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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think she should have given me a cheaper option.

50 replies

Happyhippy45 · 21/07/2018 13:41

Bit pissed off. I asked the dispensing optician for as cheap an option as possible for my new glasses. I said this about 3 times to her that price was the most important factor. I told her I needed to do them as cheaply as possible and I'm not that vain. I am quite disabled (I hobbled in with crutches) and not working just now so money is a bit tight. I pick frames (with no price tag on them out of a few she got for me. She told me the grand total for glasses and reading glasses. Seemed a lot but figured it must be about right and I really needed new glasses.
Found out today when I went to pick them up that the frames are Raybans. Surely there must have been a cheaper option than that? I didn't see the tiny writing of the brand name on the frames because I'd need reading glasses to read it!
The dispensing optician was not there today so I couldn't get them fitted but I tried them on anyway. They seem worse than the ones I currently use but the receptionist said when they are fitted they'll be better. I took the reading glasses home as they seemed ok. Got home, tried them out and reading glasses reflect any lighting that is behind me really badly. I'll take them back with me when I go to get my distance glasses fitted. I'm really hoping that when I go to get them fitted that it sorts them out.
WIBU to mention the price of the frames? I'm thinking the frames for the reading glasses maybe could have been cheaper too now! Or should I just suck it up and ask more questions next time and not be so bloody trusting?

OP posts:
TrollTheRespawnJeremy · 21/07/2018 13:43

You chose them. It’s up to you to question the price.

TheGreatCornholio · 21/07/2018 13:45

Why didn't you just ask how much they cost?

CommunistLegoBloc · 21/07/2018 13:46

Why didn’t you ask the price? I’ve had the same scenario - couple of different pairs presented. I asked the price of each. Why on earth wouldn’t you if cost is such a big factor?

GerdaLovesLili · 21/07/2018 13:46

That's why I just get a prescription from the opticians and then order the cheapest option from somewhere online: www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/cheap-glasses/

Shoppingwithmother · 21/07/2018 13:50

I would have thought they would have told you the price for the frames and for the lenses, or that if you thought it was expensive it might have been a good idea to ask for a breakdown of the costs and how they could be reduced.

Frames and lenses are a bit different as the frame is more your personal choice of what you like (with guidance on what is suitable obviously), whereas with the lenses most people tend to rely on the judgement and advice of the professional. If the glasses you have taken home reflect lights from behind you, it means they do not have an anti-reflection coating, which would suggest they have given you a cheaper lens, in accordance with your wishes.

The fact that you are noticing the reflections would lead me to think that you have had AR coating on your previous glasses.

Original poster
Happyhippy45 · 21/07/2018 13:53

Yeah I should have asked specifically the price of each fame but I didn't. I have MS and my brain doesn't always work properly. I thought that by telling her 3 times that I needed a cheap option that she might have given me cheaper frames to choose from. I think she only told me the price of the complete glasses only. That wasn't right was it? I didn't see the price of the frames until I looked at my receipt which was itemised. I didn't know they were Raybans until I saw them and the reception kept going on about "the Raybans." The receipt just had a code for the frames. I just feel a bit ripped off.

OP posts:
Maelstrop · 21/07/2018 13:56

You can probably get a refund. I did when I was sold really awful glasses. Get your prescription and look at Glassesdirect.com or whatever it is.

Sirzy · 21/07/2018 13:56

I think unfortunately you just need to suck it up. You should have said at the time if it was too much, you agreed to the price so they will have assumed that was what you were happy with

Original poster
Happyhippy45 · 21/07/2018 13:59

@shoppingwithmother That explains the glare thanks. I've got AR coating on my distance glasses...have done for years. I thought I wouldn't need it for reading glasses. I never expected to get reflections from behind though. I suppose I'll get used to it.

OP posts:
londonrach · 21/07/2018 14:05

Asda cheapest place for glasses. Why didnt you question the price.

Shoppingwithmother · 21/07/2018 14:06

Yes, people always mention glare from driving, computer screens, etc, but when I had one pair without AR coating, the thing I really noticed was reflections off the back of the lenses from lights behind me indoors.

I am both an optician and a glasses wearer!

Original poster
Happyhippy45 · 21/07/2018 14:08

The opticians has recently been bought out by a bigger company which may be relevant. Most of the staff is the same apart from the dispensing optician I saw. I've been going there for years and have always been happy with their service.
I don't think I'll be going back there.
If someone asks you for the cheapest option surely that's what you should try to do?
I even told her I was considering not getting the anti reflective coating to cut costs.
I feel a bit stupid for not specifically asking if there were any cheaper frames....but I'm annoyed she didn't just get me cheaper ones as I'd made it very obvious I wanted them as cheap as possible.

OP posts:
Nothisispatrick · 21/07/2018 14:14

Can you take them back? If cost is the biggest factor and you have your prescription just order them from glassesdirect.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 21/07/2018 14:16

Sorry OP. If you asked for cheapest and she showed you a range that's what I'd expect to see - a range of the cheapest. She sounds like an opportunistic cunt. Are staff there now paid sales commission? was it Specsavers?

AJPTaylor · 21/07/2018 14:18

our local opticians does a no questions refund. i saw an elderly chap in there who had got some expensive glasses. he said he couldnt get on with them. they refunded there and then.
do that.

Rocinante1 · 21/07/2018 14:23

Why couldn’t you go and choose the frames yourself? They are usually displayed on the walls, and most often are organised by price (cheapest to most costly). Couldn’t you have just gone up yourself and picked from the cheapest end? I know you said you’re on crutches, but you wouldn’t need to actually pick them up - just look and say “that one”.

NicoAndTheNiners · 21/07/2018 14:25

If it was specsavers they do a no quibble three month return thing if you’re unhappy for any reason.

reallybadidea · 21/07/2018 14:28

YANBU. I would complain and ask for a refund. It shouldn't matter that you didn't ask specifically whether there was a cheaper option, you had already specifically asked for the cheapest options. You should be able to trust in the integrity of a professional healthcare provider. It sounds like she took advantage of you deliberately because you're disabled, what a nasty thing to do.

I hate how on threads like these other posters crowd in to tell the OP what they had done wrong and ignore the wrongdoing of the other person. Presumably they always know exactly what to do and say in every situation. Bit of empathy wouldn't go amiss.

CoffeeOrSleep · 21/07/2018 14:59

Ask if you can return them.

I do like that Boots have the frames split in to sections, so there's a group that are £50 frames, on the next group there are the £75 ones, then £100 and so on. It's clear which section you are looking at.

Specsavers are also pretty clearly laid out by price.

If you can't get a refund, then you should write to management explaining that you feel you were missold more expensive frames when you were clear you needed cheap ones, you trusted their staff to give you the cheapest option when you asked for that. That perhaps this is a training issue they need to address. Might not fix it for you, but at least will help the next person who goes in. Sad

Original poster
Happyhippy45 · 21/07/2018 15:00

I'm not sure if I can take them back

OP posts:
Di11y · 21/07/2018 15:16

I know Specsavers have a no quibble return for a short while. Some people find them too heavy etc. Worth a try.

Original poster
Happyhippy45 · 21/07/2018 15:18

I need to pull up my big girl pants and explain the situation to them when I go back in.

There was no way I could have gotten up to look or point at the frames myself. I'd already over extended myself getting a taxi to get my eyes tested.
I hadn't thought about her taking advantage of me because of my disability but did think that they are maybe on commission now.

I previously bought variafocals and didn't get on with them, so ended up just using my old glasses for ages. When I went to get my eyes tested next time the optician replaced the lenses for free. He said I should have come back ages ago and they'd would have changed them.

I'll need to see if I can find their returns policy online.

OP posts:
reallybadidea · 21/07/2018 15:32

I wouldn't worry too much about the returns policy - if they won't refund you then I would make a formal, written complaint to the manager and escalate to head office if necessary. If that doesn't do any good then maybe consider the Telegraph's consumer champions. I think a disabled woman specifically asking for the cheapest option and being sold a pair of Ray-Bans reflects incredibly badly on them.

I really outraged on your behalf; my sister has MS and the thought of her being treated like this makes me so mad. As do suggestions that you could have gone round the shop on your crutches to choose yourself. People really don't bother to understand MS.

CoffeeOrSleep · 21/07/2018 15:43

Agree don't worry about the returns policy, go in and complain. Chains will often try to fix it no matter what their policy says.

Original poster
Happyhippy45 · 21/07/2018 15:46

Just popped in to my mind that the receptionist today made a point of telling me all the days the dispensing optician I usually see is in. This is rousing my suspicion that they maybe know her game/they've had complaints already.

OP posts: