Ordering contacts is one more thing you can do without leaving your home. And if the thought of heading out for another errand every time you’re running low on contacts sounds like a nuisance, you might be considering it. So after an appointment with my eye doctor to renew my contacts prescription, I was excited to test out Coastal.com. While I’m familiar with buying contacts online (it’s my preferred way to do it) this was my first time through Coastal. Here’s what I thought.
Website: Simple to navigate
Coastal is a highly specialized site, offering only contacts and glasses. Because of this niche focus, it was easy for me to find my way around. Even the site’s color and layout are simple and as easy on the eyes as on its contact lenses. The easiest way to navigate the site is to click “contact lenses” and then search for the brand name and type of contacts you wear in the search bar at the top of the page. However, you can also click “Popular Brands” in the navigation bar and then select your brand or “View All Brands” from the dropdown. If you would rather search by “Lens Types,” simply select from those dropdown options (daily, weekly, monthly, toric, multifocal and bifocal, colored, or rigid gas permeable, or RGP). Either way, you’ll be taken to another page where you can filter by category, prescription, top brands, manufacturers, and even color.
Though not as many as other sites, Coastal boasts many of the most popular contact brands (including Biofinity, Dailies, Air Optix, Proclear, and Acuvue), so most people shouldn’t have a problem finding what they need. Each product page features photos, a description, information on availability, shipping, and returns, and customer ratings and reviews. Returning customers can click “Refill my contacts,” and they’ll be prompted to sign back in, where their prescription details are saved. You can also sign up for the subscription program to get your lenses automatically refilled. It’s not necessary to create an account, but you will need to in order to save your prescription. Doing so also means you won’t need to complete the prescription verification process with each order.
I like that this site can serve as a one-stop-shop for ordering eyewear (glasses and sunglasses) as well as contacts. If you do have any questions, the Help section of the site is very useful, as is the company’s customer service (more on that later).
Ordering: An easy process
When I was ready to order, I did a quick search to find my brand, and it popped up immediately. I then filled out the contact strength information from the prescription my doctor gave me, selected the number of boxes, and added it to the cart.
The checkout process is similar to buying anything else online. One way that ordering contacts online differs from buying other items or going in-store is the prescription verification process. Before you check out, you’ll need to select how you’d like to do this. While you can have the company call your doctor (which may take longer) you can either fax or email your prescription. I opted to do the latter.
The site says the verification process can take two to three business days, but by the next morning, I received an email that said my prescription had been verified and that Coastal was now processing my order. Two days later, my order was on the way.
I didn’t need my contacts immediately, so I chose the free shipping option, which promised my contacts in four to five days based on my location. Free shipping isn’t always available, but for first-time customers and certain order amounts (usually over $99), a code can be used for free shipping. In general, you can expect ground shipping to take five to seven business days—just keep in mind this is after the time waited for prescription verification and order processing. If you need your lenses more quickly, the site offers UPS overnight for just $14, which I think is a good price for such quick shipping.
I received the contacts after five days; in total, the process took eight days from order to delivery. The contacts boxes and a contacts holder arrived in a small, cardboard box. While nothing elaborate, I was happy to see my contacts had arrived safely and securely.
Customer Service: Available 24/7
The ordering process was so easy and efficient that I didn’t have to contact customer service at all. If you do have questions along the way, Coastal offers live chat (look for the speech bubble with the letter C in the lower right-hand corner of your screen) and 24/7 phone support. When I later asked a question via live chat about my account, a customer service rep was available immediately and answered my questions in a friendly manner.
The site also offers lots of helpful documentation, and the emails I received regarding my order were helpful and friendly. Coastal offers other perks, too, such as free returns.
Price: More affordable than others
Coastal has a price match guarantee that says it will “match the price of any authorized online retailer.” However, you may not need to use it—the contacts I needed were more affordable from Coastal than they were from other sites. Before you order, I recommend checking for discount codes. Coastal actually has a page with most of its active discounts, so make sure you check that out to possibly save some money.
Unlike ordering in-store or from your doctor, Coastal doesn’t take insurance directly. Instead, you’ll have to submit a form to your vision plan for reimbursement. Coastal makes this easy by providing step-by-step instructions.
If you choose to purchase glasses from Coastal you’ll also be participating in the company’s Buy One, Give One Program with the Essilor Vision Foundation, which provides a pair of glasses to someone in need. You can learn more about the program here.
Coastal vs. 1-800 Contacts
Another popular online contact lens retailer is Contacts.com, also known as 1-800 Contacts. I’ve used this service in the past, and while the ordering experience was similar, I found that the pricing is not. By ordering through Coastal, I saved about $20 off the cost of my contacts (and that’s before additional discounts from promo codes). However, it’s worth noting that 1-800 Contacts also has a price match guarantee. Still, I recommend comparing the prices before purchasing.
One thing that Contacts.com offers that Coastal does not is a free online eye exam. The site can’t prescribe glasses, but if you need to update your prescription you can do so quickly online from the website (note that an online-updated prescription will only be considered valid if it matches an expired prescription). This alone may save you money (and a trip to the eye doctor), so consider it when deciding where to order.Keep on mind that this exam does not check your eye health so it’s important to schedule an appointment with your eye doctor to have a full exam.
Purchasing contacts from Coastal was easy and much more convenient than going in-store. Not only did I save time, but I also saved money—Coastal is more affordable than most other retailers.
