There’s been a different breed of optical shops growing in Singapore, and they’ve been making their presence felt via cheap and cheery deals. Many customers are drawn to their attractive pricing, while others have doubts about the quality and service one gets at these stores – no surprise there, since most would agree that “you get what you pay for”. On top of that, prescription glasses aren’t a purchase that people would likely skimp on since they’re crucial to our vision.
But are these affordably priced spectacles really of lower quality or is it simply an assumption that isn’t justified? If they’re not, how is it that these brands are able to sell them for so much less? CNA Lifestyle posed these queries to two eyewear companies that fall into this category of optical shops – Lenskart, a multinational chain, and Monocle, a local brand. STRAIGHT TO THE SOURCE Monocle, which operates on a hybrid business-to-consumer and direct-to-consumer model, says it is able to so simply by streamlining its operations and cutting out middlemen. One of its most attractive promotions is a one-for-one deal on its eyewear that starts from S$135 for standard lenses and S$205 for premium lenses.
“This eliminates additional costs and ensures that we maintain control over the quality of our products,” explained its co-founder and optometrist, Mervin Pang. For example, Monocle works directly with local premium laboratories for its lens orders, and also assemble lenses in-hou.
