Other Retailers
Other Retailers
Marvel Optics –
marveloptics.com
Marvel is BBB-accredited with an A- rating. Frames technically
start at $5.99 (with free 1.499 index single vision lenses), though
you have to get up to about the $24.99 mark before you’ve started
getting into a real selection, putting them in the middle of the
discount price range. Bifocal, Progressive, and free-form lenses
add about $19, $36, and $40 respectively. Lens indexes of up to
1.74 are offered. AR, UV, and tinted coatings add $6/$5/$5.
Polarized lenses can be had as a $30 upgrade –
photochromic/transitions lenses on the other hand don’t appear to
be available. The site itself has a clean, fluid feel to it, a
virtual try-on feature is available, the site is easy to use, and
mouse-over popups are well written in terms that are easy to
understand. I didn’t come across anything that would disqualify
them from getting a full-page listing on EGRR during my brief look,
so a dedicated page will likely be added in the future.
Eyeglass Universe –
eyeglassuniverse.com
Eyeglass Universe is a relative newcomer to the online eyeglass
industry, but appears to be steadily improving both their site and
web presence over time. Frame prices range from $6.95 to
approximately $200. For those looking for glasses on the discount
end, almost 2000 frames are listed in the under-$40 range, though
that includes duplicates in different colors. At the low end of
that price range, it’s not until around the $10 mark that you start
to move into something of a selection. Upgrading lens types is
well-priced, but options such as AR/Anti-Scratch/UV are very
expensive at $59+/$12/$8 respectively and quickly push a purchase
out of the discount price range. Information in the help section is
quite good, with “factoids” bordering the right side of the page.
The website lacks any form of virtual “try-on” feature, but is well
thought out and quite usable. Eyeglass Universe carries a selection
of contact lenses as well – it’s worth noting that they list the
“true” price you pay (not price after rebate), and thus far do not
appear to charge the imaginary “handling” fee that the major
contact lens outlets charge, so may be worth looking into if
looking for a straightforward price for contact lenses. Midwest
Optical Associates (the owner of Eyeglass Universe) is
BBB-accredited with an A- rating.
LensesRX –
lensesrx.com
Lenses RX sells glasses with single-vision, bi-focal, and
progressive lenses. The focus appears to be on name-brand designer
frames, with typical brands (Guess, Nike, Vogue, etc) tending to
start around the $100 mark for the frames (and a minimum $30
additional for the lenses). They are listed by the BBB with a D-
rating. LensesRX may get a dedicated information page on the EGRR
site at some point in the future as a name brand frame
retailer – while they do offer discount frames, to hit a reasonable
selection you must spend at least $60 ($30 frames + $30 lenses +
shipping) which currently excludes them from a listing as a
discount retailer.
EyeSave – eyesave.com
Offerings are largely limited to non-prescription sunglasses,
though a selection of reading glasses is carried as well. EyeSave
carries a number of name brand designer glasses (non-prescription).
As a ballpark number, Nike frames start at about $50 and Ray-Ban
start at about $95. Shipping is $6.95 within the US, with
International Shipping handled through another company (shipping
cost not listed on website). They carry an A+ rating with the BBB.
Because they do not offer prescription distance/bifocal/progressive
lenses, they do not qualify for a dedicated review page on EGRR at
this time.
AffordableVision.com – affordablevision.com
Carries a small selection of frames beginning at $40 + shipping
including single-vision lenses. Bifocals and progressives offered
as well. Prescription section of ordering page is very un-intuitive
and I suspect a high number of mistakes would be made for
individuals when entering data. Checkout cart has an expired
certificate as well. AffordableVision.com is not listed with the
BBB. To receive a dedicated information page on the EGRR site, at
minimum they would need to increase their selection, re-implement
their prescription section (the current design increases the chance
a customer would enter the wrong prescription), and contain a valid
security certificate for checkout (or failing that, drop the normal
checkout and switch entirely to PayPal).
World Eyeglasses –
worldeyeglasses.com
Only appears to sell locally in Fort Lauderdale, FL and do not
appear to have any offerings available online. World Eyeglasses
appears to be owned and operated by Dr Gary Enker. BBB has them
listed with a B- rating. They do not have a dedicated information
page on EGRR as they appear to only sell locally.
Inactive / Past Retailers
All information seems to indicate they kept taking orders through their website, but stopped sending out glasses, continuing to do this for quite some time – effectively defrauding their customer base by taking money with no intent to deliver a product in return. EyeglassRetailerReviews.com issued a warning about them on the website upon receiving a massive influx of complaints, and contacted US agencies in an effort to initiate an investigation in hopes that VALUEglasses would be shut down if the allegations were true. At this point in time, the VALUEglasses website appears to no longer be existence and has been replaced by a parked domain serving ads. If you ordered from VALUEglasses and did not receive your order, you’re encouraged to contact your credit card company and inquire about the possibility of a “chargeback”. Informing the BBB and FTC may be beneficial in the event that an investigation is pursued.
Curious as to how things have changed
since 2006?
Here is the original writeup for VALUEglasses from many years
ago…
VALUEglasses
“for the best value and quality
eyewear”
Warning: There have been a considerable number of reports where individuals have ordered glasses from VALUEglasses, have not received them, and have been unable to contact the company. I would not recommend purchasing from them at this point in time, as there seems to be a high risk involved.
In the event that you have ordered from VALUEglasses, I recommend that you document all means of trying to contact them, and file a dispute with your credit card company if you do not receive your glasses. In most cases, the credit card company will reverse the charge. Also be sure to contact me at eyeglassretailerreviews@gmail.com and let me know.
Introduction
VALUEglasses is located in California (USA). Pricing in USD. They display a phone number, address, and email address on their information page. They accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and Paypal as methods of payment.
Impressions
VALUEglasses isn’t one of the most popular online retailers, but they do have a decent web site, albeit a little plain. Their pricing seems to be quite good, starting at $24.98 for a basic pair of single-vision frames/lenses. Basic bi-focals start at $49.98. Shipping is an additional $6-8. Frame selection is quite high, lens selection slightly above average.
A BBB search from search.bbb.org shows VALUEglasses as having a rating of “F” with 3 unanswered complaints.
Pricing
due to the pricing scheme (separate prices rather than “+” pricing for different lens materials), this price chart is for the cheapest frame/lens combo in each category.
Single Vision Bi-focals Progressive Plastic 1.56 High Index $24.98 Flat Top $49.98 Basic $89.98 Polycarbonate 1.59 High Index $34.98 Rounded $49.98 Transition Lenses $109.98 Plastic 1.61 Extra High Index $39.98 Blended $79.96 Plastic 1.67 Ultra High Index $59.98 Executive $89.96 Plastic Transition Lenses $74.98
AR Coating +$6.98 Premium AR Coating +$19.98 Solid Tint (gray green brown blue yellow orange purple pink) (20% 50% 90%) +$6.98 Gradient Tint (gray green brown blue yellow orange purple pink) (20% 50% 90%) +$8.98 Shipping (US) +$5.95 Shipping (International) +$7.95
Single Vision frames/lenses come to $30.93 to the US, $32.93 Internationally. Bi-focals are $55.93/$57.93, and Progressives $95.93/$97.93 after shipping.
Website Ratings
| Category | Rating | Details |
| Website | Acceptable | The website is very plain, but useable. Categories are set up nicely, but browsing through the frames requires a lot of scrolling. On the plus side, the pictures are quite clear, and after selecting a frame, a close up picture becomes available. There is a lot of general information on the frames and lenses but it must be accessed through the information section of the website. It would be nice if the information could be easily accessed via a popup box or similar from the actual order page. |
| Selection | Good | Metal, Plastic, Titanium, Bifocal, and Progressive are the categories, with subcategories such as Rimless, Semi-Rimless, Bendable, and Fullrim. |
| Frame Info | Good | Prominently displayed frame dimensions are given. Pictures are clear. Color can be selected. |
| Lens Options | Good | Anti-scratch, UV protection, and polished edges are all included for free. AR and Tint are given as options which are less than $10 each. More options are offered with Single Vision lenses, which can be bought in Polycarbonate, or various high index materials. Transitions are offered for both single vision and progressive lenses. |
| Value | Good | Basic frames and lenses with anti-scratch are offered for slightly over $30 shipped. Going with Polycarbonate lenses only adds $10 to the price. AR isn’t included, but only adds $7 which is a reasonable price (although it would be nice if it was included, since it brings the basic pair close to $40 after shipping). All in all, pricing seems very reasonable. |
Reports that customers had been unable to contact EyeGlassesWorld despite the website continuing to run were made public on the EyeglassRetailerReviews.com website. Since that time, the EyeGlassesWorld website has gone down and appears to have been replaced by a parked domain serving ads. If you ordered from EyeGlassesWorld and did not receive your order, you’re encouraged to contact your credit card company and inquire about the possibility of a “chargeback”. You may want to inform the BBB and FTC if the situation warrants it.
Curious as to how things have changed
since 2006?
Here is the original writeup for Eye Glasses World from many
years ago…
EyeGlassesWorld
“the source for high quality eyewear at
discount prices”
Warning: There have been reports of individuals unable to contact EyeGlassesWorld. While their website appears to be up and running, attempts to contact them have been met with no response. I have also tried contacting them, so far, without success. Therefore, at this time, and until more information becomes available, or until I have had a chance to try ordering from them, I DO NOT RECOMMEND EyeGlassesWorld for your online eyeglass purchases. If you have recently ordered glasses from or been able to contact EyeGlassesWorld, please email me at eyeglassretailerreviews@gmail.com.
Introduction
Eye Glasses World is located in California (USA). Pricing in USD. Single-vision and bi-focal (regular and progressives) are both offered. They display email addresses and a physical address on their Contact page. They accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and Paypal.
Impressions
I wasn’t able to find a whole lot of information on Eye Glasses World. The website is very basic, and seems incomplete. For example, certain frame categories are displayed but cannot be chosen. However, pricing is generally good. Their frames with lenses start at just $20, with the majority being around the $29 mark.
As far as pricing goes, Eye Glasses World seems to be pretty competative. The major downside is really the website, which does not feel complete at all, but rather seems like a work in progress. A little tweaking, testing, and updating would really go a long way. A BBB search from search.bbb.org reveals that Eye Glasses World has an “unsatisfactory” rating with 4 resolved complaints, 3 ‘no response’ complaints, and 1 ‘unpursuable’ complaint.
Pricing
due to inconsistencies on the website, there is a good chance these prices may not be accurate pricing shown is for the $20 frame/lens combo . Lenses 1.56 High Index Lens included 1.50 Medium High Index (Japan) +$9.95 1.59 Polycarbonate Lens (price only shown at checkout) +$9.95 1.61 Extra High Index +$15.95 1.61 Extra High Index (Japan?) +$29.95 1.61 Extra High Index (France) +$39.95 1.67 Super High Index +$39.95 1.67 Super High Index (Japan?) +$49.95 1.67 Super High Index (France) +$59.95 1.70 HOYA Ultra High Index (Japan) +$119.95 Bi-focals +$14.00 Progressives +$49.95 . Lens Coatings Anti Reflective Coating +$9.95 Purple AR Coating with Japanese Lenses +$29.95 Blue AR Coating with Japanese Lenses (1.5 Index) +$19.95 . PhotoChromic Coating (Grey or Brown) +$49.95 PhotoChromic Coating (Blue, Green, Orange, Pink, Yellow, or Purple) +$69.95 . Tint (Solid or Gradient) (Grey or Brown) (30%, 60%, or 90%) +$5.95 . USPS First Class / Priority Mail Shipping (US) +$5.00 Shipping (International) +$5.00?
A pair of single vision lenses without any add-ons is only $25.00 after shipping if you live in the US, bi-focals are $39.00 after shipping to the US. Shipping to international countries didn’t affect the shipping price of $5 but somehow I got the feeling that international shipping may have been overlooked when setting the prices. I’d recommend contacting them first before placing an international order.
Website Ratings
| Category | Rating | Details |
| Website | Poor | Website seems incomplete. When ordering, some lens options don’t display the price, or have incomplete information. Basic frames with basic lenses would probably be a safe order. Personally, if I were upgrading any of the lens options, I would contact them beforehand to confirm what option I’m getting and the price. |
| Selection | Acceptable | A fair selection is offered, although I was unable to find Kid’s Eyeglasses, despite the category being shown. |
| Frame Info | Good | Dimensions, color, and whether the frame is available for bifocals are shown. |
| Lens Options | Good | A few choices in lenses, including regular CR39, polycarbonate, and high index lenses. AR, Photochromic coatings, and tints are offered as add-ons. |
| Value | Great | $25 shipped for a set of lenses in the US. International shipping might be more. Upgrades such as AR, Polycarbonate lenses, or tints range from about $6-10 which is completely reasonable. |
The MyOptics site has been closed. A message remains on their main page that states “It is with regret that the decision has been made to close down myoptics.co.uk and associated glasses sites. All current orders that have been placed will be fulfilled and we wish to thank our customers for their support.” EyeglassRetailerReviews did not receive any complaints, and therefore deem it likely that they have fulfilled their obligations/orders and left on good terms with their customers.
Curious as to how things have changed
since 2006?
Here is the original writeup for MyOptics from many years
ago…
MyOptics
“great prices, great service, free
delivery”
Introduction
MyOptics is located in the UK. Pricing in GBP (£) . Only single-vision lenses (reading or distance) are available. They display a local phone and fax number at the bottom of their page. You can also find the mailing address on their site in the Payment Options section. They accept Visa, Delta, Visa Electron, MasterCard, Switch, Solo, Amex, Cheque, Postal Order, and Paypal. To pay by Cheque, Postal Order, or Paypal you will have to visit the Help/PaymentOptions section of their site for more information.
Impressions
The site is nicely designed, seems professional, and is quite easy to navigate and order through. They have a “SmartFit” option with each frame which opens a .pdf of the frame which can be printed to get actual frame size. While lens options themselves are fairly limited, adding the available options such as Tint, Photochromic Lenses, or an AR Coating is as simple as checking a box.
Pricing starts at £15.00 for a frame & lenses (approx $27USD at the time of this writing). The included CR39 lens has free anti-scratch. There is free delivery in the UK, with shipping being £5.00 (approx $9USD) Internationally.
Pricing
Note that the exchange rate in mid Jan, 2006 was approx 1.00GBP(£) = 1.77 USD . Basic Frame and Lens £15.00 . Light and Dark (photochromic lens) + £30.00 Tint + £7.00 AR Coating + £12.00 Thin & Lite + £30.00 . Shipping (UK) FREE Shipping (International) + £5.00
A pair of single vision lenses without any add-ons is about $36.00 after shipping if you live in the US. If you live in the UK, they are £15.00 with free delivery.
Website Ratings
| Category | Rating | Details |
| Website | Great | Website looks professional and is easy to navigate. When ordering, there is “learn more” text which gives detailed information on each option. The help system is well-designed and full of information. They also have an online forum. |
| Selection | Acceptable | There are only 7 frames in the £15.00 section, none of which are unisex. However, the other sections do have more, so if you are willing to spend a bit, you’ll probably find a frame that you like. |
| Frame Info | Great | Dimensions, color, and frame material are given. You can view the glasses on a face, and through the “SmartFit” button, view a .pdf of the frame and print it to size. |
| Lens Options | Acceptable | CR39 is the only choice of lens material. Additional options are either a Photochromic lens, Tint, AR Coating, or Thin & Light. None of the options appear to be combinable with the others. |
| Value | Good | A basic frame/lens is of pretty fair value. It would have been nice to see the AR Coating as either being included, or at a lower price. |