Warby Parker Review: What to Know Before You Buy

Warby Parker is a well-reviewed online glasses retailer, known for its especially good customer experience. They accept many popular insurance plans. 

Warby Parker Overview

Warby Parker is one of several popular online glasses and contact retailers. By creating an account with them and exploring their site, you can get various styles of frames with prescription lenses, including prescription sunglasses lenses, prescription contacts, and glasses accessories. 

They also can help you schedule eye exams all over the United States, as well as in Vancouver, to get your prescription information.

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How Does Warby Parker Work?

Warby Parker works similarly to most other online glasses retailers. You can search through a wide selection of frames, many of which have different color options, looking for the ones you like. They also offer multiple ways to see what the frames will look like on your face.

Once you have found frames you like, you can select the appropriate frame sizes and choose from a number of lens options. You will need a glasses prescription, so the lenses are shaped appropriately and can correct your vision. Insurance is optional but will generally provide the most cost-effective glasses option. 

Choosing contacts works similarly, although generally with fewer customization options. This is because contacts inherently have fewer traits to customize.

What Do They Offer?

Warby Parker offers the following:

• Eyeglasses
• Sunglasses
• Contacts
• Accessories, such as cases and sunglass clip-ons

They also are a major contributor to charity through their Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program. For every pair of glasses purchased, a pair of glasses is also distributed to an individual in need.

About the Virtual Try-On App

Warby Parker is one of several online retailers to offer customers the ability to virtually “try on” glasses. Through their free app, you can upload a photograph of yourself and see a fairly accurate representation of what specific pairs of glasses might look like on your face.

You can also shop through this app, which is well-reviewed, and seems to be Warby Parker’s recommended way of using their services, described as “the easiest way to shop” by the company in the app’s description.

Home Try-On Program

Warby Parker allows shoppers to select five frames to try on at home. While not all options are available for this home try-on program, many are. 

This process is free, and it even includes a prepaid return label. There is also a quiz customers can take to get suggestions on frames based on their responses.

Cost & Insurance

Warby Parker’s prescription glasses offerings start at $95, which includes both the lenses and the frames. They also offer prescription sunglasses, starting at $195. 

They claim to offer prices for contact lenses at 5 to 10 percent less than the retailer average, although they note orders through insurance are ineligible for discounts and promotions. 

They make it easy on their website to go through many of the largest vision insurance providers, including these:

• United Healthcare
• Spectera
• Davis Vision
• FEP Vision
• VSP
• EyeMed
• Cigna
• Humana
• Aetna
• Anthem
• NVA

This is not necessarily an all-inclusive list, with the site noting you can contact your insurance company directly to apply for reimbursement if they are not on their list of providers.

How Do Warby Parker’s Prices Compare to Competitors?

Starting at $95, Warby Parker’s pricing is comparable to other online retailers, although they lack some of the budget options other companies, such as Liingo Eyewear, offer. 

Warby Parker’s biggest advantage is their positive shopping experience. Warby Parker makes it easy to get glasses you’re happy with, but budget shoppers can sometimes get frame and lens options cheaper elsewhere.

Shipping Times

Warby Parker offers reasonable shipping times, with customers usually getting glasses within 7 to 10 business days after their prescription and billing info are approved. Contacts and accessories take less time, generally taking between 5 and 7 days, according to their FAQ page.

The company also offers tools to check the status of your order. Some delay is possible due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Shipping outside the continental United States will take a few days more.

For customers who need glasses sooner, you can pay $20 more to expedite your shipping process, which the company says generally halves the time it takes to receive your order.

Ordering Process

Warby Parker’s ordering process is very easy. Select the frame or contact option you want, and the site will walk you through every option available on a step-by-step basis. 

You can also create an account so the company can save your prescription, shipping, and payment information for later use.

Getting Started With Warby Parker

By visiting Warby Parker’s website, a shopper can get started looking for frames and contacts in less than a few minutes. The website is well organized and generally customer friendly. They also allow you to filter available options in a given product category to further narrow your search.

If you intend to use the full breadth of Warby Parker’s available tools, you may benefit from creating an account. 

Reviews & Reception

In terms of their products and services, Warby Parker is generally well reviewed. They provide the services they claim and have a generous try-on and return policy for those unsure about their choice. However, the company has had controversies that may impact an individual’s purchase decisions.

One notable controversy occurred regarding the company in 2020, when they were accused of permitting a hostile, racist environment at multiple of their physical locations. The company responded to these accusations by promising to systematically investigate and correct these problems in the future. 

They have also been accused of stealing art by multiple creators, including an artist named Darius Garvin who interviewed with the company and had submitted art to them. The company has denied these claims, stating similarities between their and Garvin’s work are coincidental, as they had been working on the relevant concepts for months earlier. 

Alternatives to Consider

Some alternatives to Warby Parker include Zenni Optical, which Forbes has said offers the best value for prescription glasses. You can also try GlassesUSA, which was praised for its variety of available options.

Warby Parker FAQs

Are Warby Parker frames good quality?

Warby Parker offers quality frames. They allow customers to try on most frames at home for free to make sure they like their look and feel. They also have a good return policy for those unhappy with their purchase. 

Why is Warby Parker so cheap?

Warby Parker products are not unreasonably expensive compared to the alternatives, but they actually aren’t the top option for budget shoppers. Their prescription glasses begin at $95, which is about $30 more than many budget options. However, they do offer fairly good shipping options, and they have a generous return policy.

References

1. Buy a Pair, Give a Pair. Warby Parker.

2. Men’s Eyeglasses. Warby Parker.

3. Popular Eyewear Chain Warby Parker Responds to Backlash Over Racism. (June 2020). blogTo.

4. How To Use Vision Insurance At Warby Parker. Warby Parker.

5. Warby Parker App. Apple.

6. When Can I Expect My Order? Warby Parker.

7. Where to Buy Prescription Eyeglasses Online and How to Choose the Best Pair. (April 2020). Forbes.