Sunglasses Season Starting Soon
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
It's always a good idea to wear sunglasses in the bright sun regardless of season. There are safety concerns and maybe more important, beauty concerns to be considered. For most of us in the thrifty bespectacled masses, owning prescription sunglasses hasn't been an option and we've got the crow's feet to prove it. We muddled through with any number of strange and difficult clip-on arrangements or did as I did, went 20 years without prescription sunglasses. Contact lenses with sunglasses was always an option, but I've never been much of a contact lens wearer apart from sports.
One of the most important improvements in my life over the past year and a half is the addition of sunglasses and the ability to get affordable Transitions lenses. It's so much more pleasant to be outdoors and not have to be squinting all the time. You really don't know what you're missing until you get a pair.
Any of the retailers can set you up for as little as a few dollars extra ($0 extra at Goggles4U) for tinting. It really is a no-brainer.
Posted by Ira 9:08 AM 1 comments
Optical4Less Poll Winners
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Thanks for sharing your opinions in the first Optical4Less poll. It helped Albert out immensely.
For the record, the winning frames (and the lucky three who won them) were:
Dave K. won the 'hr048'.
Jennie W. won the 'co013'.
Jill M. won the 'p108'.
Actually we're all winners, because the top three frames you chose are now listed in the overstock area of the Optical4Less site and are available at some VERY nice prices.
I'm hoping to get some photos of these people in their new glasses when they arrive.
Thanks again!
Posted by Ira 11:27 PM 0 comments
Labels: optical4less, poll, winners
Risk of Inconvenience
Monday, May 12, 2008
I bought a kick-ass espresso machine from a friend a couple of months ago and apart from being in a highly-caffeinated buzz during that time, I've learned that the online eyeglasses business is not the only industry with quality control and order management issues.
Obviously, I knew this already -- heck, I even had a pretty heavily hit blog entry along the same lines a couple years back -- but once again, it's important to realize that every time you order something there is a risk that it's not going to work out or show up in a timely manner.
It really doesn't matter if you're standing in a store at a register with item in hand, sitting at your computer late at night ordering espresso machine accessories (and then finding out that they're back-ordered and then ordering them from someone else and then finding out that even after you canceled the first order, they charged you and shipped them anyway), or sitting in a chair across from a part-time "LensCrafter". There is a risk that what you are expecting to receive in return for your cash, will not work out.
How many things have you returned in the past year to Target, Best Buy or Wal*Mart? Seems like every time I walk into one of these stores there is a line at customer service and a guy with an armload of parts to something that didn't work out or a kid with three copies of the video game he wanted for his birthday.
The hassle is exacerbated in online transactions with the added headache of shipping, RMAs, and trying to get in touch with someone who can authorize a return.
This risk is real -- and with online glasses, the risk increases with a prescription's strength and complexity. It's also the primary reason I made my initial eyeglasses orders from more than one retailer. When I needed glasses, it just made sense.
I'm reasonably sure that the next pair of glasses I order will be just fine (like 14 of my 15 online pairs -- a much better ratio than my "brick and mortar" experiences), but when I talk to friends who are ready to place their first orders, I stress the importance of trying a couple of different places, if they can, to avoid the "risk of inconvenience".
[Ed. Note: The Rancilio Siliva is a FINE piece of hand-crafted wonderfulness that is well on its way to paying for itself. My wife and I like espresso -- a lot -- and it's addition to my kitchen counter is keeping me away from the coffee shop -- and the $5 drinks.]
Posted by Ira 10:00 PM 0 comments
Optical4Less Overstock Poll Closing Early - Tonight @ 10PM CST.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Albert at Optical4Less has gotten enough feedback about the poll. Running it for three more weeks isn't going to change the choices, unless styles changed dramatically, so...
It's closing tonight.
At 10PM CDT.
I'll post the winning frames contact the winners over the next day or two.
Thanks for your input.
Posted by Ira 2:38 PM 0 comments
Labels: optical4less, poll
EyeBuyDirect 2-For-1 Sale - GlassyEyes Get an Earlybird Opportunity
EyeBuyDirect is having a 2-for-1 sale starting on Monday, BUT we GlassyEyes viewers are getting an early shot at some great prices on great glasses. EyeBuyDirect has made a number of great changes to their site -- which is being relaunched during this event. The general public gets their shot starting on Monday.
One of the things I'm most impressed with (and there are a lot of things to talk about in an upcoming post on the new site), is the new 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. I had a number of conversations with the founder and a few others a couple of months ago, and this HUGE improvement was a product of those conversations.
I really feel like EBD is trying very hard to step up in this crowded field. Give them a try. What better time than during this sale? Some exclusions apply, but they're primarily the sport and brand-name frames. Check out the site for details.
Posted by Ira 10:15 AM 1 comments
Labels: eyebuydirect, sale
