What are peoples experiences with Specsavers ?

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xlinknz

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#154313 23-Oct-2014 22:47

I found reading is now frustrating and had my eyes tested [not Specsavers] and found I require a light reading prescription +1.25

I can get two frames and lens for $369 give or take which is excellent value which no one else seems to be even close to matching [goodness know how the others survive !]

I'm keen to hear peoples views. It seems they get good and bad comments and I suspect that is down to each practice being franchise so some good and some not so good and that certainly reflects my experience visiting different outlets

But are there lens any worse than anymore elses ?

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#1161069 23-Oct-2014 22:51

Hmm, I went there, got 2 reading glasses. When I wear them, the image is distorted. Laptop is wider at the top, same with iPad. Went back, they adjusted the side bits to make the lens closer to my eye. Good service but no resolvement. I was new to glasses so took it on the chin, but next time I will be wary

josephhinvest

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#1161073 23-Oct-2014 22:54

Good experience. Got new glasses and sunglasses. No issues.

Cheers,
Joseph

jonathan18

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#1161075 23-Oct-2014 22:57

There's a fairly long and detailed thread on this topic - including many comments re Specsavers - from only a few months ago - I think it's this one:

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?topicid=144132

IIRC, you'll find a wide range of views on Specsavers in that thread; personally, I've been quite happy with the tests I've had done there (last two), and the quality of the glasses supplied (both frames are still going strong nearly three years later), which goes against the warnings I'd received. That said, their system is designed to 'up-sell', both in terms of frame choice/quality, lenses etc.

Edit: I see you've since posted to that thread, so assume you've read the whole thing? As I mentioned above, that company is discussed there.

xlinknz

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#1161080 23-Oct-2014 23:02

Edit: I see you've since posted to that thread, so assume you've read the whole thing? As I mentioned above, that company is discussed there.

Thank you all for the replies.

Yes that thread was locked and as soon as I posted this one, the forum moderator unlocked it [at my request]

Not sure if I should or can delete this one ?

tardtasticx

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#1161090 23-Oct-2014 23:33

Specsavers aren't too bad. The quality of some of their frames is debatable as I've had 3 shotty pairs, 2 were FCUK (nose pads fell off, then the letters on the side fell off on replacement pair), got them replaced with an in-house brand, black faded to dark blue in matter of months.

They were quick though and I feel I probably just got bad luck.

But when people say they work on upsells, lets be honest, what store doesn't these days? I feel atleast they were honest about it. OPSM on the other hand when I got a pair of RayBans a few months back, they included a coating to reduce glare in the quote. I asked "whats this?" and they said it was recommended. So I said "I didnt ask for that though and I don't need it, never have never will". Sales agent kept kicking a fuss so I walked out. Went to a different branch and the sales rep tried the same thing again so I said remove it or I walk and they did. "saved" $150.

Honestly, I wouldn't have a problem recommending Specsavers. They are a good bunch and excellent value.

eracode

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#1161108 24-Oct-2014 05:19

Sorry, having trouble reading this thread.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

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tchart

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#1161140 24-Oct-2014 08:37

SpecSavers varies greatly in my opinion. We've been to 3 different SpecSavers around Wellington. The 1st was okay, 2nd was terrible and the 3rd is great. Needless to say we go back to the 3rd one.

sbiddle

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#1161147 24-Oct-2014 08:49

Has anybody who's been to Specsavers tried to get a copy of their prescription? I saw a discussion a few weeks ago somewhere on FB or Twitter discussing people who had gone in to get their free eye test (which you get as an AA member) with the plan of buying glasses online. In both cases they refused to give out the prescription after the test.

I know that it's something optometrists are starting to closely guard these days, but this is the first I've heard of one blatantly refusing to hand this over.

fizzychicken

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#1161150 24-Oct-2014 08:57

My local branch in Takapuna was good, happy with the service etc.
I had laser eye done stuff almost 20 years ago but due to age and a few heavy falls onto my head, my eyes (or more my right eye) has become distorted and I'm back to wearing glasses for reading/TV/comp use etc.
Specsavers test seemed thorough and the sales service was fine, got two pairs of good frames. Sales staff didn't even seem to mind when I spent ages trying on every frame and asking them to take a pic on my phone of each one so I could send it to the missus for approval.
Took the missus back to the same store to update hers and she was very happy with the result.

Only beef I had was a member of staff trying to up-sell me to some kind of coating which made no sense, the up-sell I don't mind but they came up with a whole new made-up realm of physics to explain why I needed something that I didn't. I also have a minor issue with the fact that even though there is nothing wrong with my second pair, the charge to replace the lenses with prescription sunglass lenses is more than buying a pair as a new customer.

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qwertee

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#1161163 24-Oct-2014 09:10

Hi

Very happy with SpecSavers in Riccarton mall CHCH.
Free eye check as an AA member and a snapshot of my retina.

I even got a copy of my prescription without any fuss.
I wear progressive lenses and also contacts.
I was advised to order my contacts online from SpecSavers. I think they get despatched from OZ or the UK.

Took my wife about 4 weeks ago for an eye check and reading glasses.

They do upsell , by recommending thinner more expensive lenses, but we opted for the middle range.
Also depends on the frame that we chose. Wasnt too pushy and we opted out of extra coatings etc

thanks

Dynamic

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#1161164 24-Oct-2014 09:10

sbiddle: Has anybody who's been to Specsavers tried to get a copy of their prescription? I saw a discussion a few weeks ago somewhere on FB or Twitter discussing people who had gone in to get their free eye test (which you get as an AA member) with the plan of buying glasses online. In both cases they refused to give out the prescription after the test.

I know that it's something optometrists are starting to closely guard these days, but this is the first I've heard of one blatantly refusing to hand this over.

A 'full price' $40-$60ish test will be handed over to you. A cheap test has you locked in. I've used Vision Centre at Sylvia Park with a voucher from TreatMe.co.nz and I think their fine print said it was an extra $15 if you wanted to take the prescription away.

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old3eyes

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#1161187 24-Oct-2014 09:50

I've had no problems with them. Got a two for the price of one deal graduated lens ($900) about 6 years ago and the glasses were fine though they are all about selling you things and not so much about eye health.. My wife's experience was not so good. After several months of taking them back because they did not focus correctly she asked for her money back and wet to the local optometrist here in Pt Chev and got a single pair for about the same price that was correct first time. I have just been to the same person and got a new graduated pair this time the cost was about $1100 but they did plenty of eye tests..

Regards,

Old3eyes

tchart

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#1161241 24-Oct-2014 10:58

sbiddle: Has anybody who's been to Specsavers tried to get a copy of their prescription? I saw a discussion a few weeks ago somewhere on FB or Twitter discussing people who had gone in to get their free eye test (which you get as an AA member) with the plan of buying glasses online. In both cases they refused to give out the prescription after the test.

I know that it's something optometrists are starting to closely guard these days, but this is the first I've heard of one blatantly refusing to hand this over.

Never had an issue getting a copy of a prescription from Specsavers but thats always with a paid test.

I'm not sure with regards to the free AA test but if you've paid for the test I suspect they are legally obliged to give you a copy of your prescription.

fizzychicken

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#1161246 24-Oct-2014 11:03

one thing I forgot to mention, if you are new to wearing glasses/corrective lenses, for a short while (was a few months for me this time round) your view may be distorted. I grew up with glasses until my teens then went 20 years without them, only a rubbish right eye has brought back the need to wear them again. As one lens hugely corrects the vision, things in that eye are slightly magnified compared to the left, this means that at the start of wearing these new glasses my ipad and computer monitor were severely trapezium shaped...it was very hard to deal with for a while, but given enough time (different for everyone) your brain and eyes learn to adjust and now everything is back to being square again....it takes much longer if you only wear the lenses for short periods during the day so to speed it up I wore mine full time during the first few months, now I just wear them when I need them.

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jonathan18

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#1161286 24-Oct-2014 11:33

tchart: Never had an issue getting a copy of a prescription from Specsavers but thats always with a paid test.

I'm not sure with regards to the free AA test but if you've paid for the test I suspect they are legally obliged to give you a copy of your prescription.

I'll admit to having done this - eg had test provided through AA membership and then requested my script. I did look carefully for a pair of frames that I actually liked, but did fail to find one; purchased a "free" pair from Clearly online for about $40 (lens coatings, shipping...) with that script, and they're excellent glasses.

I'm totally of the view that the script is indeed mine - whether I paid for it directly, or even if it's through such a deal as Specsavers has with AA. Seriously, what's the difference between this information and other 'medical' data held by your doctor?

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