Contacts America
Author: Kaitlyn Short
Contacts America is based in Missouri and has been selling contact lenses for over 20 years. The company has over 23 million contact lenses in stock allowing it to fill orders quickly and compete with the large number of online-only contact lens stores.
Contacts America sells contact lenses online as an alternative to purchasing them directly from an eye care provider. It sells lenses at up to 70 percent below the retail price. The company claims to have the largest online selection of contact lenses; however, this claim is difficult to verify. Purchasing contact lenses online can be convenient and save customers time and money.
Contacts America makes buying contact lenses online easy. Customers are able to upload their prescriptions in multiple ways. It offers free returns and exchanges and has a money-back guarantee.
While the company does have many policies that make it a very customer-friendly contact lens supplier, other contact lens sellers offer slightly better options such as price matching.
Top Ranked Companies
The Good
- Free Returns and Exchanges
- Money-Back Guarantee
- Large Selection
- Easy Subscription Uploading Process
Free Returns and Exchanges
You have unlimited time to return your unopened and unexpired contact lenses (packages). This is in line with what other top competitors offer and is important for lens-wearing customers.
Contact lenses can be expensive and if your prescription changes or you decide to get LASIK, you will want to be able to return your lenses. Contacts America makes it easy to return any lenses for any reason. You simply call the company and it will arrange for free return shipping of your contact lenses.
Money-Back Guarantee
Contacts America has a good money-back guarantee. The company guarantees that customers will receive the exact type and brand of contact lenses specified in their order and confirmed on their prescription from their doctor.
Contacts America also goes above and beyond by guaranteeing that every lens will be free of manufacturer defects. It does not say how it can guarantee the manufacturing quality.
However, it does have a great return policy with few limits, so customers are able to return their lenses if there is an issue.
Large Selection
Contacts America sells a large selection of contact lenses making it easy for customers to find what they need. It stocks many lens types including daily disposables, color lenses, toric lenses, gas permeable, and more.
In addition to having a large selection of lens types, it stocks products from the top manufacturers including Alcon, Bausch & Lomb, and CooperVision.
Easy Prescription Uploading Process
Federal law stipulates that contact lenses cannot be purchased without a valid prescription. This means that all online contact lens stores require that a customer send their prescription information to them in some manner.
There are two fast, easy ways to submit your prescription to Contacts America via email or fax. If you do not have a copy of your prescription, you also have the option to enter the name and fax number of your eye care practitioner for its customer service team to contact.
The Bad
- No Free Shipping
- Does Not Accept Insurance
- No Price Matching
- Outdated Customer Feedback
- No Online Prescribing Tool
No Free Shipping
Many contact lens stores offer free shipping but Contacts America does not. Standard shipping which takes five to seven business days cost $7.95 at the time this review was written.
Several main competitors of Contacts America do offer free standard shipping.
Does Not Accept Insurance
Contacts America does not accept insurance or work with insurers directly. This means it is not likely to be an in-network provider. This could be a deal-breaker for many customers who are looking to purchase contact lenses with their insurance benefits.
While the company does not provide any support for purchasing contacts through insurance, Contacts America does state that you can submit your order receipt and information to your insurer to request reimbursement.
This will add an additional step to your contact lens purchase process and could be inconvenient. Customers also run the risk of having the claim denied and being stuck with the full cost of the contact lenses.
Several competitors do accept vision insurance and are in-network providers with top vision insurance companies such as Davis Vision, VSP, EyeMed, and Spectera.
No Price Matching
Contacts America does not have a price match policy while many of its competitors do. This puts it at a disadvantage despite its “Best Price Guarantee.”
The company's Best Price Guarantee is not very specific but it does state that Contacts America is dedicated to offering the lowest price.
The company claims to check the prices of all the major online contact lens retailers daily and that is how it can offer the best price.
Customers should check the company's prices against other competitors before purchasing.
Outdated Customer Feedback
Online reviews, testimonials, and press are important tools for customers to know the quality of a business. Contacts America has some online reviews and testimonials, but they are all outdated.
On the company's website, the most recent reviews are from 2013.
Contacts America also has a very minimal social media presence. For example, its last tweet was in early 2012 and its last Facebook post was in 2013. The company has very few online reviews and doesn’t have a Google Business page.
No Online Prescribing Tool
Several of the top contact lens online retailers now offer an online eye exam option so you can skip the office visit but still get an updated prescription for contact lenses.
Having your contact lens exam done at home can save you time and a lot of money. One of the top exam providers charges only $20 for its contact lens exam. This is significantly less expensive than a typical office visit to an eye doctor for your prescription.
Contacts America does not offer this impressive technology.
The Bottom Line
Buying contact lenses online instead of at your doctor’s office can potentially save you both time and money. Contacts America has a great selection of contact lenses: both type and brands. It also has some good policies such as free returns and exchanges and a money-back guarantee.
While the company also says it as a best price guarantee, it does not offer price matching. We suggest that you check the cost of your contact lenses on other websites as well before purchasing from Contacts America to make sure you’re getting the best price.
Another inconvenience is that Contacts America does not accept insurance and may not be in-network with your insurer. This, of course, may not be a deal breaker for the many Americans who do not have vision insurance.
Overall, we are impressed with Contacts America’s policies but encourage you to check prices elsewhere and take advantage of the company's return policy if needed.
