When is the best time to get eyeglasses for cheap?
Many online and brick-and-mortar glasses retailers offer big seasonal sales several times a year. The best times to get deals on glasses include late summer and early fall for back-to-school, major holidays, Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The best time to buy sunglasses is summer and winter.
Back-to-school glasses sales
Late summer into early fall is a great time to study ads and look online for back-to-school glasses offers. It’s an especially good time to shop for eyewear for one or more kids. Many brick-and-mortar and online retailers offer glasses sales with a focus on kids’ styles or “deals for the whole family” at this time.
Holiday glasses sales
Major U.S. holidays throughout the year also tend to be great times to find deals on glasses and sunglasses. These holidays occur over the course of the year. So if you miss one, you can easily jump on the next holiday sale.
Some of the big retail shopping holidays when online and in-store retailers often hold sales on prescription and non-prescription glasses and sunglasses include:
- Memorial Day
- 4th of July
- Labor Day
- Presidents Day
Black Friday glasses sales
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are some of the best times to buy glasses. Many in-store retailers have Black Friday glasses sales. And many online retailers offer deals for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
In fact, these two days of the year are some of the most popular times for eyewear retailers to offer sales in stores and online.
While your mind might be more on holiday gifts than vision correction at this time of year, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are great days to save. Shop on Black Friday at brick-and-mortar stores and look for deals for both days online.
Hot summer sunglasses sales
Many sunglasses retailers offer sizzling summer deals to take advantage of the seasonal nature of sunglass sales. They have a limited window in which to sell, and sales are a big opportunity to bring in customers.
Is winter the best time to buy sunglasses?
It may seem odd, but winter is also a great time to get deals on sunglasses. You might not always find hot sales and promotions on the newest styles like you would during the summer.
But you may find great markdowns on last summer’s styles.
It’s also important to remember that you need to protect your eyes from the sun year round, including in the winter. If you live in a snowy area, the sun’s reflection off the white snow can make it harder to see. And eye protection from the sun’s UV rays is essential in any season.
Other ways to save on glasses
Some retailers we contacted told us they don’t have any annual seasonal offers. Instead, they hold periodic sales.
If you like a retailer that doesn’t offer seasonal sales, or you don’t want to wait for the right time to buy glasses, there are other ways to save.
Tips for getting the best deal on eyewear online or in stores at any time of year include:
- Sign up for the list. Many retailers will send you a discount code immediately when you sign up for their email list or text alerts. They will then email or text to let you know about special offers and seasonal sales throughout the year.
- Shop discounted styles. Most retailers offer a sale or clearance section with discounted prescription glasses frames and sunglasses styles.
- Leave glasses in your cart. Many retailers use tracking to follow up with a customer who was interested enough to put an item in their cart but did not buy. Abandoning your cart can be a great trick to get a special offer to entice you to make a purchase.
- Stock up and save. Many retailers offer discounts when you buy multiple pairs of glasses.
- Look for special discounts. Are you a student, teacher, nurse, first responder, military member or veteran? Many retailers offer special discounts for members of certain groups year round. These discounts range from 10% to 15% and vary by retailer.
As you can see, there are many ways to get discounts on new glasses, so you should really never pay full price if you can help it.
Does timing matter if you have vision insurance?
Keep in mind, it’s a good idea to wait for the best time to buy glasses and shop seasonal sales even if you have vision insurance.
That’s because many vision insurance plans cap the amount they will cover for frames and lenses.
So if you can wait for a good sale that lowers the price of your chosen frames to fit within your frame allowance, you can minimize out-of-pocket costs.
No matter who you are or what kind of glasses you’re looking for, timing can be everything when you’re on the hunt for the best eyewear deal.
