Selling Rx Glasses Online. Dealing With Customers

9 January 2015

When you, an optician or optometrist open your own online glasses store as part of your walk-in practice, you will be getting Rx glasses sales and would need to know how to deal with such customers. Rx glasses sales would become the best sales on your Internet store because you would be making double money, for frames and lenses. You would also benefit from gaining more customers and perhaps eventually some local customers will turn into your walk-in customers. So encouraging people buying Rx glasses from you, a licensed optician or optometrist will generate more awareness about your company.

Rx glasses customers are very different from just optical frames or sunglasses customers. You need to be prepared to devote more time to them though out the order fulfillment process. And of course, dealing with them, in most cases will be via e-mail or Communication section of you LiveOptical website.

Even before Rx order is placed you may get e-mails with questions about prescription options, order processing time etc. If there are too many questions, you may want to recommend this customer to walk-in for a consultation. It is also a good idea to ask customer to e-mail you their prescription for best advice.

After order is placed, it is always a good idea to ask for copy of prescription. Some states require this step and even if not, seeing prescription will often prevent many problems for customers. Customers often make mistakes when typing their prescription into the Lenses order page. Especially if they have progressive prescription and are ordering just reading glasses. They often mix – and + signs for both sphere and cylinder. Even when not your fault, you would still need to deal with problems, get the frames back and redo the lenses. Yes you will make more money as customer will pay again, but it is a problem.

We covered in detail about shipping the eyeglasses to your customers. Before you pack and ship anything, take pictures not only of the eyeglasses, but also the read of lenses from the Lensmeter. If your Lensmeter can print out the reading, it is a great idea to include it in the package. It does happen that customers can’t see well through your eyeglasses and the first they think if is that you did a poor job. When in most cases, just like with walk-in customers, the problem is the wrong prescription. With online customers often the problem is their mistake.

Examine the eyeglasses very carefully before shipping them to your customers. Unlike your walk-in customers, online customers tend to do extra careful examination with the magnifying glasses (going into extremes) when receiving eyeglasses in the mail. They know that they only have a few days to voice their concerns to you and will watch for every single detail. We recommend you do the same to catch any minor scratches, chips or imperfections.

Be proactive and call your customers a week or so after eyeglasses were delivered. Customer is most likely happy, but will appreciate your attention. Invite them to see your physical store for service. They will remember your website and more likely will buy from you again. Online customers are very disloyal and if you provide extra care and remind them about yourself they will remember and at minimum check your website when shopping for eyeglasses again.