Reply to: No one sells you anything straight anymore

[scooterscot]

Sure they do. Take cucumbers for example. Normally in the veggie patch they grow curved liked a banana. In order to save space and keep costs down famers grow them in boxes to keep them straight.

[contractor79]

This information pertains to me as an individual, similar to medical records, so why do I not have a legal right to it?

Another interesting thing is how they will refuse to sell you any contact except that on your eye test. Once I had an eye test but was given trial contact lenses a notch stronger in both eyes- they were better. But I couldn't buy these contacts anywhere as I didn't have the paperwork. This forces one to go back to the shop to complete the test for another £25 to get the prescription. Con.

[contractor79]

Let me explain to you the situation the optician had put me in on the weekend.

Say you ask me to cut your grass for £22. I go to your garden and I cut your grass as required. I also plant a few flowers. I ask if you like it and you say it's not bad. Then I say, give me £60 and I will plant you more flowers. You say no thanks. Then I say, OK then, I charge you £25. And if you want to buy the flowers elsewhere you need to get back to me with another £25 because I won't tell you what flowers they are.

That's effectively what they tried on me on the weekend. Phoned them up earlier to ask for £25 refund and mentioned I could take the selling practice to the attention of trading standards. Funnily enough once I did that they offered me double the lenses for £60. Bless.

[Clippy]

I'm fortunate that I don't wear glasses but would have to agree, in part, that opticians appear to be resistant to change.

For example, why do they regularly refuse to give you your pupillary distance (PD) with your prescription other than to try and prevent you from potentially going to a cheaper retailer/supplier?

This information pertains to me as an individual, similar to medical records, so why do I not have a legal right to it?

Do they honestly think, once they've refused to give me this information and pissed me off by doing so, that I'm going to spend further money with them?

[TykeMerc]

Vets are the ones that piss me off. Our dog needed a shot of antibiotics and a shot of anti inflamatories. Total bill was £107.

As for opticians, I went to Vision Express and the optician told me he was self employed. But wore their uniform, used their kit, treated their customers and appeared to be a Vision Express permie. IR35 anybody?

Franchise maybe?
We all know that IR35 was aimed directly at IT contractors, there are plenty of "self employed" that work a far more employed manner than many of us like medical consultants who aren't IR35 caught despite working full time for the NHS for decades.

[contractor79]

Opticians provide added value for those who don't know what they need.

oh they'll tell you what you need alright, just like a dodgy garage finds all those things your car needs doing

same with banks, anyone who pays £12/month for a bank account with perks is a complete and utter mug

[d000hg]

I couldn't care less, opticians have had it good for too long and the prices charged are a joke.

Opticians provide added value for those who don't know what they need.

[BoredBloke]

Vets are the ones that piss me off. Our dog needed a shot of antibiotics and a shot of anti inflamatories. Total bill was £107.

As for opticians, I went to Vision Express and the optician told me he was self employed. But wore their uniform, used their kit, treated their customers and appeared to be a Vision Express permie. IR35 anybody?

[contractor79]

Or maybe they don't have the economies of scale and purchasing power that Asda do and they feel that they add value in other areas for some of their customers.

You can vote with your wallet, bitching on here won't make a jot of difference.

They don't add value. Asda employ qualified opticians who give you the same tests. They're a greedy cartel and I'm glad to see they're being undermined at last.

Don't have economies of scale? How come, they've got shops in every town. They could merge if that worries them so much. Watch this space, many of them will go down when people wake up to the over pricing.

[TykeMerc]

It's a con, they tried to offer me three monthly pairs of contacts for £60 !!!!! I can get them in asda for £21.50 !!!!!! Surely even the opticians know they're involved in a racket or have they never been in asda!

Or maybe they don't have the economies of scale and purchasing power that Asda do and they feel that they add value in other areas for some of their customers.

You can vote with your wallet, bitching on here won't make a jot of difference.

[Spacecadet]

So I stopped going to the 'big name' opticians once and went to an independent one. Guess what - same tricks, even more tricks, and the shop looked empty each time I walked past no idea how that guy stayed in business.

I've found independents to be significantly cheaper (about 2/3 the cost) than the big name high street opticians.

[contractor79]

It's a con, they tried to offer me three monthly pairs of contacts for £60 !!!!! I can get them in asda for £21.50 !!!!!! Surely even the opticians know they're involved in a racket or have they never been in asda!

[pmeswani]

So I stopped going to the 'big name' opticians once and went to an independent one. Guess what - same tricks, even more tricks, and the shop looked empty each time I walked past no idea how that guy stayed in business.

I've been to the same (independant) opticians since I started wearing glasses (Except when I was working away from home as a permie, and once had my eyes tested by a major chain). I once had my eyes tested in India. Complete and utter joke. I would chose a British Opticians over a foreign one every time. Yes, Opticians are after your money, but at least the ones in business tend to be approved by the NHS.

[contractor79]

So I stopped going to the 'big name' opticians once and went to an independent one. Guess what - same tricks, even more tricks, and the shop looked empty each time I walked past no idea how that guy stayed in business.

[pmeswani]

All it takes is a bit of common sense and attention to detail to avoid the "extra" crap they try to sell you.

I can't comment on opticians as I'm still lucky enough to not need their services although I'm overdue an eye test.
In their defence I'd imagine that an opticians has quite a large overhead in equipment, premises, staff and training and a fairly large amount tied up in lense and frame stock so it's not surprising that their services are fairly expensive.

I can't comment on all opticians, but I know my opticians don't make glasses onsite or stock any frames (other than the test ones). They get it made from, if memory serves correctly, Germany. Apart from that, I think your comment is pretty much spot on.