Today’s fast-paced world has made it easy for us to get many things in the convenience of our homes, with just a click or tap. The world of shopping is literally at your fingertips. Not only does it save your time, but it also keeps your energy, and you could use it in something productive.
When it comes to shopping for same-day glasses online, you encounter a wide variety of options to browse from. This benefit is not attained at one particular shop, as they would have limited stock. No matter how large a collection, it could never match the thousands of options available online. Also, competition in the online marketplace is tough, and you can benefit from promotional campaigns and discounts, which physical stores do not offer.
Pros and Cons of Getting Prescription Eyeglasses Online
However, all that glitters is not gold. Online shopping certainly has its cons. Your selected glasses might not fit you as expected. Let’s look into the advantages and disadvantages of buying prescription eyeglasses online:
1) Convenience
Buying online Glasses can be very convenient. You can order from the convenience of your home, without having to go. This not only saves your energy but your time which you can spend on other productive tasks.
2) Variety
You can find unlimited varieties of eyeglasses online at varying prices. As there are many online eyeglass stores, you can get the price package that would suit you the best. Compared to browsing eyeglasses online, physical shopping would require you to visit many stores to look for variety.
3) Price
Store prices for eyeglasses are generally 30% to 70% higher than online stores. Brick and mortar stores have more operations expenses than online stores. You can easily find good deals online due to competition.
4) The unpredictability of getting what you expected
A big issue with online shopping is that you might not get what you expected. However, this issue does not arise when you shop with big brands like Warby Parker, Overnight Glasses, Zenni Optical, Glasses USA, etc. These big brands have an image to uphold and would never cheat you.
What you see in the picture might not be the same in reality. Colors might differ. Also, frames sometimes do not fit the buyer. In this case, many online shops have a return policy that you could avail of.
5) Professional Guidance
One benefit of visiting an optical store is that a professional optometrist can guide you in buying suitable prescription eyeglasses that could fit you well. They are well aware of any frames being sold at their stores and can tell you if it is right for you or not.
6) Prescription Mishaps
Prescription mishaps mean that your specified prescription might not be accommodated to your eyeglasses. These prescription mishaps commonly occur both online as well as store-bought prescription glasses. However, they occur more frequently in online orders than in store-bought purchases.
Replacement Orders Surpass all Cons
If you already know the eyeglass fit and specific prescription, ordering prescription eyeglasses online can be very beneficial. Knowing the exact make and size makes ordering more accessible, as you already know what you want. You do not need any expert opinion, and there is no fear that the glasses won’t fit or suit you.
Therefore, it is wise to always opt for online purchases for replacement orders as it would save you time and money.
Exceptions of Online Prescription Eyeglass Purchase
There is a limit to everything. If you need to get your PD (pupillary distance) measured, you will have to pay a visit to the ophthalmologist. You cannot get out of it by ordering online. Your PD is the distance between the pupils’ centers of our eyes. You need a trained professional to measure it and include it in your prescription. Also, if you require special progressive lenses, a store visit becomes a must.
Online Eyeglass Stats in the United States
Forbes magazine shows that more than 4% of prescription eyeglasses sold in the United States are bought online. These stats were taken from surveys held four years ago. There is no doubt that the numbers have grown immensely since then. The chief reason is cheaper rates of online bought eyeglasses than the store-bought ones.
Conclusion
Although there is a gap in the cost of eyeglasses purchased online from those bought in-stores, there are still pros and cons of both methods of prescription eyeglass purchase. Also, many add-ons could drive the cost of your eyeglasses up without you realizing what happened. These may include scratch resistance coating, anti-reflective coating, polycarbonate lenses, polarized lenses, etc.
Moreover, choose a trusted online optical dealer like Warby Parker or Overnight Glasses, and you could minimize your risk of not getting what you want. In a nutshell, you should weigh both pros and cons carefully before deciding to get your prescription eyeglasses online.
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