Returning Glasses to Coastal.com (A Positive Review)

It's all well and good for a retailer to claim to offer "free, no-hassle returns," but if you're like me, you don't really believe it until you experience it. I recently had cause to return a pair of glasses to Coastal.com, and while there is room for improvement in the returns process, the experience was straightforward and completely free on my part. 

In the interest of full disclosure, I ordered a pair that were too small for my face. It was totally my fault and serves as a reminder that a few millimeters DO matter in frame size! Anyway, I decided to send them back for a refund. 

I logged onto my account, clicked on my "order history" and then clicked on "return items." I was prompted to fill out a two-item questionnaire about my return and then provided a label to print. The label was for USPS Priority Mail, so you can print the label and then put the glasses in your mailbox. Simple. (Do make sure you take note of your tracking number before you mail your glasses.)

I mailed the glasses on Aug. 21. The tracking indicated that the package was received on Aug. 23. When I had not received a refund or any return confirmation from Coastal by Aug. 27, I called the toll-free number on the website. The CS representative who helped me confirmed that my glasses had been received, after he placed me on hold briefly and checked the status of the order. I was told that it could take up to 10 days to receive the refund. He offered to help me order a new pair, but was not pushy when I declined to do so at that time. We then ended the call, and the next day I received an email stating that my return had been processed. The refund was credited on Aug. 31.

As you can see, this was a painless return. I've certainly experienced much worse when returning online purchases! I would, however, have preferred better communication from Coastal via email and through my account on the website. In fact, my Coastal account still does not reflect the return. But it's hard to complain when I received something with which I was unhappy (due to my own error) and the retailer paid for return shipping and gave me a full refund with no questions asked. I call this a win. 

*It is important to note, if you are returning a pair purchased on the First Pair Free promo, that you will need to contact customer support to order a new pair with the same promo code. I specifically inquired about this. Just pick the new pair you'd like to order and give them a call. They are very helpful.    

 

Finding the Best Deal on Designer Frames

One of the great things about "brand name" frames is that, often, you can try them on before you buy them. Whether you visit local stores to see what's out there or participate in Glasses.com's home try-on process, it's reassuring to know what you're buying before you order. Although going the designer route is almost* always more expensive than buying "house brand" frames from discount retailers such as Zenni, for some the designer specs are a better investment. Even if you pay $100-$200 for them online, it's frequently still a steal compared to traditional prices. So how do you find the designer frames you want online? 

1. Know the brand, the frame name/size, and the frame number (if applicable). Usually this information is printed on the inside of the frame, typically on the temple arm. Once you have this information, you can always just do a Google search if all else fails. 

2. Check the "big three" of the online vendors who carry discounted designer frames: Frames Direct, Glasses.com and Coastal. Although Coastal has a reputation for being the boss of big deals, I have actually found certain frames cheaper on Glasses.com once the lenses were configured and shipping was calculated. So do the due diligence and make sure you are getting the best deal if you find your frames at more than one store. 

3. Beware sketchy websites. Stick with the tried and true instead of trying to save an extra $5. If a site has no real or verifiable reputation online, stay away!

4. Be patient. Frames arrive on sites all the time. If you know you like a specific pair, add them to your favorites cart and then check in on them periodically. Prices fluctuate, and there are often sales and special offers available. Bide your time if you can, and it might save you a mint.      

*The "almost" refers, in this case, to options such as Coastal's First Pair Free promo.

Coastal.com Purchase Review

Much has already been said by bloggers (and others) about Coastal.com, and I wanted to see if my experience would go well as a "regular" buyer. I bought my glasses through the website like any other customer, and overall I have no complaints. I actually have a few raves. 

The glasses were delivered in five days. Yes, you read that correctly. FIVE.

I ordered them through the "First Pair Free" promo in which you only pay shipping, and they cost me a few cents shy of $15. For designer frames. And optically perfect lenses. 

Pardon me while I do a happy dance. Feel free to watch the video while you wait. 

Needless to say, I was pleased as punch with my Coastal experience. Obviously, the prices are much higher when purchasing frames that are not part of the free promo, but Coastal does seem to have sales and special offers on a regular basis, and the cost is still much lower than what you'd pay for designer frames elsewhere (in most cases). You can always do an online search for coupon codes, as well. 

If I have any small, nit-picky, vaguely negative thing to say about Coastal, it is that they did not send me an email confirmation when I ordered. They waited until my glasses were ready to ship to send me a shipping notification and a receipt. So I wasn't quite sure my order had gone through until I got that. Also, the place to enter your promo code is in the next-to-last step in the order process, after you have entered your address but before you enter payment info. That was kind of annoying.

If you are considering ordering from Coastal, here are a few tips:

1. Create an account and save all of the frames you like as "favorites." The free pair promo frames change, so just because the ones you like are not offered for free now does not mean they won't be in the future.

2. Use the stellar size-finding features on the lefthand menu. If you know you look good in 52-18-135 frames, Coastal lets you search for those by size. I love this feature. 

3. When it says "low stock," it means it. I lost out on a pair of frames because I figured they'd be there later. Coastal is WAY more popular than you realize, so if you know a pair is perfect for you, don't wait. 

4. If you find a pair of frames you like in a physical store but cannot afford them, make a note of the brand, style and size. If they are a major brand, you may seem them on Coastal at some point.  

  

Tidbits and Tips

Here are some good tips you should know, if you don't already, about shopping online for prescription glasses:

Most of the retailers offer regular sales.

If you sign up for emails from Zenni, you'll always know when they are offering free shipping, free tints, etc. They tend to do this during holidays, etc.

Goggles 4 U has sales and free frame offers, just check the "Special Offers" tab on their homepage. Same goes for GlassesUSA; just check the "Sales and Coupons" tab.

EyeBuyDirect has BOGO sales all the time. Really.

"Like" the retailers on Facebook. Almost ALL of them have a page, and they tend to post coupons and sale notices there. Some have giveaways, too.  

Looking for discounts?

Check the GlassyEyes homepage or RetailMeNot for your specific vendor, or just do a Google search.

Get an (almost) free pair.

Coastal, Firmoo and GlassesShop all offer "first pair free" promotions. Typically there is some associated fee (you pay shipping, etc.), but it still might be a way to get some great specs for less.

Keep an eye out for deals on your faves.

Most vendors have a "favorites" cart where you can save your favorite frames -- if you're signed in. Creating an account is free, so why not take advantage of this opportunity to keep an eye on the ones you like? In addition, Coastal adds new frames to its collection every Wednesday, so that is a great time to check in and see if they've gotten something new in your "size." With the addition of new frames, more frames are added to the "first pair free" promo, as well, so a little patience can pay off if you've got your eye on a specific pair.