Join Early Retirement Today
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 07-06-2018, 08:25 AM   #21
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
mpeirce's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Northern Ohio
Posts: 3,182
I’ve given up on Costco glasses. I wore a few good pairs, but the last two seemed really cheap. One pair yellowed quickly and the other pair never fit - they’d adjust it and it would go right back to not fitting.

I bought Warby Parker a month ago and they were reasonably priced, fit well, weren't part of the cartel.
mpeirce is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 07-06-2018, 08:29 AM   #22
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Amethyst's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 12,598
You're right. I remember purchasing my first pair of sunglasses from the drugstore for about $6.00 in the 1970's, and they were Ray-bans. Old guys wore Ray-ban flip-ups over their spectacles.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ponyboy View Post

Ray bans used to be cheap drug store sunglasses. L
__________________
If you understood everything I say, you'd be me ~ Miles Davis
'There is only one success – to be able to spend your life in your own way.’ Christopher Morley.
Even a blind clock finds an acorn twice a day.
Amethyst is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2018, 09:18 AM   #23
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Austin
Posts: 375
I noticed HUGE differences between Costco in Northern California and Texas. We seldom returned anything but the few times in Bay Area we got the dirty look OP mentioned.
HillCountry is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2018, 09:23 AM   #24
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Ready's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Southern California
Posts: 3,995
I know virtually nothing about sunglasses, so I would have no way of knowing if a $250 pair of sunglasses were of higher quality than a $50 pair. My general observation of the industry though is that the main thing that drives a pair of sunglasses to cost $250 is retail store markup and brand marketing.

I've seen the Christian Dior sunglasses at Sunglass Hut that sell for $250. It seems people are willing to pay more for the brand name and perhaps the frame style. But in terms of lens quality, what does Christian Dior know about the science of sunglass lenses? Why would I be led to believe that their lenses will protect my eyes better than a pair that cost $50?

As another poster mentioned, almost all of these products are made by Luxotica. They just produce them with different brand names and styles to appeal to a wide audience.

If I knew for a fact that a high end pair of sunglasses would help to protect my eyes better or allow me to see clearer I would have no issue paying for them. I just don't know how I would ever know that before buying them.
Ready is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2018, 09:23 AM   #25
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 8,968
The price of sunglasses is amazing. I got Rx sunglasses for $350 with glass lenses.
RobbieB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2018, 09:33 AM   #26
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Rustic23's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Lake Livingston, Tx
Posts: 4,203
Friend of mine bought a smoker at Sams. It had a 10 year warranty. At the end of 8 years setting outside the grates needed replacing. Sams no longer carried that item and took it back for a full refund! It was just about the dirtiest thing I had ever seen!
__________________
If it is after 5:00 when I post I reserve the right to disavow anything I posted.
Rustic23 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2018, 09:37 AM   #27
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Chuckanut's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: West of the Mississippi
Posts: 17,173
I get prescription sunglasses from places like Goggles4U. The price is cheap as long as I don't need to look great in designer frames. $70 for the progressive lenses.

Sometimes people who work for stores like Costco don't get the big picture. They may think they are doing the company a favor when they save the company $20 by turning a loyal customer into a disgruntled customer.

I have never had a bad return experience with Costco. That's why I shop there often and rarely shop at places like 'Name Redacted' which has previously surprised me with "Well, you should have been told this item was not returnable. Sorry you weren't, but we can't refund your money".

And, I'm only a bit sorry that Name-Redacted won't be getting much of my money in the future. I have shopped there once in the two years since that incident. Wanna guess how many times I've been to Costco in the same two years?

FWIW, I think sunglasses should last 2-3 years. Mine have.
__________________
Comparison is the thief of joy

The worst decisions are usually made in times of anger and impatience.
Chuckanut is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2018, 10:02 AM   #28
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
kcowan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Pacific latitude 20/49
Posts: 7,677
Send a message via Skype™ to kcowan
I tough they were picking on you earlier! Apparently not?
__________________
For the fun of it...Keith
kcowan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2018, 10:06 AM   #29
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Colorado
Posts: 8,971
Quote:
Originally Posted by mpeirce View Post
I’ve given up on Costco glasses. I wore a few good pairs, but the last two seemed really cheap. One pair yellowed quickly and the other pair never fit - they’d adjust it and it would go right back to not fitting.

I bought Warby Parker a month ago and they were reasonably priced, fit well, weren't part of the cartel.
There are different frame materials. My wife bought a $60 frame for her prescription sunglasses at Costco. They were plastic and she had to return many times for adjustments. I have some composite frames that are going on 8 years old without ever having an adjustment.
COcheesehead is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2018, 10:13 AM   #30
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 2,053
I wouldn't personally return something I had used that long. I would just not get that brand again.



But FWIW my $20 sunglasses last about 4 years . . . which usually includes being dropped or sat on.
badatmath is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2018, 10:58 AM   #31
Full time employment: Posting here.
txtig's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Sugar Land
Posts: 587
I can get major name brand sunglasses (RayBan, Oakley, Maui Jim, etc.) for $5 in Mexico!! [emoji41][emoji41][emoji41]
txtig is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2018, 11:26 AM   #32
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Scrapr's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Portland
Posts: 1,708
Quote:
Originally Posted by txtig View Post
I can get major name brand sunglasses (RayBan, Oakley, Maui Jim, etc.) for $5 in Mexico!! [emoji41][emoji41][emoji41]
Does the Rolex watch guy carry sunglasses too?

I wanted a nice looking pair of sunglasses. Brand name & prescription. Cost was north of Robbie's $350. I guard those with my life. I left them for 5 minutes at a job site. Went right back and nobody knows nutting. Until I pulled out a $20

4 or 5 years so far. Otherwise it's zenni
Scrapr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2018, 11:43 AM   #33
Recycles dryer sheets
Go-NoGo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 430
Quote:
Originally Posted by ponyboy View Post
Seems like a lot of users here know very little about sunglasses...and that they're almost all produced by the same company...luxottica

Ray bans used to be cheap drug store sunglasses. Luxottica bought them up...pulled them from the shelves then re released them. Not a single thing changed other than the price...which skyrocketed. But since it costs more it must mean its better quality, lol.

Im not telling people to go out about buy glasses you get from a $0.25 machine...but if you think you have to drop $150+ for "good" glasses...I have a bridge to sell you.
+1

PonyBoy is right, Luxottica owns the market and charges exorbitantly for glasses.

See this Forbes article on Luxottica:

"Meet the Four-Eyed, Eight-Tentacled Monopoly That is Making Your Glasses So Expensive"
https://www.forbes.com/sites/anaswan.../#310b96806b66

"..Luxottica controls 80% of the major brands in the $28 billion global eyeglasses industry. This monopolistic structure of the market leads to profits that are “relatively obscene,” says Tim Wu, a professor of law at Columbia University"
Go-NoGo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2018, 11:47 AM   #34
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
grasshopper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,464
Yikes, my guy (optometrists) in Mexico, Flexon titanium frame, progressive UV and tint coated lens $160. About every other year he checks my vision and replaces the lens and nose pieces $40.
__________________
For me experiences are not good or bad, just different
grasshopper is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2018, 11:51 AM   #35
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
calmloki's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Independence
Posts: 7,281
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scrapr View Post
Does the Rolex watch guy carry sunglasses too?

I wanted a nice looking pair of sunglasses. Brand name & prescription. Cost was north of Robbie's $350. I guard those with my life. I left them for 5 minutes at a job site. Went right back and nobody knows nutting. Until I pulled out a $20

4 or 5 years so far. Otherwise it's zenni
Cheapest metal frames from zenni - think they were $9.95 back then, $24 now, lasted me the longest. We go to stores and check out frames for the gal and normally she just gets new lenses installed in her old frames instead.
__________________
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
calmloki is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2018, 12:13 PM   #36
gone traveling
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 994
.

In the past, I've bought regular prescription glasses for about that same price and they lasted for many years. Why would sunglasses be different?

What the clerk is really telling you is... Costco sells overpriced cheap sunglasses that are expected to break prematurely so you will have to buy more.
Helena is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2018, 12:31 PM   #37
Full time employment: Posting here.
YVRRocketSurgery's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 915
I could be wrong but I thought certain departments at Costco like Optical, Floral, etc don't fall under Costco corporate but instead are run by vendors that follow Costco branding and policy.
__________________
Good Riddance. April 2022
"Yes, there's some shady stuff going down but it's fuelled by stupidity."
YVRRocketSurgery is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2018, 01:14 PM   #38
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 1,250
Quote:
Originally Posted by Just_Steve View Post
My underwear are getting a bit ragged, I wonder if I can return them to Costco? They are only a year old and for what I paid I sure expected to get better longevity.


Lol. Actually if you know anyone in retail at the higher end stores, they can tell you endless stories of people returning underwear. That’s why I believe the return policies are way too generous and all of us end up paying more. I had a good friend that was a buyer for Bergdorf Goodman in New York and she told me women would return stockings and bras that were worn for years and they took them back.
Letj is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2018, 01:16 PM   #39
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 60
I returned an 8-year old Kirkland Signature rollaboard suitcase a few months ago. Zipper had blown out and I had no way to fix it.

The woman at the counter commented that "it looks like you've gotten a lot of use out of this and how much more use did I expect?"

I pointed out that the exact same Kirkland Signature luggage sitting on the floor 100 ft away has a tag that says 10-year warranty on the label and that I would be happy if they simply fixed the zipper.

"Oh, we don't do that" she said.

"Then how do you honor the printed warranty?" I asked

"We just replace it" she said.

"OK then, as you wish" I said.

And she rang up the return without another comment.
texasdiver is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-06-2018, 01:51 PM   #40
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Badger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,395
Quote:
Originally Posted by grasshopper View Post
Yikes, my guy (optometrists) in Mexico, Flexon titanium frame, progressive UV and tint coated lens $160. About every other year he checks my vision and replaces the lens and nose pieces $40.

I believe Costco has regular prescription glasses for that price and prescription sunglasses for about the same. I bought a pair like that a couple of years ago and don't have any problems.


I like Costco and their generous return policy.


I also like the stock that I bought a few years ago that has more than tripled in price/share. Seems like customers and investors are both pleased with them.
Badger is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Costco Travel Best of Italy: Experience? Opinions? Comments? HFWR Travel Information 75 06-11-2018 01:44 PM
Twitter Experience Like ER-Forum Experience? TromboneAl Other topics 10 03-23-2015 12:17 PM
Kitces: / Managing Sequence Of Return Risk With Bucket Strategies Vs A Total Return macav933 FIRE and Money 21 12-06-2014 09:38 AM
Strange Real Estate Experience... Westernskies Other topics 16 04-25-2009 04:19 PM
Costco Return Policy My Dream Other topics 3 01-23-2007 10:02 AM

» Quick Links

 
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:03 AM.
 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.