Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/07/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Date of transaction: April 25, 2024 Amount of transaction: $1,428.55 Committed to Provide: IN TWO WEEKS, 1 pair of glasses (frames with bifocal lenses--highest level of specialties); 1 pair of sunglasses (bifocal lenses--highest level of specialties using MY OLD FRAMES); 1 pair of glasses (frames and regular lenses) I specifically asked if the glasses would be ready by May 13th because I needed them to drive to NY on business. I called two weeks after my appointment; the glasses were not ready; the employee told me the store switched labs. No one knew when the next shipment would be coming in, so I couldn't even reschedule my seminar. I missed my business trip and lost an opportunity to confirm a client. I called the next week; no one had any information about the status of the glasses. I called before Memorial Day weekend and finally spoke to the owner of the store. He apologized, said his daughter was in the hospital, and told me the glasses would be coming in soon. I told him I don't want the glasses anymore. I wanted my original sunglasses frames back with the original old lenses and a complete refund of my money. I wanted to take the prescription to another store. The owner refused to return my original sunglasses and old lenses. He told me he would "make things right" and be in touch with the lab himself. I kept checking in with him. The glasses were finally ready on JUNE 5th (from my APRIL 25th appointment and purchase). The owner offered me an additional pair of free sunglasses, which I told him was unacceptable. I told him I needed him to compensate me for my trouble and business loss by his adjusting the cost of the two pairs of glasses that were not paid for through insurance. He said he would work on it. I texted him today and his response to me today, Friday, June 7th, was that he is at a funeral and won't be back until Monday, June 10th.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/08/2024

  On June 12th, I spoke in person with the doctor whose prescriptions Sterling Optical fills.  The doctor advised me that he has had many, many similar complaints about the store, but there is nothing he can do. He told me the owner has absolutely no prior experience running an eye glass store and he doesn't have a clue why the current owner would have "dipped his toe" in this particular business.  The doctor has had to reschedule several patients' appointments because he can't even get eye drops from this owner.  I was advised that I could still go to the doctor for my exams and then take my prescription elsewhere to be filled.

  On that same day, I requested an itemized list of charges from one of the store's employees and took the glasses home, since I was getting nowhere with the owner of the store.  

  Upon looking over the charges, I noticed I was charged $240.00 for a pair of frames that were supposed to be $99.00 (they came from the $99 rack).  I called my credit card company to disputed the difference ($148) between the amount charged and the amount quoted, rather than the total amount of the three pairs of glasses, which are now in my possession.  I am waiting for further details regarding the progress of the dispute from the credit card company.