Clear Eyes, Full Wallets, Can't Lose
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Clear Eyes, Full Wallets, Can't Lose
By Samir Rao
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WHY YOU SHOULD CARE
Because 150 million Americans wear glasses, and that’s 150 million people overpaying.
By Samir Rao
According to the American Vision Council, Americans spend over $15 billion on eyeglasses annually. That does not include contact lenses. It turns out, though, that much of that $15 billion is pure profit. Eyeglass frames are routinely ranked as one of the five most marked-up products anywhere. So before you go to LensCrafters again, take a look at these figures:
$3 or less
Base cost: What it costs to manufacture a pair of frames (even designer models) in China.
$30
Wholesale price: What stores pay on average for the frames that they sell to you.
$263
Retail price: The average cost you’ll pay for a pair of designer frames.
$100
Online price: The approximate price that Warby Parker, Firmoo, Mezzmer, Eyefly and other online companies charge for the same $300 frames.
- Samir Rao, Co-Founder Follow Samir Rao on Facebook Contact Samir Rao
