Why I think LensCrafters suck.
Posted by Lloyd Y. Asato | Filed under Poetics of Peet's
First off, why I shop at LensCrafters. They are at the mall at which Presh loves to shop. And although they are more expensive than the other guys in the mall, they claim that my glasses will be ready in about an hour. There is an Apple Store in said mall. I can wait an hour. Finally, they do not take my insurance, but screw it I am here make my glasses. They take a long time. But, I guess, sometimes “about an hour” means five hours. But, Presh is happy and I finally leave with new glasses.
That was less than four months ago. About two months ago I notice that the frames are wobbly and loose. Hmmm… Then yesterday they came apart. It may be hard to see in the photo but the bridge post came loose then popped out. A bad weld, or poor design. I go back to LensCrafters.
I am greeted by E. the retail manager who looks at the glasses and tells me that they do not sell frames made in Japan. “You sold me these,” I reply. He searches through the computer then through the stacks. “We no longer sell this frame you will have to pick something else,” he offers to credit me $100.00 towards a new pair. I remind him that the glasses are less than four months old.
LensCrafters has a 30 day unconditional warranty. After that they will credit you a percentage of the price. In this case fifty-percent of the frame price. I was raised by attorneys. I understand contract law. I am not arguing the validity of the contract. I question selling defective frames that fall apart less than four months after purchase. I ask him if there is something he could do, the glasses are less than four months old. I am getting pissed. He repeats the warranty information and says I signed the contract.
I ask him when this policy had changed. This was maybe my sixth or seventh pair of glasses from LensCrafters over the last ten years or so. There was a time when they guaranteed the glasses for a year, then they changed the policy so that it was a fifty-dollar charge. My last pair was replaced a little over a year ago under this fifty-dollar policy. He tells me that has been the policy ever since he has been working for LensCrafters. About seven months. Uh…
Is there someone else I could talk to? He gets a guy from the back (E. was very quick to point out that the guy he was bringing out worked for him and that he, E., was the manager). The guy admits that the policy was changed recently, maybe five, uh or maybe three years ago (actually less than that but okay). E. deflates a bit. The guy from the back goes on to say that the company was losing too much money so they had to change the policy.
I begin to realize that maybe it is not their warranty policy that is causing their losses but the poor product quality and awful combative service.
E. tells me that they do not have the lenses and may have to special order them. It could take up to five days. I suspect that the lenses will “show up” on E’s next scheduled day off. This is fine with me, sometimes “about an hour” means up to five days.
May 5th, 2006 at 10:01 pm
[...] No glasses yet from LensCrafters. “Ready in about an hour” sometimes means seventy-four hours and counting. Peet’s Coffee & Tea. Deep-roasted, delivered fresh, since 1966. [...]
May 6th, 2006 at 9:37 pm
[...] LensCrafters? Still sucking as “ready in about an hour” becomes 99 and a half hours and counting. Peet’s Coffee & Tea. Deep-roasted, delivered fresh, since 1966. [...]
May 7th, 2006 at 10:12 pm
[...] No word from LensCrafters, which makes “ready in about an hour” over one hundred twenty-three hours and counting. Peet’s Coffee & Tea. Deep-roasted, delivered fresh, since 1966. [...]
May 8th, 2006 at 10:21 pm
[...] Well, LensCrafters finally called this morning. Let us see. That means “ready in about an hour” was one hundred thirty-six and a half hours. Oh and, E. was not in. Probably just a coincidence? [...]
June 8th, 2006 at 11:22 am
[...] I am amused. I glanced at my logs and I am gettting a lot of search engine hits with the key word LensCrafters. In fact, if you Google “LensCrafters“, my post about LensCrafters’ horrible and combative customer service, shows up on the first page (currently, just above the Wikipedia entry). Most of the other search terms that people where using “lenscrafters warranty” and the like had my post showing up on the first page as well. Hopefully, corporate will read about my experiences and work to improve training at their stores but we shall see… Peet’s Coffee & Tea. Deep-roasted, delivered fresh, since 1966. [...]
July 15th, 2006 at 11:07 am
Too bad I didn’t find this post before I headed off to my local Lenscrafters for a bad experience.
August 4th, 2006 at 7:49 pm
I bought some glasses from them, and their “protective coating” didn’t protect much.
February 20th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
I was wondering did you finally get anywhere ?
Did you buy this as a complete pr – ( both frame and lenses ) – at the same time – or was this your frame –
WOuld love to hear who makes that frame from japan –
Who is the manufacturer – and MODEL ?
can u also tell me how much you paid for the frame originally ?
would love to be able to help
PLS EMAIL ME
March 28th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
I completely agree that Lenscrafters sucks. I bought my husband a pair of very expensive(as always with them) for $600 on 02/10/09, did not receive the glasses until 02/22/09 because they did not have them in stock. Sometimes one hour means two weeks. Today is 03/28/09 guess what, they are broken. Didn’t get hit in the head with a basketball, didn’t run over them with my car. My husband was just wearing them and the metal part on the sides broke in two. I had my husband call Lenscrafters, after being on hold for several minutes he gets a rep. I hear his one sided convo,(very sweet and pleasant b/c he always places good cop) at the end followed by “half of retail price”. What! I had to have misheard him. Sure enough they told him that even though he has had the glassed for a little over a month he would have to pay half of the retail price. I was pissed, so I called myself to verify. I was a little less nice, but still tried to be pleasant even though I was perturbed, I still got the same answer. I told the lady that their policy was B.S. and only a way to screw people and I would not be shopping there again. This is his second pair of glasses in 2 years that have broken mysteriously. I’m never going to Lenscrafters again. Buyer Beware!
July 23rd, 2009 at 3:53 pm
Just wanted to let you know it gets even better. I bought a pair of Oakley sunglasses at Lenscrafters a few months ago and the left temple just fell off one day. I keep them in the metal Oakley case when not wearing them and opened the case and it just fell off.
Anyway, Oakley has a 1 year warranty on their eyewear but since I had prescription lenses put in by Lenscrafters, Oakley says I have to go through them for customer service. So I got to Lenscrafters and they say they can’t repair them but they can sell me another pair of Oakley frames to put my presception lenses into for 50% off.
I said, “but Oakley has a 1 year warranty on their frames” to which they just re-iterated their policy of 50% off. I walked out. And like you, I will never purchase anything from LensCrafters ever again.
I’ll tell people to go support their local Mom & Pop optometrist. They may not be able to get you glasses “in about an hour” but boy they are so much better in terms of customer service when something goes wrong.
September 23rd, 2009 at 8:45 am
That picture shows a defective weld. Those frames are defective and should be replaced at no charge. Lenscrafters parent, Luxottica, makes the frame so they’re not out any money. If the manager tried, he could find the discontinued frame at another store. He just didn’t want to.
Lenscrafters is THE biggest swindler in the optical business! Remember that they also own Pearle, Target and Sears optical stores. Avoid ALL of these brands!
September 27th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
I got new glasses in April 2009. I have gone back there EVERY 3-6 WEEKS to get my frames replaced. Its irritating.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
I just finished reading a bunch of posts from disgruntled employees and customers of Lenscrafters, not to mention my own horrible experience. AVOID LC LIKE THE PLAGUE – All they care about is a big sale and getting your money. Go to your local optician/OD for real service and value.
January 15th, 2010 at 8:09 pm
I recently had a pleasant experience atl lenscrafters. all you hear now a days are the bad stories. i lost my glasses on the plane. I contacted the local lenscrafters. it was 8 pm at night. i had my rx on file, and they made me a pair of glasses in 45 minutes. when i came in m had frames for me to select similair tot he ones i lost. i was so happy and pleased. and they were 30% off frames and lenses and not the most expensive frames.