Specsavers Ireland: sneaky upselling

daheff

I'm sorry....but how do people end up leaving the shop not knowing how much is being charged?

Why are Specsavers performing work that has not been agreed (both price and activity) beforehand?

Are people signing off on unknown costs for glasses before they go to pay for them?

Birneybau

I'm not going to engage with people that haven't read the thread from hereon in. The situation was made clear through the posts I made.

uck51js9zml2yt

Floody Boreland wrote: »

Don't want to use specsavers but do they have better technology than independents to detect diseases of the eye?

I got referred by specsavers to a place in Fairview as SS couldn't test for something.
This place has specialists and follow up on me every 6-12 months.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Floody Boreland wrote: »

Don't want to use specsavers but do they have better technology than independents to detect diseases of the eye?

In my experience it's quite the opposite. The independent I go to here is far superior.

Tenigate

Specsavers are very bad for upselling.. ultra-thin lenses and anti-glare tint on the first pair and the free pair.. and your €180 "all in" becomes more like €500.

I've met a few people who left specsavers feeling a little ripped off and annoyed with themselves for not saying "no" to the final price.

The tactic is as follows. The chirpy sales woman casually mentions "i noticed the optician recommended...." maybe adding "its an extra 45 for the anti-glare but as you'll be wearing your glasses for xyz we'd definitely recommend it." (And the cost is per pair of glasses)

Many customers weren't expecting the hard sell and it's only when everything's agreed that they find out the total price and feel confused or think it would be inappropriate to ask why it costs so much.

uck51js9zml2yt

I just use SS for the eyetest and then order online from the UK.

Fred Swanson

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Purple Mountain

I go to a smaller chain of opticians and their up sell is just as bad.
I was berated for not getting some tint on the lenses to make them cosmetically more appealing! I was very firm with my fupp off refusal.

PLL

They're terrible. Tried to tell me I needed glasses because I have large pupils and I'm very sensitive to light. Luckily, I discovered before buying them that they had no actual prescription +/- lens in them and were effectively sunglasses. Also, tried to get me 'another pair for free'.

My daughter was written a prescription after an eye test at school, her glasses were free (a happy surprise). They still tried to get me to buy for a spare pair because she was bound to break the first pair "all kids break their first pair of glasses" so I was told. Happy to report her first and only pair are doing great.

Gangsters.

splinter65

Madilynn Enough Speckle wrote: »

Only very basic frames. The Department will only pay €42 towards the overall cost of the spectacles and you pay the balance.

That’s true. My 83 year old mother got her new glasses last week no cost to her, the most basic frames and they are perfectly serviceable for the 2 years they are intended to last. I’m mystified as to how this elderly gentleman ended up spending so much on his.

madmaggie

Madilynn Enough Speckle wrote: »

Only very basic frames. The Department will only pay €42 towards the overall cost of the spectacles and you pay the balance.

Some of the medical card frames are not great, very dated. I was told one time that I should go for the kids range, as I have small features. I checked out the kids offers online, picked the frames and got two pairs plus my eye test free with the medical card. They did try to upsell me the contact lenses, but nothing doing. You really need to do your homework before going in there. I went in with all the stuff printed off, so they couldn't bamboozle me with the sales pitch. I've fallen for that in the past. :mad:

Nekarsulm

The more "designer" branded frames really drive up the price.
I got tested, a pair of Quicksilver frames, and ultra thin glass lenses (prescription is something like -7 in the left and -11 in the right) for 285. Refused tints. I never get plastic lens as they scratch so easily.
The chosen frames added something like 70 euro to the price.

My last pair, in an independent opticians were nearly 500 euro!
Never again will I go there, which is why I went go Spec Savers this time.

vicwatson

Francisco Better Rancher wrote: »

I just use SS for the eyetest and then order online from the UK.

Any probs with just doing this? any awkwardness about it?

dudara

@splinter65 - you’ve made your point. You can leave it alone now please

dudara

Fred Swanson

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paddyref

Francisco Better Rancher wrote:

I just use SS for the eyetest and then order online from the UK.

That's brilliant, could you pm me where you sourced your glasses please...test due soon,thanks.

Doodah7

Francisco Better Rancher wrote: »

I just use SS for the eyetest and then order online from the UK.

On this, I was looking at speckyfoureyes. They have a pair of Timberland frames that are £95 and the identical pair in SS is €189. Adding thinned lenses would be €264 in Specsavers and £154 or c. €175 online.

Has anyone used speckfoureyes?

uck51js9zml2yt

vicwatson wrote: »

Any probs with just doing this? any awkwardness about it?

I just ask the optician for a copy of my prescription when the test is complete.
If they ask am I getting glasses today, I just saw not yet.

QueenRizla

I do this as well, just go to SS for the test and then upload it online and buy glasses for a fraction from China. Just remember to try to get your PD (pupillary distance), this won't be in your script. I was able to read it from the notes. Easier than measuring it yourself.
Glasses are so cheap online that it is insane to use SS. I use Zenni, it is a reliable site and the glasses are super quality. You can actually upload your picture and 'try on' different styles to decide what you like. I have the prescription on my account and every so often order a new style for a few dollars when they have a sale.

bk

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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I just say to them, that I'll come back in a few days with the other half to try on glasses, that she would kill me if I bought without her input. Keeps it positive and they just give you your prescription then.

Of course legally you are entitled to it, so don't let them give you the run around, but I think it is better to approach it positively.

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AMKC

Nekarsulm wrote: »

The more "designer" branded frames really drive up the price.
I got tested, a pair of Quicksilver frames, and ultra thin glass lenses (prescription is something like -7 in the left and -11 in the right) for 285. Refused tints. I never get plastic lens as they scratch so easily.
The chosen frames added something like 70 euro to the price.

My last pair, in an independent opticians were nearly 500 euro!
Never again will I go there, which is why I went go Spec Savers this time.

I once got plastic frames along with a steel pair too and this was from an independent near me which are quite good. I was sorry I got the plastic frames do as they got broke very easily. I also have to get ultra thin lenses and tinted as my eye is very sensitive to light.
I once tried to just buy new lenses but they said that they don,t makes lenses for the frames you have anymore. I wonder now were there just saying that.

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AMKC

....... wrote: »

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Did they give you your pupillary distance after or how did you get it?

Nekarsulm

AMKC wrote: »

Did they give you your pupillary distance after or how did you get it?

I got mine in Specsavers in Cavan.
By taking a few sneaky photo's of the prescription card with my mobile.......

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ForestFire

....... wrote: »

I measured it myself in 2014 after they refused to provide it then and have since ordered several pairs of glasses from zenni. So I already had it.

Its dead easy to measure it yourself.

I was just interested to see what theyd say - if the policy had changed. My husband was getting his eyes tested too - he also asked, and she gave him a different excuse.

Would you not just refuse to pay if they would not give you the full details of your eye test.

I know there be some bs about that not part of the cost, but it takes a second to measure so how much extra could it actually be.

Fred Swanson

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Cerco

ForestFire wrote: »

Would you not just refuse to pay if they would not give you the full details of your eye test.

I know there be some bs about that not part of the cost, but it takes a second to measure so how much extra could it actually be.

I guess most people have already given them their PRSI number for the test, so they would get paid anyway.

Fred Swanson

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