For customers over 60 Specsavers offer a straightforward discount giving 25% off of all glasses priced at £69 or above. GrownUpMoney examines how Specsavers deals for over 60 stack up against the competition.
Specsavers are one of the most successful opticians in the UK and their long running promotional strapline “Should’ve gone to Specsavers” has become a popular British catch phrase. Specsavers biggest competitors are Boots and Vision Express, both are included in the comparison table below.
Leading opticians on the high street – over 60s discounts
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Boots meets the Specsavers discount challenge head on with an almost identical over 60s offer – 25% off your first pair of glasses and 50% off your second pair. If you want a second pair from Specsavers, they offer a different deal; you no longer get your 25% off because you are over 60, but you do get a second pair free (provided they are standard lenses or you pay the difference).
For the over 60s Vision Express does not advertise any special deals.
Optical Express gives an over 60s discount with 25% off if you spend £69 or more. Optical Express also provide a free second pair of glasses for the over 60s, provided you spend over £150. As with Specsavers, there are restrictions that apply to the second pair. Optical Express will only offer certain frames and Specsavers only includes certain lens types, otherwise you must pay the difference.
There’s not a lot to choose between them, so more often the choice is made on the type of frames and the standard of customer service they offer. Fashion will play a part in the selection of eye wear, and celebrity endorsement, TV and film create demand as much as the need for new prescriptions.
For older customers Specsavers stands out by advertising their willingness to travel to you to undertake an eye test and supply glasses. This is the Specsavers at Home service for people who are unable to travel independently due to physical or mental incapacity.
Varifocals
If you are over 50 and wear glasses for more than just reading, there is a high probability you will have been prescribed varifocal lenses. This is a boon for people who would otherwise be switching their spectacles to see at a distance and then again for close up, typically between watching TV and reading.
Specsavers offer a very competitive varifocal deal. They will supply any single pair of glasses from their £69 range (or above) with standard varifocal lenses for free. These lenses do not suit everyone, and you may prefer superior varifocal lenses, however they still discount these by £49.
Strong price led promotions appeal to recession hit customers. Specsavers offers glasses that start from as low as £25. Vison Express prices start at £29, others on the high street don’t come close.
Internet competition
Challengers include glassesdirect.co.uk where you can get a new pair of glasses for as little as £19. For people who long suspected that designer frames were overpriced, the online retailers offer these brands at a fraction of the high street price. There are also money saving specialists who will reglaze your existing frames with new lenses.
The online retailers just need your prescription (which an optician is obliged by law to give you) to complete your order. You can select the frames you want to try on at home and send them back free of charge as soon as you’ve chosen. If you are not satisfied with your new glasses, you can return them up to 14 days later for a replacement or full refund.
Personalised Service
For many over 60, it is the service offered by a high street business like Specsavers that makes all the difference. They also adjust the frames to fit you comfortably, something that cannot be offered online. Specsavers back up their service with an unequivocal guarantee.
You can bring your glasses back to any of their shops in the UK up to 3 months later, for replacement or a full refund. It’s a powerful promise that has won them praise even from people who may have gone elsewhere.
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