Online Contact Lenses Buying Guide
There are many websites offering contact lenses on the internet so which should you choose, is the cheapest always the best or do we only get what we pay for?.
Most of the sites offer some kind of rebate but do they back it up with a guarantee that the lenses are of the same quality you would get if you bought in store? These are some of the points to watch out for and questions to ask your self when considering purchasing lenses online.
- What guarantee policy does the website have?
Look for a clear policy regarding returning lenses, most sites will offer you a 30 day money back guarantee on lenses found to be defective in any way; some sites however only offer a 10 day guarantee. Another thing to watch for is the cost of postage for returning lenses; some sites have a free returns policy others the cost of returning the lenses falls on you.
- Does the site offer customer support?
In general most of the sites have customer support to some degree, customer support is not only helpful regarding any questions you may have but also gives you peace of mind that should you encounter any problems with lenses you have purchased then help isn’t very far away. Feature to look for in customer support are telephone numbers, it’s always better to be able to speak with an actual person. Live chat comes in useful and some sites though not many do offer this option.
Almost all sites now have some kind of security built into there system, most use what’s know as SSL encryption in some form or another. Generally signs to look for in website security are trademarks somewhere on the page signifying the site uses security measures for safe transactions. These can usually be found by trademark signatures such as the Verisign logo. Another security measure that brings peace of mind is the site hacker free, some sites put measure in place to ensure protection from identity theft and credit card fraud. You can be sure the site is protected this way if you see a green shield logo along with hacker safe. This logo is only in place when the site’s security measure up to the standards of the US government and MasterCard.
- Can you track your order?
Although not essential this feature is somewhat helpful in that once placed you can track your orders progress, has it even been dispatched, did they send it out yet all information which can be helpful to you.
The best advice is shop around and take your time when choosing which site to purchase lenses from, prices vary from site to site and so do delivery charges, some offer free delivery but usually this is when you spend over a certain amount and often the more lenses you purchase the cheaper they are. A lot of the websites have prescription help and it is worthwhile taking extra care when ordering lenses and making sure you choose the correct strength as ordered by your prescription as this could be a costly mistake if you have to return the product. |