site and visit the "Lowest Prices Online" area). Last I checked, there were a few small inconsistencies, but it's generally close and gives you a good baseline idea as to what price you're in for. Single-vision lenses are offered in indexes from 1.57 to 1.71 with plastic, glass, or polycarbonate lenses depending on the index. Bifocals and progressives are offered as well, also starting at 1.57 and capping at 1.67. All-in-all, there's a very adequate lens selection offered.


Website and Ordering:

The Goggles4u website is clean and quite easy to navigate, although a "chat" window tends to pop up which annoyingly floats across the screen (you must mouse-over it to stop the floating and then close it if you're not interested in chatting with them).

As mentioned earlier, there aren't mouseover pop-ups during the order process. So if somebody is not sure how to read their prescription, how to take a PD measurement, etc., this is the point where they'll probably start to feel a little anxious (and by now they've probably managed to close the floating chat window!). Info is provided in their "Help Center", but unless the shopper had the forethought to read it beforehand, I question how many people will be willing to browse away from the frames they finally liked/chose to head over to that section. This won't be an issue for veteran buyers, mind you.

One excellent decision they've made is to put the coupon code entry & shipping estimator in the cart *before* the checkout. I wish every retailer would do this – as a customer I hate it when I have to start entering my billing information before I know for certain how much shipping will be or whether my coupon code will be accepted. Goggles4u has this all up-front, the way it should be.


Pricing and Value:

In short, for a basic pair of frames shipped within the US, you're looking at $4.95 frames, $6.94 basic lenses, and $4.95 shipping for a total of about $16.84. This is extremely competitive, particularly since it applies to the vast majority of their frames.


Lens offerings (based on a $4.95 set of frames):

 Single vision  Bifocal  Progressive
1.57 index  +$6.94
1.56 index (bi-focal/progressive)  +$25.00  +$33.95
1.57 index premium with EMI  +$20
1.59 index polycarbonate  +$15.95 (free AR)
1.61 high index  +$26.95 (free AR)  +$100.00
1.67 high index  +$41.95 (free AR)  +$135.00
1.71 high index (mineral glass)  +$41.95 (free AR)
Photochromic 1.56 (grey or brown)  +$25.95 (free AR)  +$60.95
Photochromic 1.56 (blue or yellow)  +$77.00
UV protection & Anti-scratch  free  +$4.95  free
UV protection & Anti-scratch & Hydrophobic coating  +$9.99
Anti-reflective (AR) – (if not included above)  +$4.95  +$4.95
Anti-reflective (AR) – (if not included above) & Hydrophobic  +$14.99
Tint (black, brown, blue, green, grey, yellow, rose)  +$9.99  +$9.99
Gradient Tint (black, brown, blue, green, grey, yellow, rose)  +$14.99 (price not listed on order page?)  +$14.99 (price not listed on order page?)

US/Canada Shipping adds about $5. Other locations world-wide tend to hit about $10.

The price charts are created by hand – if you notice any errors, please contact me.

To sum it up, Goggles4u is inexpensive all-around. Where some other retailers sell the frames for cheap and make up for it by gouging when it comes to coatings & lens upgrades, Goggles4u throws free coatings in most of the lenses, has competitive lens upgrade prices, and has competitive shipping. For the very price-conscious who are looking to get AR/AS/UV coatings with their pair, Goggles4u is certainly worth a look.




Goggles4u Review (my purchase)

goggles4u.com

Personal Experiences

Oct 23, 2009 - Glasses were ordered. Frames were $9.99 (most frames from Goggles4u are the same price), standard 1.56 lenses were $20. The glasses came with free anti-scratch, UV and AR (anti-reflective) coatings. Worldwide shipping was free, bringing the total price to $29.99.

Nov 2, 2009 - Goggles4u does not send an email telling you when the order has shipped. However, you can find the shipping status on the CCNow website (CCNow is the payment processor for Goggles4u).

Nov 6, 2009 - The glasses arrived, and the cloth envelope stated that they'd shipped from Pakistan. 2 weeks is certainly a reasonable time-frame for glasses going from Pakistan to Canada


Packaging

Inside the cloth "envelope" was a styrofoam box, containing the glasses case. Within the case, the glasses were further protected with cotton, and the lenses wrapped in a microfiber cloth. A lot of thought has obviously been taken to ensure that the glasses are not damaged during shipping.


Pictures

(click on any of the thumbnails to open the image full-size in a new window)
Goggles4u review - packaging 1   Goggles4u review - packaging 2   Goggles4u review - overview
Pretty simple - Well-packaged, and Goggles4u also includes a free pair of extra nosepads.


First Impressions & Quality

The frames were stiff. I'd have no concerns about them breaking on their own, although adjusting them had a bit of a "brittle" feeling to them (I wouldn't try bending anything other than the nosepads, as it requires a lot of force with these frames). They did need slight adjusting.

The lenses were well-cut to the extent that they fit well into the frames (no gaps/spaces). However, they were horizontally offset slightly from each other – one lens stuck out near the center, while the other lens stuck out a little near the arm at the side. Now, lenses won't always fit within the width of the frame (and the excess has to stick out somewhere). However, this is the first time I've encountered lenses not being symmetrical in this fashion (generally, lenses tend to be relatively flush with the outwards-facing part of the frame with excess being on the inside where it won't be seen by others). Note that this is primarily a cosmetic issue (the prescription and vision seemed to be fine), but it's certainly something to note.

The other lens issues revolved around the left lens. Upon close inspection of the lens, there was a marking that resembles a stone-chip (although it wasn't a chip, it just looked like one under the right lighting conditions) with a small "squiggle". It appeared to be embedded under the coating. In certain light conditions, this caused a blur. There were also a couple scuff lines in the lower part of the left lens – again only visible in certain light conditions, but they had absolutely no negative effect on the vision.

The AR coating had a greenish/purplish color to it. I ran the glasses through the hot water test, and they passed (no cracking).

All around, while I was pleased with the lengths they went to during packaging, and the AR coating itself, it really didn't seem that a lot of time and care was given to the lenses themselves, which was a bit of a disappointment.


More Pictures

(click on any of the thumbnails to open the image full-size in a new window)
Goggles4u review - glasses 1   Goggles4u review - glasses 2   Goggles4u review - glasses 3   Goggles4u review - glasses 4 - inspecting AR coating


Final Thoughts

I really wasn't thrilled with the craftsmanship of the lenses. I could rant for paragraphs on this, but suffice it to say, I really hope Goggles4u spends time improving this area. I can understand the issues with the left lens being missed in a quick inspection since they were only visible in certain light conditions. The "fit and finish" aspect of things was very obvious though and there really isn't any excuse for it being as poor as it was. On a positive note, the AR coating passed the hot water test, and the glasses were very well packaged. Those positives tend to become dwarfed pretty quickly though by the negative issues with the lenses.


Would I buy from Goggles4u again? Maybe. I wouldn't for an everyday pair (based on this purchase anyway), but they'd be fine for a back-up pair.


Would I recommend Goggles4u to others? Maybe. Goggles4u is BBB accredited, and has been known for their willingness to send replacements when there's an issue. That said, the recommendation would depend largely on what the intended use is. If it's for a backup pair, sure. I also know quite a few people who own quite a few glasses and rotate them with their wardrobe. Goggles4u's huge frame selection lends nicely to this. However, for someone looking for an everyday pair, I'd really tend to suggest looking elsewhere.





Goggles4u Review #2 (my previous purchase and review)

goggles4u.com

Personal Experiences

Jan 11, 2006 - I placed an order for glasses via the website. I chose some semi-rimless frames, the regular CR39 lenses, and added "Grey Dark Tint" in the special instructions box. Opting for tinted lenses generally means that they don't get an AR coating, but there was no extra cost for tint, so I decided to go for it. After shipping (which was free), the total came to $25.99. After ordering, an email was sent to me through CCNow that gave a link where I could check the status of my glasses at any time.

Jan 15, 2006 - My glasses shipped. (I checked the CCNow link each day to watch the order status)

Jan 30, 2006 - Received my glasses in the mail. Free with the glasses were a hard case, micro-fiber cloth, and a set of replacement nose-pads and screws. While I don't expect I will be burning through nose-pads or losing screws, it was nice to get a free backup set in case I do.


Pictures

(click on any of the thumbnails to open the image full-size in a new window)
Goggles4u envelope back   Goggles4u envelope front   Goggles4u case   Goggles4u case open   Goggles4u contents   Goggles4u laid out
#1 and #2 are the packaging. Yes it is simply cloth sewn together, but it worked. I edited out my address (#2), but it was printed extremely neatly. Within the cloth "envelope" there was a white box which has seen better days (all the corners were squashed during shipping), but within the white box was the black hard clamshell case, definitely sufficient in keeping the glasses safe from harm. #4 and #5 are pretty self-explanatory, basically the glasses were wrapped in the micro-fiber cloth which was then wrapped in cotton which was then put into the black clamshell case. Despite the envelope being cloth, for the glasses to actually get damaged during shipping would probably be extremely difficult, as a lot of thought was put into the packing. The final picture (#6) is simply of the glasses laid out beside the micro-fiber cloth and the free nose-pads/screws that were included.


Jan 30, 2006 (continued)
All in all I was pretty impressed with the packing. I knew it was going to be sent in a cloth envelope, so I had initially been a little worried, but it seems I was worried for nothing. The glasses did need a quick rinse to get some cotton off that got caught in the arms, but other than that they were perfectly fine. The frames seemed solid, and of good quality. One of the lenses had a groove that was cut a little sloppy (semi-rimless and rimless glasses have grooves cut for a clear line/wire which holds the lenses in place), but the wire was firmly in place, so I'm not overly concerned, although it was worth a mention.


  Days
Total time between ordering and delivery 19
Time to ship 4
Time in transit 15

Would I buy from Goggles4u again?
Yes. In fact I will probably order a clear pair at some point so that I get a chance to examine the AR coating. That aside, the glasses are very inexpensive, and the quality was satisfactory.

Would I recommend Goggles4u to others?
Probably. One simple reason... price. If you want an AR coating, you can't beat Goggles4u for price. Even if you don't care about the AR coating, the pricing is still very competitive. As far as quality goes, the glasses I received were satisfactory, nothing to boast about, but nothing to complain about either. I would definitely recommend them for a 2nd or backup pair. As far as a primary pair, I'll wait until I order a set of clear lenses before making a recommendation one way or the other.





Goggles4u Reader Review #1

Sent in by: Michael



I ordered a pair of distance (-1.25) clear lens glasses as well as a coresponding pair of shades. After hearing that I would be paying near $350 here in Canada for a similar purchase (plus $45 for a simple photocopy of a prescription they had on file), I decided to give the web a shot. I pulled my prescription data off my contact lenses and did the measuring (which was simply) well described on the website.
Goggles4u invoice (by Michael)

See invoice for what I bought. In 19 days I got my glasses in perfect condition and they fit on my head with no adjustment required. The frames are solid and attractive. While they are not designer frames, they are of fine quality. The prescription is perfect as are the lenses.

I have attached photos of the package, cases, glasses and invoice. I paid through paypal. The shipping was free and I easily found a coupon by goggling "google4u coupon". The order form gives you unlimited attempts at coupons so keep trying coupon codes for the best price.
Goggles4u glasses envelope (by Michael)   Goggles4u glasses envelope #2 (by Michael)   Goggles4u packaging (by Michael)   Goggles4u packaging #2 (by Michael)   Goggles4u glasses in case (by Michael)   Goggles4u cases (by Michael)   Goggles4u cases #2 (by Michael)   Goggles4u glasses #1 (by Michael)   Goggles4u glasses #2 (by Michael)   Goggles4u glasses #3 (by Michael)   Goggles4u screwdriver keyring (by Michael)

I ended up paying less than $75 CAD funds for $350 (not including another $50 in taxes) for a great set of glasses and prescription shades.

All coatings that normally could extra were included free. Antiglare, scratch resistance, UV. The lenses are polycarbonate that retailer will often warn will yellow over time. While this is true, it takes more than a decade for that to happen. I think I'll be wearing different glasses by then. :)

I would order again from goggle4u.com with no reservations. While I cannot comment on customer service since I didn't have any problems, that's not a bad thing.

In an industry known for wildly overpriced products, online prescription glasses sites are a welcome change to so called discount eyewear places that charge in excess of $350 for simple non-designer glasses.





Goggles4u Reader Review #2

Sent in by: Anonymous #04



Ordered rimless frames from goggles4u; paid about $23 US dollars after coupon. They seem to have the best prices of all the retailers for rimless frames.
Goggles4u glasses (by Anonymous #04)

Very satisfied with the frames–my friends could not believe the glasses were under $25. The lenses have antireflective coating which seems to be helpful.

One screw did come slightly loose on the frame, but customer service (via email) was very prompt and helpful; they mailed me a special screwdriver; they also even offered to replace the frame free of charge.

Overall i was very satisfied with my purchase–excellent value with stylish frames. Highly recommended. The one difficulty is that their website has so many frames thus it makes it hard to pick one.

Order shipped from California in a sturdy cardboard container. Came with hard plastic case and lens cleaning cloth.





Goggles4u Reader Review #3

Sent in by: kanchan



I reviewed your site before placing 2 online orders, 2 weeks ago. I've thus far received my glasses from goggles4u.

Order placed: 28 Sep 2006
Order Shipped: 30 Sep 2006 (according to website)
Order received: 12 October 2006

Goggles4u glasses #1 (by kanchan)   Goggles4u glasses #2 (by kanchan)   Goggles4u glasses #3 (by kanchan)   Goggles4u glasses #4 (by kanchan)   Goggles4u glasses #5 (by kanchan)

28 September 2006: Ordered "9708 with Multicoated CR39 Material High Index Lenses". No tints. My perscription is fairly high – -6.00 in both eyes, with moderate astigmatism in my right eye.

My eyeglasses are normally in the $250++ range with high index lenses and the coatings, so I was willing to give this a shot.

Total for my order was $24.69 USD = CDN$28.13


30 September 2006: The frames I ordered showed up as "sold out" 2 days after I placed my order. So I was hoping that was AFTER my order was filled.


12 October 2006: My eyeglasses arrived – packed in a hand-stitched cloth bag, with a styrofoam container around the red eyeglass case inside. (photos attached).

After removing the tape from the styrafoam, I unpacked the bright red case inside – which was also taped to the styrafoam. I started to take the tape off the case, but discovered that the red coating on the case was coming off with the tape. So I left the tape on the red case.

The glasses were packed in cotton batting, with a lens cleaning cloth inside. An extra set of nose pads and screws were also supplied.

Took out the glasses and examined the frames and lenses. No scratches, frames seemed fairly solid. The left temple was slightly askew, but that was fixed with a little pushing. I was able to adjust the frames easily and the "spring hinges" seemed just as good as the ones on my $250 pair of glasses.

Put them on. Seemed like the PD distance is a bit off my previous pair, but my eyes are adjusting fine. Perscription seems to be the same as my main pair of glasses. I'll probably go into a glasses store and get the frames fine tuned a bit more. But otherwise, they seem great.


Would I buy from Goggles4u again? Yes. For $28? Can't really beat this deal, if the quality is the similar.

Would I recommend Goggles4u to others? Probably. Assuming they can adjust the frames themself.





Goggles4u Reader Review #4

Sent in by: Nachoman



May 21, 2006
I placed an order for 2 pairs of glasses from Goggles4u.

First pair was frame# 10945, a half-rim rectangular lens set of Oakley look-a-likes. I ordered these with single vision platic lenses and the free multicoating.

The second pair was frame# 10937, also a half-rim frame, but these were a half oval shap lens and I ordered these with the transition grey glass lenses.

Total for the order was $53.18 after the 5% discount code. As I had placed a previous order with the company, I sent them an email about the repeat customer discount and recieved an email back the next day giving me an additional 10% credit back to my credit card (total now $47.86 for 2 pairs of glasses).


May 24, 2006
The online status of the order showed "shipped".


May 30, 2006
WOW, the first pair arrived direct from Pakistan in the Funky sewn cloth back 180 Rupees of postage from Pakistani Post. I even had to sign for them at the post office (not bad for free shipping). The packaging was excellent, the glasses were wrapped in a microfibre cloth, then wrapped in cotton batten, then in a plastic sleeve, then in a nice Seahorse brand wooden box, then inside a styrofoam clamshell and finally in the cloth bag. It would have to have been really abused in transit, to do any damage to the glasses inside.

The frames are really sturdy and the prescription seems right on the money.

Fit and finish is excellent, very impressed indeed.

All that was needed for adjustment was a little tweaking of the nose pads, everthing else seems great.

Lenses are crystal clear with a slight greenish hue from the antiglare (which works very well).

I purchased these as a backup pair of glasses to use as a break from my progressive lenses, but lately I find myself wearing these more and more often around home and after work when I don't need my progressives for reading.

Goggles4 1st pair - envelope (by Nachoman)   Goggles4 1st pair - packaging (by Nachoman)   Goggles4 1st pair - glasses and case (by Nachoman)   Goggles4 1st pair - glasses (by Nachoman)
Click on any of the thumbnails to open a full size picture


June 30, 2006

Second pair arrived today, has a Customs stamp dated June 16/06. Not sure if that was when customs recieved it or when they released it. Obviously the glass transition lenses take longer to produce as the postal stamp was June 6/06. Packaging was the same "almost indestructible" cloth bag, styrofoam shell, hardcase, plastic sleeve, cotton batten and  microfibre cloth.

The frame is also an Oakley look-a-like, very sturdy feel, but several grams heavier than the first pair. I attribute this extra weight to the glass lenses as the frame and lens size is very similar on both pairs.

The lenses are nice and clear, but they seem a little rough around the edges. They are not sharp or jagged, but look like they could have done a better job of polishing the edges. It's not noticable enough for others to see, but if you are inspecting them closely, it is noticable along the bottom (rimless) part of the lens. The antiglare seems to work well and has a slight geenish hue on the lens also. Again, only minor adjustment were required and the frames seem to fit very well.

The Transition lenses seem to change very fast, took about 30 seconds to go to 70% tint in strong sunlight and change back almost as fast. They change so fast, that I was unable to get a picture of the lenses when they were still dark. Everytime I brought them back into the house to take a picture, they had changed back to 15-20% tint. When I wear these at work, under the flourescent lights, the lenses seem to darken to approx the 15-20% range. I didn't realise that there was UV light given off by flourescent lights, but there must be judging by these glasses. The upside is that the slight tint seems to help reduce eyestrain somewhat.

Overall I'm very happy with both pairs of these glasses and I would definately order from Goggles4u again. I've already had a few of my friends comment on the nice glasses that I've recieved and are amazed at the prices. Some have placed orders as well.

Goggles4 2nd pair - packaging (by Nachoman)   Goggles4 2nd pair - glasses #1 (by Nachoman)   Goggles4 2nd pair - glasses #2 (by Nachoman)   Goggles4 2nd pair - glasses #3 (by Nachoman)
Click on any of the thumbnails to open a full size picture




Goggles4u Reader Review #5

Sent in by: jps


March 19, 2006
I ordered frame 9559, added "light brown tint", and used the 5% off coupon from this site, bringing the total (including shipping) to less than $25.  These will be used for lawn mowing, car washing, etc. when it's not bright enough for  sunglasses, and for indoor cleaning, painting, etc.  In other words, they are intended to be my "beater" pair.  I don't care if the finish wears off as long as they don't fall apart.  If the quality is high, that will be a pleasant surprise, and I'll take that into consideration for future orders.

I received a confirmation email immediately.

A few hours later, I wanted to show a family member the frame I ordered.  I returned to the web site, and the frame was gone.  Perhaps I got the last one?  I've noticed that Goggles4U CONTINUALLY removes frames and offers different ones in their place, the only retailer I've noticed that does it with such frequency.  Perhaps it's because their prices are so low.  So if you see a frame you like, don't count on bookmarking it and coming back later; it might be gone.


March 24, 2006
Checked credit card activity - Goggles4U has charged my card.


March 30, 2006
Eyeglasses received. 

PACKING: A
--- Glasses were shipped in hard case inside a lightweight carboard box.  Inside the case, the glasses were wrapped in cotton, and the lenses were wrapped in a lens cloth.  It was certainly enough to protect them from the expected bumps and bruises of shipping.  Also included in the package were replacement screws and nosepads.

PRESCRIPTION: A
--- I briefly compared them to my "verified" pair.  If there's any difference, it's so slight that it's not obvious.

LENSES: A
--- Tinted as requested, and cut neatly for semi-rimless.  A very minor issue I'll mention but won't lower the grade for: the lenses were filthy and had to be washed.

FRAME: A
--- It's an inexpensive frame, certainly lower quality than you'll find in a retail store.  But it's not a piece of junk either.  I give it it a Grade A because of the low price I paid.  Just be aware that it's an A because of the cost, not because it's a high-quality frame.

OVERALL: A
-- I'm very happy with my purchase.  While my $300+ designer pair sit safely in their case tomorrow, I'll be wearing these for spring cleaning!


Goggles4u package (by jps)   Goggles4u case (by jps)   Goggles4u case opened (by jps)   Goggles4u contents (by jps)   Goggles4u glasses #1 (by jps)   Goggles4u glasses #2 (by jps)
Click on any of the above thumbnails to open a picture in a new window.


Would I buy from Goggles4u again?
Definitely.  As a matter of fact, I intend to add to my "daily web routine" a visit to their website to see what new frames they've added.  I won't go nuts with impulse purchases ;) but might pick up another pair or two in the hopes of getting something I could use as a "semi-primary" pair.




Goggles4u Reader Review #6

Sent in by: Athios

Feb 15, 2006
Ordered a pair of these, semi-rimless with the grey transitional glass lens. $35 CDN total after 5% off.


Feb 19, 2006
Received email that they have been shipped.


Mar 3, 2006
Received a note that the package is at my local post office.


Goggles4u cloth envelope (by Athios)
The glasses arrived in a cloth bag sewn shut with thread which said "Pakistan Post", with mail chops on a piece of tape. Post office lady looked a little confused as to whether or not she should be afraid of what's inside, hahaha....



Goggles4u styrofoam casing (by Athios)   Goggles4u case opened (by Athios)   Goggles4u case opened #2 (by Athios)   Goggles4u case opened #3 (by Athios)  
Here's a breakdown of all the layers of packaging/protection:
Cloth bag --> Fitted styrofoam box --> Cardboard sleeve --> A very sturdy "Sarasa Eyewear" vinyl/felt case --> Microfiber "Sarasa Eyewear" drawstring bag --> Plastic bag --> A layer of cotton --> Square microfiber cloth --> Glasses (finally!)


First Impressions

Packaging: I could've thrown the package out of a second story window onto concrete without worrying about breaking anything. So a 'normal' delivery trip from Pakistan isn't something that people should be concerned with (assuming that this is now their standard packaging, since it's different from other reviewers)

Box: Very nice one. Line-textured surface with imprinted logo. I love it. Very solid and sturdy.

Glasses: I didn't find any dust/dirt. Since it's glass, it's slightly heavier than my regular pair. Arms were misaligned, but a light twist fixed that. Frame itself felt very sturdy, but the arms/hinge felt a bit wonky. The nosepad positions needed adjusting. Dimensions were exactly as noted on their webpage.

Goggles4u examining glasses (by Athios)   Goggles4u glasses on display (by Athios)

Lens:
The groove was well cut, and the wire fit nicely, but the edge was not as polished as my other pair. As you can see in the photo, there's also a small gap between the top of the left lens and the frame, which seems to have been filled in with a bit of silicon.

Oily smudges could be removed with the microfiber cloth. For some reason, the AR coating is rosey pink on one lens and orange on the other. This is not noticeable when worn. The lenses themselves have a yellowish tinge to them, and you can see it in the picture above where the glasses are placed beside my regular pair. It is noticeable when wearing them indoors, but not so much outdoors, although if you're the type of person who uses 'warm' lightbulbs indoors, this probably won't affect you.

As for prescription, they are absolutely perfect. No lines, scratches, blurs, visual distortions, nothing. I can switch between my two pairs of glasses without need to 'adjust' to them. The focus at edges is just as good as in the center. I can stare at a spot while swivelling my head around without losing focus.

Transitions effect: It's been raining (and snowing) in Vancouver every since I got the glasses, so can't really test them out, and I don't have a black light or UV pen light either.

I tried putting them in the 4:30pm evening sunlight, but nothing happened, so I brought them indoors and left them hanging on a houseplant in the sun. A few minutes later, I went back and they were very slightly darker, and I could see the 'shadow' shape of a leaf on the lens. They do work, but very slowly, and weakly. But this is perhaps because the sunlight was weak as well.

 




Goggles4u Video Review



Topics from the Goggles4u section of the old forums...

 Topics   Topics   Replies   Author   Views   Last Post 
Sticky: Read before Registering! (0)
0admin576Sun Jan 21, 2007 12:22 amJan 21, 2007
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Save 20% at Goggles4U! (2)
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Beware: you may receive an empty package! (2)
2huangm012400Sat May 26, 2007 10:47 amMay 26, 2007
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20% off with code "PEACE" - expiration unknown (1)
1jps1578Sun May 20, 2007 9:26 amMay 20, 2007
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Prescription wrong...no response yet. (5)
5Jockey1755Fri Mar 02, 2007 7:17 amMar 02, 2007
Jockey
They swapped my frames! (5)
5sc371513Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:26 pmJan 31, 2007
sliq
order (0)
0sliq866Sat Dec 23, 2006 3:49 amDec 23, 2006
sliq
Goggles4u order (0)
0phetish1279Mon Nov 06, 2006 9:24 pmNov 06, 2006
phetish
Received my order today (0)
0clearvision1470Wed Aug 30, 2006 12:41 pmAug 30, 2006
clearvision
just ordered (1)
1hund_1269Tue Jun 20, 2006 10:36 pmJun 20, 2006
hund_
Now shipping orders from their US office (1)
1admin1729Fri Mar 31, 2006 9:19 amMar 31, 2006
jps
Extra charge for high astigmatism? (7)
7jps2406Sun Mar 12, 2006 9:23 pmMar 12, 2006
admin


Below is the original write-up for Goggles4u (from 2006-2009). It's been kept around for posterity.

Goggles4u

"Discount Eyeglasses Superstore"
http://www.goggles4u.com


Coupon code:  STTJ2W
Discount: 5% off all purchases
Expiry Date: none

Introduction

Goggles4u has set up an office in Miami. They ship orders from both their US office, as well as their production facility located in Pakistan. Pricing in USD. They sell single-vision and bi-focal/varifocal (regular and progressive) lenses. Their only means of communication seems to be a contact form on their website. Payment is done through CCNow, where you can pay by Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Paypal, Discover, Diner's Club, and JCB.


Impressions

A few neat things about Goggles4u... first of all, they're one of the few retailers to allow payment with Paypal. Nothing ground breaking, but nice nonetheless. Second, FREE SHIPPING Worldwide unless you want to use DHL Express, in which case it'll cost you $12USD. Third, all the glasses seem to come with a free "multi-coating" which is "Free Antiglare, UV and Scratch Free Coating". Finally, almost every one of their frames are the same price of $12.99. Lenses start at $13. Note that while tint is free, it may not include the UV coating, so that may be something to inquire about if you plan on wearing your tinted lenses in the sun. However, as far as I know, all the non-tinted lenses do have the UV coating.

Single-Vision glasses come to $25.99USD ($12.99 frames + $13 lenses). Bi-focals come to $47.99 ($12.99 frames + $35 lenses).

Goggles4u represents great value for anyone who can use the free worldwide shipping and wants an AR coating on an inexpensive pair of glasses, or those simply looking for a backup pair. Apparently, the packing material is some sort of interesting sewn-together cloth.


Pricing

All Frames $12.99
 
Single Vision Clear Lenses (Distance or Reading)
CR39 Material High Index Lenses with antiglare, UV, and Scratch Free Coating $13.00
Glass Material High Index Lenses with antiglare, UV, and Scratch Free Coating $13.00
 
Single Vision Transitional Lenses (Distance or Reading)
Glass Material High Index with Transition Brown (Free Antiglare, UV and Scratch Free Coating) $17.00
Glass Material High Index with Transition Grey (Free Antiglare, UV and Scratch Free Coating) $17.00
CR39 Material High Index with Transition Brown (Free Antiglare, UV and Scratch Free Coating) $49.00
CR39 Material High Index with Transition Grey (Free Antiglare, UV and Scratch Free Coating) $49.00
 
Bifocal/Varifocal Clear Lenses
CR39 Material Lined Simple Bifocal/Varifocal High Index Lenses $35.00
CR39 Material No-Line Progressive Bifocal/Varifocal with Short Corridor High Index Lenses $49.00
 
Bifocal/Varifocal Transitional Lenses  
Glass Material No Line Progressive Bifocal/Varifocal Lenses with Transition Brown (Short Corridor, Hi Index) $84.00
Glass Material No Line Progressive Bifocal/Varifocal Lenses with Transition Grey (Short Corridor, Hi Index) $84.00
CR39 Material No Line Progressive Bifocal/Varifocal Lenses with Transition Brown (Short Corridor, Hi Index) $125.00
CR39 Material No Line Progressive Bifocal/Varifocal Lenses with Transition Grey (Short Corridor, Hi Index) $125.00
 
Tint FREE
 
Shipping
Standard Worldwide FREE
DHL Express $12.00

A pair of single vision lenses (free AR) without any add-ons is only $25.99USD after free Worldwide shipping.
A pair of bi-focal lenses (free AR) without any add-ons is $47.99USD after free Worldwide shipping.


Website Ratings

Category Rating Details
Website Good The website is easy to navigate. The only real issue is that if a frame is offered in 4 different colors, it is shown 4 different times, once in each color. This can make browsing for a frame time consuming. Aside from that, the website is complete, and the ordering process is relatively easy.
Selection Great Despite having the same frame show up multiple times but in different colors, the selection is actually pretty good. There was some nice variety and I came across quite a few stylish, unique frames.
Frame Info Good Dimensions, color, and whether or not the frame had spring hinges were given. Some of the descriptors were vague. For example, "Material: Light Metal" - "Temple: Normal" - "Weight: Light". It would have been nice to at least get some numbers in there for the Temple Length and maybe even the Weight.
Lens Options Acceptable Clear or Transitions, Glass or CR39. That about sums it up. Tint could be manually entered in (no additional cost).
Value Excellent Free AR and free worldwide shipping.