If you’ve purchased a pair of glasses, you may have wondered why they are so expensive. What, exactly, is included in the cost? There are several fees hidden in the price you pay for glasses, which is outlined here in an infographic from popular prescription glasses e-tailer, Zenni Optical.

In the traditional method of eyewear making, production starts with the frame design and manufacturing. A third party conceives of and makes the frames, and a licensing fee is paid to the owner of the brand. In the next step – distribution – a wholesale distributor buys the product from the manufacturer and resells to a retailer. The retailer then stocks and sells the merchandise to the consumer in a physical storefront. Once frames are selected by the consumer, lenses are manufactured by another company and the glasses are put together. The order is fulfilled and the customer receives the item. In each of these steps, a profit margin is included. Check out the path in the infographic below.

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The Hidden Costs You Pay for Glasses

Irma Wallace

Irma Wallace

Co-founder and Vice President of SearchRank, responsible for many of the day to day operations of the company. She is also founder of The Arizona Builders’ Zone, a construction / home improvement portal.

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