Why are glasses so expensive? The industry prefers to keep that blurry (2019)

Post by jasonwatkinspdx » Wed, Nov 09, 2022, 4:53 PM UTC

bombcar wrote: post #214

jasonwatkinspdx wrote: post #190

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've had very good luck ordering from Zenni and Coastal. It is perhaps a bit harder to find a frame style you like, but once you have a frame of reference for say width measurements it's not so bad. They're especially good for cheap prescription sun glasses. I bought a whole stack of them years ago I'm still working through. If I go to the river or where ever and something happens to them I'm out $25 instead of $250.…

> Why is it so many of these simple services increasingly feel like total scams in the US? Because 'quiet franchising' is a huge money maker for those selling the franchises. For alterations you need to look for someone who does full custom clothing in-house; cleaning services almost all now ship even the cleaning to some central location. I was able to find an actual cobbler nearby; they're still out there but it ca…

Post by timbit42 » Wed, Nov 09, 2022, 4:57 PM UTC

robertlagrant wrote: post #166

hourago wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Capitalism stops working when monopolies take over markets. It is urgently needed to break up all the monopolies and go back to healthy competition. Many problems that we see in society today come from power accumulation in a few hands. The economy is becoming an authoritarian power. Kill monopolies and growth will come back in full force. People is not out of ideas, it is just that companies do not care anymore beca…

> The economy is becoming an authoritarian power. Well, no. Monopolising a market with the economy, which is a tiny fraction of all decision-making power, is not authoritarian. The main thing to ask is: are there high barriers to entry for new players? If not, then competition will arise when it needs to. If there are, then we have a problem. If there are, and they're government/state regulations, then we have a comm…

Post by mrguyorama » Wed, Nov 09, 2022, 5:00 PM UTC

banana_giraffe wrote: post #72

adzm wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not to mention the pupillary distance is not commonly included on optical prescriptions which creates a significant hurdle, even though it can be measured yourself or usually given when asked.

I've asked for my pupillary distance in the past and got a talking to about how evil online ordering is and how it'll ruin my eyes before they would give it to me. All BS, and when I asked if they'd fill a prescription for lenses for my VR unit instead of ordering them online, they stared at me like I had grown a third arm.

Post by mrguyorama » Wed, Nov 09, 2022, 5:14 PM UTC

ourmandave wrote: post #31

warbler73 wrote: post #22

After decades with private practices, since I switched to WalMart my prescriptions are more accurate and glasses cost almost nothing.

Are Walmart glasses cheaper? My last pair was about the going rate, although it's been 4 years ago. I still use Walmart for exams but buy all my glasses from Zenni.com. They're so cheap, glasses have gone from sacred to disposable.

Post by ngokevin » Wed, Nov 09, 2022, 6:22 PM UTC

rahimnathwani wrote: post #3

"Warby Parker recognized this as a business opportunity. I’m surprised others haven’t jumped in as well with reasonably priced eyewear." This author is uninformed. Others have jumped in. And Warby Parker wasn't even the first. 15 years ago I would buy my single-vision prescription glasses from optical4less.com. The cost was $58 for 2 pairs, including worldwide shipping. Today I buy my glasses from Zenni. Last month,…