As a daily disposable contacts lens wearer, I’ve been purchasing my contacts from 1-800 Contacts for years. Although some sites offer lower pricing, there are three reasons I refuse to switch. As per the company’s Gajillion Percent Promise, the products are not only high-quality, but also covered for free returns and exchanges, the service is convenient and the Best Price Guarantee ensures I get the lowest price offered by competitors.
1-800 Contacts offers name brand products and stellar customer service
If you’re looking for a trustworthy online contact lens retailer (we also found that 1-800 Contacts was the best place to buy contacts online in our broader review), read on for my in-depth 1-800 Contacts review to decide if you should shop here, too.
As far as finding a website that offers name-brand products, buying from a big name like 1-800 Contacts is a fairly safe bet (some doctors warn against buying contacts online because there are illegitimate knock-offs out there). The company is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and while you can often find lenses cheaper on other sites, the Best Price Guarantee means you can stick with this well-known retailer without overpaying. Plus, 1-800 Contacts will even replace lenses if you accidentally tear them (this can come in handy if you don’t use dailies). Throughout the years, my prescription has always been right when I ordered, too. But in the event of a mistake, I trust 1-800 Contacts to make it right.
Ordering contacts online might work best for you if you already have a brand that works well for you. If you’re experiencing any changes or discomfort with your lenses, seeing an eye doctor or contact lens specialist may be your best bet.
The 1-800 Contacts Best Price Guarantee is pretty self-explanatory: the company will honor the lowest price you can find on the same product then beat it by $1. To take advantage of the guarantee, you have to show proof of the lower-priced listing to make your purchase. To this, I have mixed feelings: It’s great to get competitive pricing, but it takes some legwork; why can’t 1-800 Contacts just offer the lowest prices from the get-go? And if I didn’t do my research, would I end up being overcharged?
Never one to leave a discount on the table, my contact orders always take 20 to 30 minutes to complete because of the Best Price Guarantee. I hop onto the site’s 24/7 live chat (more on that later), ping a customer service rep and send competitor links to nab my discount. Unfortunately, finding eligible competitor listings is often easier said than done because there are so several disqualifying factors. For instance, the competitor has to be US-based and many “discounted prices” are only offered if you purchase a certain number of boxes. Another trick is to stack hidden fees in your cart. Promotional pricing, like discounts for new customers, also don’t count for the Best Price Guarantee.
Ultimately, it’ll take some back-and-forth between you and customer service to get that “best price.” Also, keep in mind that during wait times, the customer service team is limited to how many links they can look into per customer, which can be as few as two. Pro tip: To avoid wasting your time and money-saving chances, some eligible competitors that you can check to snag the Best Price Guarantee include Lens.com, Contact Lens King, Costco, Walgreens, Walmart, Sam’s Club and GlassesUSA.
The online convenience 1-800 Contacts offers goes beyond contact lens shopping. As someone who hates making phone calls and is always on the computer, I love the site’s 24/7 live chat feature. It’s how I order my contacts, do the Best Price Guarantee and upload new prescription information—and I can do it with little interruption to my workday, since I’m already on the computer. I’ve also always had fantastic experiences with the customer service reps who have been, in my experience, friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.
For added convenience, you can renew your prescriptions online with the ExpressExam feature. While I haven’t tried it myself, the site touts that it takes 10 minutes and $20 for a doctor-approve prescription. Still, you should routinely visit your eye doctor to check you eye health. And if your contacts are irritating your eyes, you may need to check that the fit or brand is working for you with your doctor or a contact lens specialist.
Like most major eyewear retailers, 1-800 Contacts takes insurance—you can look up your benefits on the site by plugging in your name and birthday). The caveat here is that you can’t take advantage of the Best Price Guarantee when using insurance, as the companies do not cover discounted services (therefore, you have to pay the sticker price on-site). However, there is a loophole if your insurance considers this an out-of-network cost, in which case you can get the Best Price Guarantee and get reimbursed.
If you have an FSA or HSA account, you can use these as well, and in conjunction with the Best Price Guarantee. I’ve used both my insurance stipend and HSA account to purchase contacts via the live chat and it’s easy as can be.
Among the perks encompassed by the aforementioned Gajillion Percent Promise, you get free returns and exchanges for contact lenses you don’t use. That includes contacts you bought prior to a prescription change or the two dozen lenses you have leftover from one eye and not the other (or does this only happen to me?). Further, there is no expiry return window so old lenses are fair game. While product should generally be returned unopened, the company also promises replacement lenses for any that arrive damaged or torn.
Overpay from your eye doctor or another retailer? 1-800 Contacts will buy these from you as well, although they’ll need to be in brand-new, unmarked boxes. All in all, the company tries to ensure you’re never stuck with lenses you don’t want, a promise that’s above and beyond most retailers.
While 1-800 Contacts doesn’t always have my contacts listed at the lowest price—in fact, they’re often higher on this site than others—the Best Price Guarantee and convenient, stellar customer service keep me coming back. I also appreciate the option to return any unused contacts, so I feel confident buying a few months’ worth of contacts at a time without worrying about prescription changes (and thus, saving more money).
The biggest downside of using this site is the fact that I need to speak with a customer service agent every time I make a purchase to ensure I get the best price on my order (via the Best Price Guarantee). But despite this annoyance, the convenience of using the 24/7 live chat feature, plus the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff, makes this extra step worth it. And, as I’ve mentioned, you should still visit your eye doctor for routine exams and to treat any issues. Overall, I highly recommend shopping at 1-800 Contacts for your prescription lenses if you know the brand that works for you.
Looking for more eyewear retailers? See our top recommendations for contacts, prescription glasses, blue light blockers and sunnies.