Specsavers - paying when ordering spectacles

[Nick]

I have recently ordered a new pair of glasses (one pair "free") from Specsavers.

They rang me up to remind me that I had an eyetest.

After ordering my new pair they took the full amount for the new glasses (over £200). (I did use my credit card)

The spectacles ar going to take 14 days to be ready.

I asked them if they would ring me to advise me (or remind me) when the glasses came in. No, I was told!

Well, I suppose they have got my money now.

(Incidentally the person before me left their credit card with the shop - in the PIN machine. Instead of ringing up the customer, they put the card in a bag in a safe box. They would have the phone number to contact the customer.

Nick

[Michael Hoffman]

Post by Nick
I have recently ordered a new pair of glasses (one pair "free") from Specsavers.
They rang me up to remind me that I had an eyetest.
After ordering my new pair they took the full amount for the new glasses (over £200). (I did use my credit card)
The spectacles ar going to take 14 days to be ready.
I asked them if they would ring me to advise me (or remind me) when the glasses came in. No, I was told!
Well, I suppose they have got my money now.

I'm waiting for the legal question or discussion...

[Alex Heney]

Post by Nick
I have recently ordered a new pair of glasses (one pair "free") from Specsavers.
They rang me up to remind me that I had an eyetest.
After ordering my new pair they took the full amount for the new glasses (over £200). (I did use my credit card)
The spectacles ar going to take 14 days to be ready.
I asked them if they would ring me to advise me (or remind me) when the glasses came in. No, I was told!
Well, I suppose they have got my money now.

Did you have a question?

[Nick]

Post by Alex Heney

Post by Nick
I have recently ordered a new pair of glasses (one pair "free") from Specsavers.
They rang me up to remind me that I had an eyetest.
After ordering my new pair they took the full amount for the new glasses (over £200). (I did use my credit card)
The spectacles ar going to take 14 days to be ready.
I asked them if they would ring me to advise me (or remind me) when the glasses came in. No, I was told!
Well, I suppose they have got my money now.

Did you have a question?

Yes - implied - about Specsavers asking me to pay the full money in advance - I didn't query it at the time.

It was as much an observation that whilst they were quick to remind me of my eye appointment, once they had taken my money they didn't seem to care whether I turned up to collect the specs.

Nick

[Michael Hoffman]

Post by Nick

Post by Alex Heney

Post by Nick
I have recently ordered a new pair of glasses (one pair "free") from Specsavers.
They rang me up to remind me that I had an eyetest.
After ordering my new pair they took the full amount for the new glasses (over £200). (I did use my credit card)
The spectacles ar going to take 14 days to be ready.
I asked them if they would ring me to advise me (or remind me) when the glasses came in. No, I was told!
Well, I suppose they have got my money now.

Did you have a question?

Yes - implied - about Specsavers asking me to pay the full money in advance - I didn't query it at the time.

Can you explicitly state the question instead of making us guess? The
only questions I can think of are ones I imagine you would know the
answer to.

[Alex Heney]

Post by Nick

Post by Alex Heney

Post by Nick
I have recently ordered a new pair of glasses (one pair "free") from Specsavers.
They rang me up to remind me that I had an eyetest.
After ordering my new pair they took the full amount for the new glasses (over £200). (I did use my credit card)
The spectacles ar going to take 14 days to be ready.
I asked them if they would ring me to advise me (or remind me) when the glasses came in. No, I was told!
Well, I suppose they have got my money now.

Did you have a question?

Yes - implied - about Specsavers asking me to pay the full money in advance - I didn't query it at the time.

What is the question?

If you are asking whether that is legal, then the answer is yes.

But I can't imagine you thinking it wouldn't be, so I'm not sure what
the question is.

[Stuart A. Bronstein]

Post by Alex Heney

Post by Nick
Yes - implied - about Specsavers asking me to pay the full money
in advance - I didn't query it at the time.

What is the question?
If you are asking whether that is legal, then the answer is yes.
But I can't imagine you thinking it wouldn't be, so I'm not sure
what the question is.

I imagine that instead asking whether or not it's legal, Nick was
wondering whether it's, well, right. In many situations when you buy
something to be manufactured you pay half up front and the balance on
completion. But that's not universal. And as far as eyeglasses,
that's been my experience too - pay full price in advance.

The seller does have to produce the produce within the time promised or
you can go back, cancel the purchase and demand your money back. But
with a reputable seller it's seldom a problem.

Stu

[Stroller]

Post by Alex Heney

Post by Nick
I have recently ordered a new pair of glasses (one pair "free") from Specsavers.
They rang me up to remind me that I had an eyetest.
After ordering my new pair they took the full amount for the new glasses
(over £200). (I did use my credit card)
The spectacles ar going to take 14 days to be ready.
I asked them if they would ring me to advise me (or remind me) when the
glasses came in. No, I was told!
Well, I suppose they have got my money now.

Did you have a question?

Yes - implied - about Specsavers asking me to pay the full money in
advance - I didn't query it at the time.

It was as much an observation that whilst they were quick to remind me of my
eye appointment, once they had taken my money they didn't seem to care
whether I turned up to collect the specs.

Nick
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And why would they care any more than they would care whether or not you put
them on in the morning? They made them to the specification you gave them
and got paid for it. If you wanted a reminding service, you could have
asked for it when you placed the order.

[Nick]

Post by Nick

Post by Alex Heney

Post by Nick
I have recently ordered a new pair of glasses (one pair "free") from Specsavers.
They rang me up to remind me that I had an eyetest.
After ordering my new pair they took the full amount for the new glasses
(over £200). (I did use my credit card)
The spectacles ar going to take 14 days to be ready.
I asked them if they would ring me to advise me (or remind me) when the
glasses came in. No, I was told!
Well, I suppose they have got my money now.

Did you have a question?

Yes - implied - about Specsavers asking me to pay the full money in
advance - I didn't query it at the time.
It was as much an observation that whilst they were quick to remind me of my
eye appointment, once they had taken my money they didn't seem to care
whether I turned up to collect the specs.
Nick
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And why would they care any more than they would care whether or not you put
them on in the morning? They made them to the specification you gave them
and got paid for it. If you wanted a reminding service, you could have
asked for it when you placed the order.

Yes, I take your point - but they actually rang me up at home to remind me
to come in for my appointment for my eyetest - I didn't ask them to do that
and that was only a couple of days hence.

Obviously they are interested in making a sale - and taking one's money.

Any optician that I have previously been to has rung me up to tell me that
my glasses are ready.

I am not stupid enough to realise that they offer a cheaper service than
other opticians - and that therefore they must cut their costs somewhere.

I have so far been very impressed with their service - it was these
diversions from what I would consider to be normal service which I couldn't
help noticing.

The customers that use Specsavers are generally from the lower end of the
market and I would suggest tend to be less organised that middle-class
professionals - they are the type of people who might need to be reminded
that their specs are ready.

I certainly won't forget about mine - it is more others that I might be
worrying about!

Nick

[Anthony Edwards]

Post by Nick
The customers that use Specsavers are generally from the lower end of the
market and I would suggest tend to be less organised that middle-class
professionals - they are the type of people who might need to be reminded
that their specs are ready.

I recently ordered three pairs of spectacles from Specsavers, my
second purchase from the company (I purchased two pairs previously
two years ago).

Following my most recent eyetest, I selected three pairs, and wasn't
asked to pay at all in fact; the sales assistant didn't mention
payment, so I raised the issue and asked if they required payment up
front, or if a deposit would be OK. I was told that a deposit would
be fine, and paid just under one third of the purchase price.

I was also called by telephone once my new spectacles were ready.
Ironically, on arrival at the shop to collect them it became apparent
that two of the pairs I had ordered had been manufactured incorrectly,
with lens orders transposed (reading and distance glasses).

Specsavers were most apologetic, told me that they would get them
re-ordered, and let me take the rather nice pair of designer polarised
prescription sunglasses that were manufactured correctly, with nothing
further to pay until the other two pairs arrive.

Excellent service, which I couldn't possibly find fault with.

[Adrian]

Post by Anthony Edwards
Excellent service, which I couldn't possibly find fault with.

I wonder if SpecSavers are a franchise?

That'd certainly explain such wildly differing experiences.

[Howard Neil]

Post by Adrian

Post by Anthony Edwards
Excellent service, which I couldn't possibly find fault with.

I wonder if SpecSavers are a franchise?
That'd certainly explain such wildly differing experiences.

My understanding is that they are. I have had both appalling service (SE
England) and superb service (West Wales) from them.

[Graybags]

Post by Adrian

Post by Anthony Edwards
Excellent service, which I couldn't possibly find fault with.

I wonder if SpecSavers are a franchise?
That'd certainly explain such wildly differing experiences.

Specsavers are all franchises.

[Jo Lonergan]

Post by Nick
Any optician that I have previously been to has rung me up to tell me that
my glasses are ready.

Mine sent me a text message this week to say mine were ready. First
time I've come across this method.

[Gorf]

Post by Nick
I have recently ordered a new pair of glasses (one pair "free") from Specsavers.
They rang me up to remind me that I had an eyetest.
After ordering my new pair they took the full amount for the new glasses (over £200). (I did use my credit card)
The spectacles ar going to take 14 days to be ready.
I asked them if they would ring me to advise me (or remind me) when the glasses came in. No, I was told!
Well, I suppose they have got my money now.
(Incidentally the person before me left their credit card with the shop - in the PIN machine. Instead of ringing up the customer, they put the card in a bag in a safe box. They would have the phone number to contact the customer.

It's normal for anyone making a bespoke product to ask for payment up
front (most, if not all the money). It's not as if they can sell the
glasses on to anyone else if you never show up to collect them.

It's not normal for SpecSavers to refuse to 'phone you when the glasses
are ready. They did that for me, without me asking. Having said that,
they told you how long it would take for them to be ready, so if you
had a problem with that, you should have said so at the time. It's
pushing it a bit to suggest they have been unreasonable (which I assume
is what you're doing). They've given you a date you can come in and
pick them up, so a call isn't really necessary.

[zaax]

Post by Nick
I have recently ordered a new pair of glasses (one pair "free") from Specsavers.
They rang me up to remind me that I had an eyetest.
After ordering my new pair they took the full amount for the new
glasses (over £200). (I did use my credit card)
The spectacles ar going to take 14 days to be ready.
I asked them if they would ring me to advise me (or remind me) when
the glasses came in. No, I was told!
Well, I suppose they have got my money now.
(Incidentally the person before me left their credit card with the
shop - in the PIN machine. Instead of ringing up the customer, they
put the card in a bag in a safe box. They would have the phone number
to contact the customer.
Nick

1. I would have gone else where at that price. Internet opticans are a
lot cheaper.
2. 2 weeks is normal some times it's 21 days or more.

3. The shop should have cut the card up. How do they know if it's the
right person collecting the card?

["\"nightjar\" <nightjar@".uk.com]

"zaax" < zaax_guard-***@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:***@individual.net...
....

Post by zaax

Post by Nick
After ordering my new pair they took the full amount for the new
glasses (over £200). (I did use my credit card)

...

Post by zaax
1. I would have gone else where at that price. Internet opticans are a
lot cheaper.

That is cheap, compared to what a pair of glasses usually cost me. There are
very few lens manufacturers who make blanks for my prescription, so I can't
buy the lenses for that. However, I do get free eye tests and IIRC, I can
claim £3.50 from the NHS towards the cost of the lenses.

Colin Bignell