Save money.Don't go to Specsavers.Buy your glasses online.It's easy.

An interesting piece i found on the eBay discussion forum.

eBay Blogs - Save money.Don't go to Specsavers.Buy your glasses online.It's easy.: "Hi.I want to encourage as many people as possible in the U.K. to start buying their spectacles online.You may have seen stories in the press about Opticians selling frames etc. with a 1000% mark up in price.Well these stories are true.How do i know?I am a qualified Dispensing Optician and have worked for several Opticians over the years,the last one being Specsavers,and can tell you that the glasses you purchase are being marked up at around 500-1000%. I won't tell you that this is all profit because it certainly isn't.While working for Specsavers,my employment there ended around 2 years ago,the average branch was aiming for an end of year profit of around 15%.This is clearly not the same 1000% mark up i talked about earlier,so this tells us that selling specs on the high street is a business loaded down with overheads.So maybe we understand the need for them to charge us say £150 for a pair of specs but understanding it doesn't mean we should like it or accept it.Remember,something which you pay £100 for may well have only cost the Optician £10.Why would you want to pay £150 for something you can pay maybe £10-30 for.There is no good reason.You will see just as well with the specs from the online company as you will with the specs from the high street optician,assuming they are produced accurately to the same prescription.Simply make sure any online firm employs a suitably qualified person e.g. a Dispensing Optician and your specs will be constructed to meet or exceed any relevant British or European standard. The better online companies,if not all of them,will be able to send you frame samples to try at home or will have a website that allows you to upload a picture of yourself and superimpose the different frame styles on top of that photo.If you use the uploaded photo method you will be in a better position to judge how you look than if you were in a shop trying the frames on.Firstly because you will be in the more relaxed setting of your own home.Secondly you will have as much time as you like to make your choice.Thirdly you will find it easier to be objective about your choice because you can look at your picture as if it were of someone else.Finally, you will be able to clearly see how you look because you will have your spectacles on while you look at your photo,so you will really be able to see what the frames look like on your face,something you can't do while trying on a frame with dummy lenses in a high street store. Please,if you wear specs consider using one of the online companies who supply glasses direct.If you are unsure about anything you can contact me at keith.bennett2@virgin.net and i will try and answer any questions you might have. Finally,just in case any of you would feel uncomfortable about paying for your eye test and taking the prescription away or feel that it's somehow not fair on the optician to do this please bear in mind the following.If you go to the Specsavers website ,arguably Britains most recognisable Opticians,and then pick the Peterhead store,you will find a section,in STORE OFFERS, which says something along the lines of....if you want new specs but don't want your eyes tested simply bring us your prescription from any other Optician and we will use this to make you a new pair....They are trying to encourage you to do exactly what i am.That is to get your eyes tested in one place and shop around for what you want.I am saying,however,that you will find what you want and with a huge saving if you shop online and not at Specsavers or any of the other high street Opticians."