# How can glasses from Internet vendors be so cheap? How about quality?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-glasses-from-internet-vendors-be-so-cheap-how-about-quality/927106>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 3, 2020, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-glasses-from-internet-vendors-be-so-cheap-how-about-quality/927106 "2020-12-03T13:06:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 45

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**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 2020, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-glasses-from-internet-vendors-be-so-cheap-how-about-quality/927106/45 "2020-12-07T02:55:59Z")

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> [@Why is optometry stupid?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-optometry-stupid/504018/1):
>
> Suppose I’m given a pair of binoculars. I look through them at something, and it’s fuzzy. So I rotate the little knob on top of the binoculars. I turn it one way, the image gets fuzzier, so I turn it the other way. It gets sharper. By making minute analog adjustments, correcting for small errors, I can get the image as sharply focused as I’d like.

And how does that work with astigmatism?

If the law allows it, Opticians could offer a combination price for eyeglasses and the exam. You can still have your presciption and go somewhere else for glasses, but you are still paying that price. That they don’t do this is probably due to competitive pressure and/or the law.

> [@Schnitte](#):
>
> It’s the same with the nice case that the walk-in customer sees while waiting for the frame to be adjusted. I can see that very occasionally there might be a spontaneous purchase there; but I think it’s equally likely that the customer seeing that case thinks “Hey, that’s a nice case; I’ll memorise the brand and see if I can find it online for less than what it costs here.”

Easy fix for that: “Free eyeglass adjustment with any purchase over $50”

If I were the optician I’d even say, “If you want to get your glasses online we’re okay with that. We will even professionally adjust them for free if you make any purchase over $50. So if you order your glasses onljne but come to us for cleaning supplies, lanyards, cases, clip-on sunglasses or other accessories, we will adjust them for you free of charge.”

The accessories are where lots of margin is anyway.

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