Looking at some new specs, like the look of some Oakley Twin Shock, but not the £280 price tag in a shop in town. Googling suggests I should be able to get them nearer £160. Has anybody got any experience of online specs?

midlifecrashes where you going to go when the online glasses dont fit correctly or PD is wrong to the online store to get a retest or to the qualified medical professional that tested your eyes and waste their time with your internet purchase problems.
I see people all the time who have made 'bucket shop' and internet purchases all the time and really have no sympathy for them, you only get 1 pair of eyes, glasses are a medical device and should be made correctly

calm down

I pondered doing this but decided that if I was going to fork out for the best, then nothing less than professional optician services would do. I used the internet price to beat down the shop price a bit – they were fine about it.

Sorry Hustler, that's an old record that was broken a long time ago. My prescription is up to date, and has my PD written on it, as it always does. I'm happy to pay high street optician prices when they are reasonable. Neither of the two Oakley dealer opticians in town are going to hand craft the lenses on site and hand polish them with real kittens. They'll do just as I would if buying online, copy my prescription onto a form and wait for the postie to bring back the completed specs. In fact, with the high street I have to wait while they post the frame off to the glazing lab as well. I've been wearing specs for more than thirty years now and can tell without an optician if they're not right so they can go back for another go or a refund. £120 is too much of a premium to pay for what is basically a check and send service.

OK, I had a fresh eye test, frame trialling and fitting, testing various filters and tints, quite long discussions with a staff member who had long experience of using Os. Then final fitting and adjustment.

To be fair, I will probably buy clear lenses for winter use from an Internet shop.

midlifecrashes do you realise the actual cost of an eyetest inc all the test room equiptment is approx 60pounds a test, as soon as opticians are able to charge this we can lower the cost of glasses, until then you will notice highstreet opticians disappearing until you are left with the internet or the large we dont care multiples

Then charge it. I'd be happy to pay. I pay £35 at present. Don't see that extra £25 as reason to inflate cost of complete specs by £120 though, and neither does the rest of the public which is why you're losing out to multiples and the internet.

does every test result in a new pair of glasses?……no hence the cost has to made up on average sales, unfortunately the specsavers and tesco's of this world have made it impossible to charge the true cost, even the government pays less thn £19 for a test that they know costs £60, go figure…..

the hustler; have you considered doing a test and fit service? you could do the eye test at you normal rate, supply the customer with their PD and then if they ordered on-line charge the remainder as a fitting fee?

I think that independent opticians will go the same way as butchers, bakers and other shops that the supermarkets could roll up. I guess that a reasonable chunk of your £60 is for high street premiss?

had my eye test last week, no problem there little change in my sight but uping the verifocal a little as a problem using my smartphone. 2 new pair of glasses £278 re lens my current frame £178 😯
so took my presciption to http://www.ciliaryblue.com/index.html what a great company to deal with, went to their office/workshop looked at my oakleys and current alday specs ok £220 for both but if they come up good on the oakleys with the lenes then i will be well happy

Ta for the link, the frames alone are £98 on ebay, so can get them glazed at ciliaryblue. Might even stump up for the 1.74 index lenses at those prices

Steptoes or Rubens Menswear

I got my Oakleys done by ciliaryblue with the 1.74 index lenses with anti reflection, hardcoat etc. They are spot on, extremely pleased with every aspect of their service, highly recommend them and will definitely go to them again for my next pair.