Coastal Just Keeps Getting Better

As if the "first pair free" promo were not great enough, Coastal has started offering a "try before you buy" promo for ALL frames. No joke. I have no affiliation with Coastal at all. I'm just in love with their prices, selection and service. I now have four pairs from them and have returned as many -- which is why I can vouch for their outstanding customer relations department. If you have been waiting to give them a try, now is the time. Have fun finding the frames of your dreams. I certainly have.

 

Cyber Monday Deals!

The glasses retailers are not to be outdone by Amazon! Here is a short list of some of the best deals. 

20% off your ENTIRE ORDER at Glasses.com
Buy one, get one half off at Zenni Optical
Save more the more you spend at Coastal.com

Many of the other retailers are offering their usual sales, but these were the most significant deals I saw for the Cyber Monday rush!

Zenni Optical's New Look and New Features

Zenni Optical has been teasing its Facebook fans and Twitter followers for a few days now, promising a bold new look. Fortunately for all of us glasses geeks out there, the site was unveiled today! While the new site is undoubtedly eyecatching, I'm not ordinarily very excited about a basic revamp. However, Zenni has also added some fabulous attributes that make the updated site extremely appealing. My fave new features are listed below. 

1. Search by size: Previously, Zenni only allowed users to search by selecting a slider from "small" to "large." The new site allows users to select exact frame measurements, making it much easier to find frames that will fit well. Once you've selected an specific size, you will have to remove it from your search before you can select a different size, but it's still much better than it used to be.  

2. Virtual try-on: Zenni has always offered this feature, but it's much easier now to simply scroll down the page and hover over any given frame to view the glasses on your photo. You no longer have to click "try on" to see the frames on your face.   

3. Navigating favorites: Favorites now show up on a bright, scrollable page with clear, well-sized images from which you can easily do all of these things: 

See the frame and price

Hover to view style number, try frames or go to the order page

Select quick view to see full frame information (size, colors, availability, etc.) while staying on your favorites page

Click on the frame itself to see the item on its own page -- with a large, detailed image. 

The best thing about the new favorites page (IMHO) is that you can remove items from your favorites by simply hovering over the frame and selecting that option. The old Zenni site made it next to impossible to pare down your favorites list, so I'm super psyched about this!

4. Larger images: Zenni has a HUGE selection that was tiresome to navigate on the old site, in large part because the images were a bit hard to see. (You're dealing with a visually-impaired audience here, Zenni.) The crisp, new, high-contrast design of the site and large images on the individual frame pages make viewing the frames much easier -- and more compelling. Being able to get a better view of the frames before ordering will help shoppers make wiser decisions about their purchases and avoid buyer's remorse (which can arise given Zenni's more-limited-than-some return policy).

5. All colors in one place: Zenni used to separate its frames entirely. If you found a nice style in black but wanted it in red, you simply had to trawl through the list. Now, if you find a frame you like, you can view all available colors in the same place. Yay! 

I'll keep adding to this list as I find things I like, but my overall impression of the new site is favorable. Although I couldn't find a way to browse all frames (user must select men/women/kids), and a couple of other changes threw my creature-of-habit human brain, it is much better overall than the old site. Well done, Zenni! 

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.

MyOpticalShop.com Review (Rimless!)

For those of you who can't quite get behind the heavier (by comparison) plastic frames and adore the lightweight wonder that is a titanium rimless style, this post is for you. Myopticalshop.com may have a limited selection of styles, but they do rimless very, very well, and all for a pittance. I paid $67 for my glasses, with hi-index 1.61 lenses, A/R coating, and shipping included. For titanium, air-locked, rimless frames, that's unheard of. Luckily for you, now you've heard of it!

Tortoise & Blonde At-Home Try-On Review

I was very impressed by the frames I received from Tortoise & Blonde. All five pair felt great, none of them were stiff or creaky, and none were crooked or misshapen. Having now ordered from three of the start-up $100-ish retailers, I must say that T&B had the best dedicated women's frames. The Laurel and Lola were decidedly feminine, and the Melrose worked well as girly choice, too. The more ambiguous "unisex" frames were also great. Overall, very pleased. Just wish my order had arrived sooner!

  

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.  

  

Goggles 4 U Review

Having never ordered from Goggles 4 U, I wasn't sure what to expect. Although the site is not very user-friendly, I was able to fine a nice pair of rectangular red frames in the "free frames" section and selected grey photochromic lenses for them. I did an online search for a coupon code and found one for  10% off. My total, including shipping, was $28.30. The glasses arrived in 10 days and were well packaged. I was updated throughout the process, so communication was good. The glasses are quite nice, with a glossy acetate frame and spring hinges. The photochromic lenses work well (scroll down for photos), and the lenses are crisp and clear. Overall, it was a very good experience.

I'd very much like to see Goggles 4 U improve its website. If I fail to buy from them again, it will be because it is so difficult to find what I'm looking for on the site. I was impressed with the glasses, however, and the price was unbeatable.

Indoor Light 

After Exposure to Direct Sunlight for One Minute

Warby Parker At-Home Try-On Review

Although I was hoping to have frames from Benji Frank, Warby Parker, and Tortoise & Blonde all at the same time, that did not happen. Oh well! Here's what's covered in the video:

I ordered frames from Warby Parker on July 17 and received them July 25. The frames arrived via and must be returned via UPS (at no charge).

Pros: The box included an invoice to remind me which frames/colors I had ordered. The colors were great and unusual. The Sibley glasses were particularly fab.

Cons: It took more than a week to get the frames, the frame box was visibly dirty, a few pair were especially "cheap" feeling/creaky/stiff, one pair was very dirty.

Verdict: Warby parker gets style points, but overall the Benji Frank experience was much better.