EyeglassFactory.com

I've been wearing eyeglasses full-time for nearsightedness for over 30 years, and Santa Barbara Eyeglass Factory is the only place that hasn't been able to provide a decent set of lenses. When I picked up my new glasses the first time, I noticed an odd bend in my vision. I described it to the staff, and two staff members told me I just needed to ""get used to the new material."" By the time I walked out the door and to my car, images seemed to be shifting and I felt the beginnings of motion sickness. I took them off and went back into the store. I explained what I was experiencing in more detail and more firmly. A staff member took the glasses into the back and returned a moment later saying in an argumentative tone that the machine confirmed the prescription was correct. An optician overheard my increasingly frustrated exchange with the staff member and politely asked to check my lenses himself. The staff member snapped at him that she had already checked it. He explained that he was going to dissect the lens. When he returned a few minutes later, he confirmed that one lens had a flaw in it that hadn't been detectable with the simpler check. He was ordering a new lens and I could return in another week. A week later I picked up the new glasses again. This time there were no obvious problems, so I wore them home. Even with scratch resistant coating, one lens showed scratches within the first month. Over the next few months, I discovered that the Transitions aspect of the lenses was not equal. One lens darkened more than the other, one took longer to lighten than the other, and people began asking me if I knew that one darkened lens was ""pink"" and the other ""brown."" Now even in their ""clear"" state, one lens is noticeably amber. Without a pair of back-up glasses, I couldn't leave them for another week while the staff invented new ways to ruin my order, so I've lived with the inconvenience. My next prescription will be filled someplace else -- anyplace has to be better than Santa Barbara Eyeglass Factory! more

Good job! more

Very comfortable, and welcoming feeling. more

I've purchased several pairs of glasses here over the years and my experience with the last two pairs was one of the worst customer service experiences I've ever had. I ordered one pair of half frame glasses and brought in another pair of my own frames to have lenses put in. After waiting a week longer than they initially told me, I went to pick them up. The lenses in the half frame glasses were ground incorrectly so that there was a gap between the lenses and the frame. In the other pair, the lenses were shaped asymmetrically and the frames were bent in such a way to try to hide it. When I pointed this out to David, he acted like he didn't know what I was talking about and that I was being too picky. He did agree to regrind the lenses for these frames but said that the gap in the other frames was just how those glasses were designed (even through the plastic lenses that were in for display didn't have this gap). So I return in a week to pick up the ""corrected"" glasses only to find that they were worse than before. I could not believe this, and immediately pointed it out. This time, both David and Samantha presented a tone of ""too bad, I don't want to hear it, this is how it is."" I was treated rudely and realized there was nothing I could do except speak with the store owner, who wasn't in at the time. So I made an appointment with the owner and discussed the problems I was having with him. He acted completely uninterested in listening to me, and when I showed him my glasses he said he could see what I was talking about but ""they're not that bad."" The story ends by me going to Goleta Valley Optical to have the lenses reground for the glasses that had the gap, and THEY DID IT PERFECTLY the first time. The other pair of glasses ended up never being used and filed away in a drawer in case I desperately need a pair. Still, I wouldn't be caught in public wearing them.... Summary: Unapologetic incompetence, combined with rude and poor customer service and a lethargic owner. Certainly, Santa Barbara deserves better than this. Pros: decent selection of frames Cons: incompetent staff and terrible customer service more

Gregg Feldman, is a consummate professional. I returned to get new Rx filled for regular and sun glasses. My Rx was misstated. Gregg repaced the wrong lens without charge; correcting the error in the Rx. Next, having gone to regular bi-focals instead of progressive lens, I ended up losing good vision at certain distances. Gregg replaced the lens with progressive lens in both my bifocal and sun glasses at a very modest upcharge...unbelievable. I will return when I next need new lens. Further, I recommended them to all my friends. It's the best value of any purchasing I've ever done. Pros: Best price, service, quality, and will correct any problem more

My husband took me to Santa Barbara Eyeglass Factory (SBEF)--have been a customer for years and miss them in Thousand Oaks. I simply wanted to buy replacement frames for broken frames and was selecting, matching size, color and style. A lady customer was being helped-- and the person behind the counter, Samantha Z, as described by Nunyabiznez, was loud and rude to the customer, saying that SBEF is the cheapest anywhere in her 20-something years in the business, that there is nothing more she can offer, that that is the way it is. This is not to say the customer was the easiest to please--she complained consistently. I waited my turn, and she was equally abrasive. There were now two other customers in the shop. Samantha Z told me to come back in 4 hours; I questioned it politely and mentioned without raising my voice that there were reviews which I read stating the prices might be reasonable/unreasonable but the customer service was terrible. She changed her tone 180 degrees and asked for my cell phone number in the event they could replace the frames sooner. We left; she called back in an hour to say the job was ready for pick-up. We returned and I thought it was another person. Her tone, her demeanor and service had totally changed. My husband mentioned that it looked like her boss' door was now open and a male was going in and out. Bottom line: they need to hire people who are customer service oriented; happy to work (I realize it can be difficult working with demanding people). I will still patronize this shop because they have old fashioned frames which I cannot live without...but.... Pros: finding obsolescent frames Cons: service more

You've seen the commercials on T.V. You've seen their ads in numerous websites, magazines, fliers and newspapers. Advertising about , ""One hour service"" ""glasses while you wait"", ""Lowest prices guaranteed"" When I entered the store on main street in ventura Ca. I was approached by an over weight lady named Samantha Z. that had her breasts practically hanging out of her top. She was in a hurry as their were a lot of people in the store at that time. I purchased a pair of eye glasses thinking that I would have them and be wearing them in an hour as they advertise. Once I paid the $400.00 (lowest price guaranteed) LMAO.I was told that they had to order them. I waited one week and finally had to call them regarding the status of my glasses. I was put on hold and after a while, I was informed that the lens was broken and that they had to reorder the glasses. Perhaps that's what they mean when they say, ""glasses while you wait"" and wait and wait and wait and wait. at any rate I did not get my glasses in an hour. I did not get my glasses in a week. I did not get a follow up call as to the status of my order. And I did not get the lowest price in town. I would not refer my worst enemy to santa barbara eye glass factory. I'll never go there again. Pros: The Eye doctor who gives the exams is awesome! Cons: false advertising, people are too busy to give good help more