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    What is Costco's warranty or guarantee on glasses?

    After reading some posts on this board about Costco, I called a local Costco optical department today and asked their policy on returns. She was kind of vague and said they try very hard not to refund. For 30 days they will work with you and try to make things right.

    So will they refund or not? If you are just unhappy within the 30 days?

    I was reading some good things on this board about Essilor Ovation lenses for progressive glasses. I wondered if it was worth trying them from Costco. Do they make them fairly quickly, or do you have to wait weeks? A 30 day guarantee isn't much good if it takes 2 weeks to get the glasses. I asked this because I think somebody mentioned waiting 3 weeks.

    Are the Ovations from Costco the very same ones you get at Lenscrafters?

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    Optiwizard making films Audiyoda's Avatar
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    This is a sticky issue at Costco clubs. Costco's policy is to retain the customer - they offer a very liberal return policy on everything in the store - even produce. I've heard of people returning big screen TV's 5 years after purchase and walking out with a new (and much better) unit.

    But their optical dept runs a bit differently if make your return there. 30 days from the date of pick up for a remake if you're not happy, but no returns.

    In my opinion, eyeglasses are unique medical devices are should not be applicable to a 'refund' - remake into something else is another thing, but an all out return is a lose-lose. When I was in school I worked for LensCrafters and couldn't believe the return mentality some people had - I recall one lady that was going out on the town and she told us she'd be returning her glasses the next day. She only needed them that night to look good for her friends.

    And yes, the Ovation they use is the same Ovation any of us (including LensCrafter) can get.

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    Thank you. I very much appreciate the information.

    I called the local Costco and she said it takes about a week and a half for glasses. Someone on this board mentioned he waited 3 weeks. If you get a pair and it isn't correct, and they re-make them, does your 30 day guarantee start on the day you pick up the re-makes?

    I was also curious about where the lenses are actually made. Since they take a week and a half, I'm assuming they don't make them on the premises? Are they ordered from a central location and then the local opticians cut the lenses and put them in your frames?

    If the Ovation lenses are the same from Lenscrafters and Costco, is there any reason why I shouldn't just get them at Costco? Assuming I liked the frames there? And as long as the person fitting you is a board certified optician? It seems like the price is about $150 less (or more).

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    Ever heard of private optical stores?
    99.9% of my patients are happy from the first try!

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    THANK YOU LENNY!

    Listening to a customer shop based on the stores redo policy is absurd.

    :drop:

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    reason

    There is an optician next to my eye doctor. I think he rents space from the eye doctor. When I was waiting for my husband to get his eye exam, I wandered into the optician's room. I told him that both my husband and I were going to be buying glasses. He was not very pleasant nor helpful. He got a personal phone call (that didn't sound very important) and he proceeded to spend most of my visit chatting with his friend. I asked about transition lenses and he said he'd put a pair outside so I could see how dark they get. I waited and then a little later asked about them. He forgot. He went out and got them and showed me. Here was a customer for two pair of progressive lenses and he barely gave me the time of day.

    He is the only private optician I have had contact with and I was extremely unimpressed. I would never go there. If I purchased glasses there and there was a problem, I don't think he'd be very helpful. That's why I thought if I went to a large store or chain, at least if there was a problem, they'd do something about it.

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    Money........

    I worked for costco for ten years in the lab in 1989 when I started we were
    doing 300-400 jobs daily, when I left there in 1999 we were at 3000-3500
    daily.YES I did not put a extra 0 on the end.A good friend of mine is still there and thats the numbers they do daily.I was runing 4 HORIZON edgers
    all day long,non stop,now all surface/finish is robotic,all they need is mounter's. world wide they have 400-500 store's just think 10 jobs per store and you can imagine what kind of MONEY there makeing.
    KIRKLAND frames.own lenes,ect.Take the average cost RETAIL of each pair
    of glasses and see what # you come up with..











    Quote Originally Posted by plum View Post
    Thank you. I very much appreciate the information.

    I called the local Costco and she said it takes about a week and a half for glasses. Someone on this board mentioned he waited 3 weeks. If you get a pair and it isn't correct, and they re-make them, does your 30 day guarantee start on the day you pick up the re-makes?

    I was also curious about where the lenses are actually made. Since they take a week and a half, I'm assuming they don't make them on the premises? Are they ordered from a central location and then the local opticians cut the lenses and put them in your frames?

    If the Ovation lenses are the same from Lenscrafters and Costco, is there any reason why I shouldn't just get them at Costco? Assuming I liked the frames there? And as long as the person fitting you is a board certified optician? It seems like the price is about $150 less (or more).

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    ??

    markssunwear, That is interesting. But I'm not sure how to interpret the information. Yes, it looks like they are making bundles of money. Is that bad? Are you saying that they do so much business the quality suffers? Or that they do such a volume business that they can afford to price much lower?

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    Master OptiBoarder snowmonster's Avatar
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    Plum - here's the problem. The perception that the general public has is that large companies (like Lens Crafters, Costco, etc) has the latest and greatest stuff and that they are more advanced than your independent opticians, as well as OD and MD offices.

    The reality is that because they are a large corporation:
    • There is absolutely zero variety amongst the stores
    • They are all limited to 1 or 2 brands of progressive lenses because of contractual obligations and pricing. I think Lens Crafters only offers the Ovation and no other progressive. Also, I don't believe you can get anything over a 1.67 index, meaning you can't benefit from the 1.70 or 1.74 (very thin) lenses there.
    • They don't offer the latest progressives that allow you to have a shorter frame (from top to bottom)
    • They will likely take longer to do your job, depending on how slow their central lab is
    These stores work for the masses, but if you need something a little out of the norm, you can't get it there.

    Did you even actually buy glasses from Costco or are you just thinking that you're going to have a problem?

    -Steve

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    bundles of money is not bad its the fact that they lower the prices becouse of the quanity they do,Quality did suffer when I was there and breakage was very high 350-450 jobs daily, power off,seg's off,PD off,scratches,chips,alot of small lenes,and the list goes on.alot of people were getting hurt (Carbule Tunel) and alot of complaining.so what did they do about it,(THEY HIRED A TEMP AGENTCY AND HIRED PEOPLE WITH NO EXPEREANCE TO MAKE GLASSES)So they do not have to worry about people getting hurt or paying insurance its all on the temp agentcy.

    quote=costco; here is a small screw driver bending pliers put this lenes in this frame.(YES YOU WILL STAB YOUR FINGERS,BUT YOU WILL GET USED TO IT)we want 30-40 jobs mounted per hour, The superviser will come buy every hour and take your number you did in that hour,if you did not meet your 30-40 jobs you get called in the office to (SEE IF YOUR FINGERS ARE HURTING) LOL, no really to see why your numbers are low.

    So take it from here does Quality suffer?





    Quote Originally Posted by plum View Post
    markssunwear, That is interesting. But I'm not sure how to interpret the information. Yes, it looks like they are making bundles of money. Is that bad? Are you saying that they do so much business the quality suffers? Or that they do such a volume business that they can afford to price much lower?

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    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter Barry Santini's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by cjcarlen View Post
    In my opinion, eyeglasses are unique medical devices .
    Oh my, I have to disagree. Glasses are *not* medical, nor are they a medical appliance.

    A comprehensive eye exam is medical in nature. Refocussing the eyet hrough eyewear is nomore medical than refocussing a binocular, telescope or camera, etc.

    Costco warranty on defect is one year. On the 366th day after purchase, you're on your own!

    Barry Santini ABOM

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    Quote Originally Posted by Barry Santini View Post
    Oh my, I have to disagree. Glasses are *not* medical, nor are they a medical appliance.

    A comprehensive eye exam is medical in nature. Refocussing the eyet hrough eyewear is nomore medical than refocussing a binocular, telescope or camera, etc.

    Costco warranty on defect is one year. On the 366th day after purchase, you're on your own!

    Barry Santini ABOM

    The difference is that it has to be a lot more accurate and you cannot change it after that. We do not work, drive, use the computer, read and watch tv through binoculars. If the vision is annoying you can always remove them. With glasses we have to see clearly and all of the time.

    That is why you can buy binoculars at any store, but need an optician to fit glasses.

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    Master OptiBoarder snowmonster's Avatar
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    Ditto to everything Jubilee just said. Her experiences at LC were identical to mine as far as turnaround time, product availability, etc.

    And Jubilee is totally right about the replacement/warranty ideas. The LC "warranty" of paying 1/2 to get the job redone is atrocious. Yet people do it every day.

    -Steve

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    Quote Originally Posted by snowmonster View Post
    Ditto to everything Jubilee just said. Her experiences at LC were identical to mine as far as turnaround time, product availability, etc.

    And Jubilee is totally right about the replacement/warranty ideas. The LC "warranty" of paying 1/2 to get the job redone is atrocious. Yet people do it every day.

    -Steve

    the 50 % co-pay is only applied to abuse situations...IE I slept on them, I drove over them. If a solder point lets go or a coating peels or some such obvious defect we replace at no charge.

    it is a real shame jubilee, that the state you are in does not require rigorous training of its opticians. Up here the course is 2 years long and we are required to maintain continuing education credits throughout our career.

    the fast turn around time has been the case for the last year (in Canada at least...I thought the US was the same)

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    Amen!!

    Jubilee, you said pretty much everything I was sitting here thinking!! Being a -FORMER-, 12 year employee of Lenscrafters I was quite amazed at all these wonderful "transformations" that have apparently taken place since I left a little under a year ago! (now work for a private optical office and words cannot describe the relief of being gone from that place)!

    Now, I will give the benefit of the doubt about operating procedures maybe being different between the U.S. and Canada. As far as in the U.S. and according to "my sources" who still work there, all you can offer a patient who wants a Varilux is the "Comfort" which don't get me wrong, is a great lens... but the Varilux at dear old LC is considered a $100 "add on" above the standard (Ovation I think it is now) progressive. We sell ours (Comfort) for just somewhat over half of the total cost of a Varilux at LC! I just talked to a friend last week who works there (LC) and asked what the highest index lens was they could get "1.67" was the reply! Once again, few choices... for which you pay dearly for!!

    The part that used to irritate me the most was the arguing over the now infamous "30 day guarantee"... O.K... so they plaster this crap everywhere about the "30 day thing" EVERYWHERE... T.V., Radio, Coupon inserts in the paper... "If you don't like them return them"... O.K... picture this scenario... patient comes in 1 week after purchase and has scratched lenses. "Me" (going to "manager") "Ms. Jones got these last week and has scratched the lenses, how do you want to handle it". "Manager" Tell her she has to pay the BPP (Breakage Protection Plan) which is 1/2 the original cost of the lenses". "Me" "But they under 30 days old, you know what she is going to say" "Manager" "Try to get that BPP first no matter what"! "Me" "Ms. Jones, you have to pay half the cost of the lenses to replace them" "Ms. Jones" "But they are under 30 days old and your Ad's say....".... And on and on it goes... Essentially we were told to pester the mortal crap out of them for the BPP charge and then just when the irrate customer looked just about 1 minute away from a full blown stroke we could say "o.k., we can make one exception"... I mean... ALL THEY HAD TO DO WAS RETURN THEM AND BUY THEM AGAIN!! I don't agree with all this 30 day stupidity either but if you are going to advertise it why make the customer so mad that they will likely never come back over a situation like the above?? (and that situation was repeated MANY times I'm afraid).
    And as far as "goals" (NUMBERS) at the store where I worked... Shortly before I left one of the sales associates got pulled aside and was told... and this is pretty much word for word... "We don't care how much you know, how much you smile, or how much your customers like you... the only thing that matters at the end of the day are your numbers on the SHAPE report" (LC's daily numbers) Wow, what a great incentive!! :(

    Rainchild, I am glad you are in your "utopia"... Maybe something magical happens when you cross the border into Canada!! Maybe more products are available, customer satisfaction matters, and managers actually have optical experience and weren't just hired in from the clothing store down the hall to run an optical store!! All I can say is that after I left my store within 4 months 6 more had left... and that doesn't include the many, many more that have left from others stores in the area/region. I honestly cannot tell you one person that I know in this area that is happy there, and that is sad. At one time it was a good place to work for. Unfortunately, greed and "corporate" have taken it's toll.

    Sorry this is long, but just needed to say this!

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    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter Barry Santini's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by For-Life View Post
    The difference is that it has to be a lot more accurate and you cannot change it after that. We do not work, drive, use the computer, read and watch tv through binoculars. If the vision is annoying you can always remove them. With glasses we have to see clearly and all of the time.

    That is why you can buy binoculars at any store, but need an optician to fit glasses.
    Really, eyewear and accuracy?? is that ever an oxymoron.

    Eyewear does not have to be accurate...it only has to be *appropriate* for that individual's desired needs and *present* vision...at the time of delivery. Vision is fluid....so much for accuracy...

    If driving is the real true social consequence of non-optimal distance vision, then let's, as a society, agree to this point and mandate acuity checks for driving to a much stricter standard (and more consistent from state to state) and frequency.

    In NY, it's every 8 years...what a joke!
    And in NY they test at 6 (six!) feet! Oh my god! What are they thinking at the NYS DMV...!

    You need an optician to fit glasses? Not in my state! And where are the opticians in the internet delivery system? Are they virtual?

    All I desire is a consistent approach on eyewear. Let's agree whether it is or isn't medical, and then be consistent (across the country) and down the distribution line with this agreement in mind.

    Anything else is simply duplicitous.

    Barry Santini, ABOM

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    OptiBoard Professional William Walker's Avatar
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    Consistency

    I would love to see unity in the approach of optics - from answers to questions like 'are glasses/contacts medical' to 'what defines an optician', and in areas like making concrete, enforceable guidelines similiar to ANSI, and finding people to go around and actually enforcing them. I'd like to see an end to ODs, MD, and corporations ignoring licensing requirements during operating hours. As a licensed optition with a degree, I'd like to see a degree being part of the requirements to sit for a state board exam - which I'd like to see in each state. I'd also like the respect other professions are given when you take years of hard work in order to be where you are, instead of being thought of as a sales person.

    Unfortunately, we can't find unity in the less than 20 people who have posted in this thread alone - and this is a community of optically educated people. How could we ask that others outside our field share a consistent view of our profession, when we ourselves are not sending them a consistent message to begin with?

    I'd really like to see a poll on some of these questions, to get a greater number of people to weigh in.
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    wOW...People seem to have had it very badly at LC. The things described as being said to employees re sales results just can't happen the same in Canada...we can coach and set expectations but as long as the associate is genuinely trying to meet standard....their job is pretty safe..(different labour codes maybe?)

    Axis turner....up here the 30 day policy is no hassel...no question. I had 2 situations today....kids glasses...3 weeks old, run over by another kid during a soccer match. My associate didn't even ask me...she just replaced them. Another guys kid pulled the arm off his glasses after 6 weeks...we gave him a new frame, no charge. Maybe Canadians are just more laid back in how we do business.

    k12319997...I'm definately not a drone! LMAO! I get ****** off at work just like anyone else...but overall I'm still really happy after all these years. Oh...and I'm one of those managers hired from the clothing store to manage the optical! :D It doesn't take optical knowledge to run a business...but I did sign up for the Opticians course immediately because I wanted to have credibility with my associates and opticians.

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    Blue Jumper A comprehensive eye exam is medical in nature....................

    Quote Originally Posted by Barry Santini View Post
    Oh my, I have to disagree. Glasses are *not* medical, nor are they a medical appliance.
    The FDA does not think so and acts different. Frames and lenses are in the device category...................but not only that............anything that goes on lenses like a coating or tint that is destined to go, or be put on lenses is under FDA jurisdiction.

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    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter Barry Santini's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Ryser View Post
    The FDA does not think so and acts different. Frames and lenses are in the device category...................but not only that............anything that goes on lenses like a coating or tint that is destined to go, or be put on lenses is under FDA jurisdiction.
    Well hello, Chris!

    BTW, no one ever said the FDA was always right...

    For my money, all I want is a consistent tenor about eyewear...either it is medical...or its not!

    If its not, then let's let anyone, anytime and anywhere, by what they want without the need to be refracted by a *medical professional (or his like).

    If it is medical, then let stop all internet/mail-order/OTC distribution of these medical devices, and...this is my favorite...

    ...let's stop referring to the Rx "hand-off" in an office where the refracting doctor (OD or MD) has an in house dispensary. If eyewear is deteremined to be medical, then this practice as unethical as an in house pharmacy hand-off.

    Oh, and by the way, it does seem the FDA and FTC have regulations designed to handle the hand-off already... WELL LET"S ENFORCE THEM, for ***s sake!

    My two cents

    Barry Santini, ABOM

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    Wow .......................this is an old consumer thread from the way back machine

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    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Ryser View Post
    Wow .......................this is an old consumer thread from the way back machine
    I am new to using forums, didn't see the date.
    ABO-NCLE Certified 1992 to current

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