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You're sat at home, check. You need a new television, check. You go online, check. You choose your size, check. You pay a discounted price, check. It arrives, working perfectly just like a shop bought item, check. The internet is the simple, and often drastically cheaper option for consumers in the digital millennium. Whether you are buying washing machines, laptops or lawn mowers, online stores offer a simple, safe (I hope), convenient and cheap way to get everything you need. Need advice? No need, everyone is now an expert. Gone are the days of visiting your local electrical store and asking advice, a world of information is just a mouse click (or iPad touch) away. Now as much as there is a little hint of sarcasm in my last few statements, in general, the market place is now struggling in stores as they struggle to compete with online equivalents as people shop on price above all else in the current economic climate. Even e-shops are feeling the pinch as many go one step further and scan eBay for even lower priced items. So where does the average optician fit in to all this? Can a shopper get the same level of service and end product doing it themselves online but paying a much lower price for their eye wear than in a physical store? Or do you end up paying less money but paying a higher price in eye health in the long run?
Going to your local optician, in general, is simple. You go in, get your prescription, choose your frames, add lens options, get them fitted correctly by a specialist, order, collect and pay. The wait time is the same pretty much wherever you buy, be it online or in store so we can put that down as equal across the board. You do however, pay as much as 2.5 to 3 times the amount you might expect if you had bought online. So how does it work online? Most stores will let you input prescriptions fairly easily, choose from a range of frames, many giving the option to see a virtual self with said new glasses on, and then pay the lower cost. Shipped up and out to you, delivered by courier ready to try on. Perfect, right? Well things don't always go to plan. As a specialist service, this isn't quite like purchasing a TV and plugging the power in. As long as the screen physically fits, there isn't much more that can go wrong. With your glasses however, there are a few things that can turn a seemingly good deal into a bad purchase:
- Fitting
Although stores have to allow you the option of trying on when they arrive, a perfect fit is never guaranteed. When buying in store, your optician will check to make sure they fit you for maximum comfort and usability. Imagine having to wear glasses to help avoid migraines, but they actually end up causing headaches and pain as they pinch and dig into your ears and head. - Delivery
To be honest, pretty standard across the board. In store they still have to be ordered, just like online. The only real difference is collection in store, which can be more convenient for the working man or woman who can't afford to stop in waiting for deliveries. - Prescriptions
Pretty similar between online and offline. Most online stores allow you to enter your prescription freely and easily, provided you have it to hand. However, correcting the optical centre of a lens isn't quite so straight forward online and this certainly gives an in store optician the upper hand. OC measurements aren't standard and as such is difficult to enter in an e-commerce environment. Comes packaged with the 'fitting' section, and can certainly leave you with a possible problem. - Advice
Plain and simple. In an optician you can chat to a qualified optometrist about any concerns or queries you may have. Online? Many stores are simple that, stores. Just workers shipping in and shipping out. Just because a shop online sells glasses and eyewear does not guarantee a trained professional optician is waiting to help if the need arises.
Result? In essence, having your eyes tested in store might be a little more expensive but the service and ability to adjust and correct issues before or after they arise may end up being worth that extra little bit of cash and become priceless. Buying on price alone? Online is your answer but it certainly carries a few risks which may end up denting your pocket in the long run and causing eye related issues afterwards.