Ethan Nouble
Anyone needing eyeglasses understands the headache of choosing the right brand.
Unlike clothes, shoes, or other apparel, picking the wrong pair of frames can significantly affect your lifestyle. So, it’s only natural to get picky if you’re looking to get a new pair of eyewear.
That said, you’re in luck for finding this post.
Today, we’re reviewing Zenni vs. Eyebuydirect, two of the most trusted brands in the eyewear scene. We’re walking you through a comprehensive comparison to help you choose the right pair that suits your budget, needs, and lifestyle!
Zenni Optical: Shop Review
Zenni Optical is a prominent eyewear brand founded in 2003. Starting as a small business in California, the company became famous for its affordable prescription glasses and sunglasses.
Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect shopping from Zenni Optical.
Eyeglass Selection
Zeni’s eyewear selection is top-notch. The shop offers a catalog of more than 1,600 eyeglass pairs, though we noticed they don’t have any designer included.
But it doesn’t mean their selection is anywhere less impressive. From single visions, bifocals, no-lens frames, and progressives, they certainly have what you need.
If you’re gaming or spending considerable time in front of a screen, Zenni provides a line of eyewear specifically for blocking blue light radiation. Plus, Rashida Jones personally curated them herself!
Every piece from Zenni comes with UV and anti-scratch protection without additional costs from the customer. And if you’re physically active, they also offer protective and sports eyewear.
Quality-wise, Zenni’s eyewear could easily compete with more expensive brands. The frames appear well-built, and their style doesn’t give away their affordable price tags!
Eyeglass Prices
If you want to spend as little as possible on eyewear, Zenni is akin to striking gold.
The price range for glasses ranges between $6.5 for regular pairs and $50 for higher-quality frames. The higher ends typically consist of lenses with add-ons like blue-light protection.
For people who use prescription eyewear, they might spend a couple more bucks than the regular pieces.
The shop currently offers three types of high-index lenses for different price points.
For lenses with an index of 1.61, you’ll have to pay an extra $19.95. Pairs with index 1.67 and 1.74 cost an additional $34.95 and $74.95, respectively.
How to Purchase From Zenni Optical
Zenni is an online retail shop. It means they don’t have physical stores and only operate via online transactions. So, to purchase, you’ll need to visit their website.
Thankfully, ordering from their online shop is easy. With the Frame Finder, customers can immediately filter their choices by style, material, and more.
After selecting a frame, you fill in your PD information and lens type. Then, select the color, material, shape, and frame size you prefer.
While customizing, you can use the Virtual Try-On Software to see how the glasses fit on your face.
Afterward, choose any add-ons you want, such as blue-light protection, oil-resist, and light-adaptive coatings. Once done, click the “Add to Cart” to finish your order.
Shipping Time
Zenni ships from China, so expect a longer shipping time. Their website typically estimates two to three weeks delivery time, but they can also take longer, depending on your location.
The company currently doesn’t include free shipping services, which costs around $4 to $5.
The shop provides a 30-day return policy for customers in case of manufacturing defects. However, you can only get store credit or a 50% refund of the total item price, excluding the shipping fees.
The store currently doesn’t accept insurance as well.
Eyebuydirect: Shop Review
Eyebuydirect is another excellent eyewear label that’s been around since 2005. They cater to all ages and genders and offer stylish frames to suit any fashion.
Here’s a breakdown of what to expect when shopping from Eyebuydirect.
Eyeglass Selection
Eyebuydirect offers an impressive array of affordable eyewear options, from prescription to non-prescription, blue light, and sunglasses.
Compared to Zenni, their selection includes designer frames like Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Vogue. So, if you’ve been meaning to add these brands to your eyeglass collections, you’ll surely love shopping at Eyebuydirect as we did!
Of course, they also have plenty of lens options. Whether you need blue-light protection, anti-glare, progressive, bifocal, reading, or polarized lenses—you name it, they have it.
In terms of quality, Eyebuydirect never disappoints. They’ve consistently provided durable, superior, and accurate prescription lenses for over 15 years, enough to feature in CNN’s best online eyeglass picks!
Eyeglass Prices
If you’re looking for affordable hauls, you’ll have a heyday shopping at Eyebuydirect.
The shop’s selection isn’t as affordable as Zenni’s. But their eyewear pieces are all reasonably priced compared to other premium brands.
Eyebuydirect has plenty of frame choices for $50 or below. But the price increases once you add your lens, coating, and other add-ons.
Premium lenses featuring UV, scratch, dust, smudge, or glare protection can add around $80 to your bill. Thinner and lighter lenses for high-prescription customers cost anywhere from $30 to $50.
Luckily, some premium frames already include these lenses in their price tags.
The cheapest lenses we found are for people with a vision distance prescription. They’re a standard, clear lens, priced comfortably at $7.
In other words, snagging stylish yet high-quality eyeglasses for under $100 is more than possible with Eyebuydirect!
How to Purchase From Eyebuydirect
Eyebuydirect is a purely online platform with no physical stores. As such, like Zenni, you can only purchase eyeglasses through their online store.
You start by pinpointing the frame you want from their 2,000-piece collection. Conveniently, you can use filters to sort the items according to color, material, and shape and try them using the virtual try-on software.
From there, you’ll fill out a form requiring your prescription details. By this point, you can also choose the add-ons and coatings you want for your eyewear.
Finally, they’ll give you shipping options and additional purchases you might be interested in. After reviewing your choices, you can then check out your order.
Shipping Time
Eyebuydirect delivers within one to two weeks after your purchase. And if your order exceeds $119, you won’t have to pay for shipping fees, which is a plus.
Compared to Zenni, Eyebuydirect boasts a better return policy.
If you get your item and don’t like it, you may return it within two weeks of receipt. The company will then send your refund after two business days.
Zenni vs. Eyebuydirect: Which Should You Pick?
It’s time to address the elephant in the room. Which is the better choice: Zenni or Eyebuydirect?
Well, it depends on what you need for an eyeglass. Aspects like budget and shopping experience also factor in.
If you want to save the most bucks and still get a substantive pair of eyeglasses, Zenni is a no-brainer choice for its budget-friendly frames and lenses.
However, they’re obviously lacking in the shipping department. Their return policy could help some improvement to serve more customers as well.
If you’re gearing for higher quality, Eyebuydirect is the better choice. The shop offers an excellent shipping and return policy as well.
Still, the higher prices of lenses and add-ons might not appeal to customers working on a budget. They also don’t accept vision insurance for purchases directly.
Final Thoughts
Zenni and Eyebuydirect both serve a valuable purpose for us spectacled folks. They make high-quality prescription eyeglasses accessible to everyone, providing an affordable choice for anyone who needs it.
So, whether you choose Zenni’s appealing prices or Eyebuydirect’s quality service, you’ll surely get the best value for your money!
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