101–110 of 138 posts
If you're ever in Japan or Taiwan, have some glasses made there. JINS in Japan is ~$120 including lenses, lenses ready in 3 hours. Pick up same day. I heard there's a company in Taiwan with a similar business model as well. They're set up to handle tourists, and will handle duty free as well.
I got some glasses made up for me on my last trip to Malaysia. Cost less than $50 all up.
The reason glasses cost so much is because one company owns: (1) nearly all brand name frames including Ray-Ban, Oakley, Prada eyewear, Armani eyewear and so on, (2) nearly all retail stores such as LensCrafters, Pearle Vision, Sears Optical and Target Optical and (3) EyeMed, one of the largest vision insurance companies. Luxottica retail brands: http://www.luxottica.com/en/retail-brands Luxottica eyewear brands: htt…
Here is one in some remote place in a small third-world country: https://www.facebook.com/vakay.eyewear/
Their eyewear is not cheap but it works out the same as Luxottica after you add import tariffs.
Edit: It is important to mention that it is handmade.
As I write this, I am attending SILMO 2017 optical trade show in Paris. I've been attending for a few years and what you see when talking to industry participants is that there is real aversion to business models that can disrupt the industry to lower costs. Frame suppliers that sell to brick-and-mortar shops will very often refuse to sell to e-commerce players, for fear of alienating their brick and mortar accounts…
1. augmented reality could get real and good very fast. Lots of people will be comfortable testing glasses at home instead of checking the optician. Visiting the optician is the most awkward shop I go to.
2. How long before we have advanced cameras and the eye test could be done online? Well, I think a bit longer than I'd think but that's in the realm of possibilities.
if you’re in to avoiding paying hyper-inflated costs to support entrenched and anticompetitive markets, like what eyeglsses have been for years, I higly recommend Zenni Optical. They have highly customizable options and are great glasses, especially for the price. http://www.zennioptical.com Edit: spelling
My best experience to date for avoiding price-gouging has actually been at Costco's in-house optical. My experience with Zenni was of the "you get what you pay for" variety.
Oh, wait that was Rayban and it was inhaled by the same company.
I bought my most recent frames at a shop in Tokyo to avoid the Luxottica monopoly. They were 1/3 the price, the frame is the best (in terms of both style and ruggedness) I've ever owned, and the optics match my prescription better than any I've ever owned. If you're visiting Japan, bring a recent eyeglass prescription with you!
Can you recommend that store? Looking for an English-speaking store that can sell Seiko lenses that are only available in the Japanese market.
As I write this, I am attending SILMO 2017 optical trade show in Paris. I've been attending for a few years and what you see when talking to industry participants is that there is real aversion to business models that can disrupt the industry to lower costs. Frame suppliers that sell to brick-and-mortar shops will very often refuse to sell to e-commerce players, for fear of alienating their brick and mortar accounts…
The opticians are safe and sound for now but if I were in the business I'd be weary. 1. augmented reality could get real and good very fast. Lots of people will be comfortable testing glasses at home instead of checking the optician. Visiting the optician is the most awkward shop I go to. 2. How long before we have advanced cameras and the eye test could be done online? Well, I think a bit longer than I'd think but t…
Also some conditions such as glaucoma can be difficult to test (http://www.glaucoma.org/glaucoma/diagnostic-tests.php). I remember one of the tests is to use a tonometer to check pressure by firing a puff of air at the eye, so for any of the tests today that give output values, these could feasibly be administered at home but wouldn't form a complete picture of our eye's health.
Interesting to think what an "opticians" could be in 20 years from now.
I don't think Luxottica has anything going for them apart from monopoly. All their glasses are made with same technology, RayBan did not change last 50 years.
If you're ever in Japan or Taiwan, have some glasses made there. JINS in Japan is ~$120 including lenses, lenses ready in 3 hours. Pick up same day. I heard there's a company in Taiwan with a similar business model as well. They're set up to handle tourists, and will handle duty free as well.
I remember around 15 years ago in Bangkok my friend broke his glasses so went to the first opticians he found in a mall. He didn't have his prescription so they took some eye tests, he then picked out his frames and lenses and then was asked to return later that day for pickup. Absolutely blew our minds that this was possible
As I write this, I am attending SILMO 2017 optical trade show in Paris. I've been attending for a few years and what you see when talking to industry participants is that there is real aversion to business models that can disrupt the industry to lower costs. Frame suppliers that sell to brick-and-mortar shops will very often refuse to sell to e-commerce players, for fear of alienating their brick and mortar accounts…
As I understand their logic is that the PD is part of the fitting process for the glasses and not the optical prescription.