Review of GlobalEyeglasses.com
I recently ordered three pairs of glasses from GlobalEyeglasses.com and one pair from Goggles4U.com. ((Photo courtesy of Morningstar Lee)) Last Wednesday I had my doctor check all four pairs. Read on for the details!
I chose to try GlobalEyeglasses.com because I heard a glowing review on on NPR, they seemed to have good online reviews, had a decent website, and their prices were really incredible.
Review of GlobalEyeglasses.com
- Website. The GlobalEyeglasses.com webiste merely lets you see a larger photo of each pair of glasses. I am was the kind of person who needed to try on lots of different frames before I could make a choice ((It’s an important decision!)) Incredibly, not being able to try on the glasses just didn’t bother me at all. Once I had gotten my prescription and narrowed down the frame choices, it was surprisingly easy to find the glasses for me.
- Selection. There were easily several hundred frames from which to choose. They have every imaginable style and variation. They also have a wide range of lens options: clear, tinted, polychromatic / transition lenses, and super thin materials.
- Price. Using the coupon code at the bottom of this review, I got 10% off my order. You can find frames as cheaply as $1.00 ((Not that you’d want them.)) and lenses starting from $6.99. They appear to have several designer frames. The only shipping option is by UPS and costs $5.99. When I was buying a month ago they were running a promotion where I bought two pairs and got one pair free. $45.00 for three pairs, shipped, is basically unbeatable.
- Frame Quality. Each pair fit with minimal adjusting of the nose pads and behind the ears. On my pair of sunglassses ((Just a tinted pair of prescription glasses)) one of the screws in the nose pads fell out the first day I wore it. When I replaced the nose pad I discovered that the screw fell out because the threads on that side had been stripped. I used an extra screw and tightened it. I haven’ t had any problems since.
- Lens Quality. I have had no problems with the prescriptions on any of the three pairs I got from GlobalEyeglasses.com. I didn’t require any “adjustment” period or any time to get used to these glasses. More importantly, the lenses themselves were confirmed by my doctor to be the correct prescription.
- Shipping. Two weeks, just about on the button. Shipping was $5.99.
- Customer Service. A day after I placed my order I received an e-mail from GlobalEyeglasses.com saying that one of the pairs I had ordered was now out of stock and would I please select a new pair. While a little bummed that one of my first choices was no longer available, I was very happy that they let me know immediately. I chose a new frame and made a small change to another frame I had originally ordered. They adjusted the price accordingly and immediately refunded me the difference.
- Extras. Each pair comes with its own free case, eyeglass cloth, and replacement nose pads and screws.
Verdict: I would absolutely recommend GlobalEyeglasses.com and use them again. When placing your order, use the coupon code, “glassyeyes” for 10% off.
Avoid GlobalEyeGlasses!!! Warning!!
Before I share my saga, I’d like to point out that Global Eye Glasses has an F rating with the Better Business Bureau. Wish I had known that before I ordered.
I sent two pairs of frames to Global Eyeglasses to have two pairs of lenses installed, each with a drastically different prescription. The correct frame for each prescription was clearly identified in the order. After about 3 weeks, I received my frames with the lenses installed into the wrong frames and SEVERE crazing (cracking in the AR coating) on one of the lenses. Screwing up the prescription is one thing, but when there is a nickel-sized cloud of cracking on the lens, there is no excuse for such a defective product leaving the lab. In addition, I’m also suspicious that premium lens I ordered was substituted with a lesser quality lens as the premium brand’s water mark was missing from the lens.
I sent the glasses back. Two weeks later I get en email saying that the “correct lenses are installed”. I go back and forth with their lab manager who can’t seem to give me a clear answer as to whether he is claiming they didn’t screw up the first time or if they’ve remedied the problem. I eventually get him on the phone where he says he has the glasses in his hand and has tested them to confirm the correct prescription is installed. He reads the name of each frame and tells me the correct prescription. He also tells me there is no cracking on the lens. With this, I’m satisfied that they replaced the lenses and chalk up his inability to give me a clear answer to them being horribly unorganized in their return process.
I receive the glasses a few days later WITH THE SAME SCREWED UP LENSES. The prescriptions were wrong and the incredibly obvious cracking was still there. The lab manager lied to me. There’s really no way to honestly make such a mistake, especially with regard to the cracking. On top of everything, my wife’s beautiful new Shuron frames were now scratched. Not to mention, that this meant they had just sat on our return for over two weeks without looking at it.
We tried to give these guys yet another shot, but I’ll spare you the details of the back and forth. We eventually decided to dispute our charges rather than subject our frames to them yet again.
Given the horrible and seemingly dishonest customer service of Global Eyeglasses, I would recommend all consumers to stay clear.
This person’s experience aside, I have ordered 3 glasses on one occasion and another pair more recently. Their prices were incredibly low – between $15-20 per pair. There was a minor hiccup where one pair I ordered was no longer available, which they fixed even before the order was a day old. I have no complaints. That said, this person has a point – the better business bureaus website’s reviews are less than favorable. I see one complaint against GlobalEyeglasses.com here and another here.