For those with less-than-perfect vision, prescription glasses have long been an expensive necessity. Usually costing at least a couple hundred dollars, users felt compelled to make a single pair of glasses last until their next yearly eye exam, leaving no options for changing styles. Enter Zenni Optical, which offers online, direct-to-consumer prescription glasses for as little as $6.95 per pair. But where is Zenni Optical located?
The Zenni Optical distribution center is located in San Francisco, California. However, its manufacturing facility is located in Manyang, China, with completed glasses sent from China to California via UPS air freight for order fulfillment.
Despite the long distance between the manufacturing and distribution facilities, Zenni Optical is surprisingly efficient at getting glasses to customers expeditiously. After placing an order online, customers anywhere in the United States can expect to receive their new glasses in as little as two weeks, rivaling the fulfillment time of local, optometrist-based facilities.
Where is Zenni Optical Located?
Zenni Optical has strong roots in California. Its corporate offices are located in Marin County, California, which is along the northwestern part of the San Francisco Bay. Zenni Optical’s fulfillment center is located in the Bay Area, as well.
Zenni Optical’s manufacturing facility is located in Manyang, China. After receiving an online order, Zenni Optical’s Manyang facility uses a combination of human workers, machines, and automated processes to cut the correct lens prescription to fit in one of nearly 2,500 frame choices, package the completed glasses, and send them to the San Francisco facility for distribution.
How Zenni Glasses Get from Manufacturing to Customers
You may be wondering how Zenni Optical gets glasses from their manufacturing facility into your hands once you’ve placed an order. The following direct-to-consumer model/process helps clarify things:
- Create an account on Zenni Optical.
- Receive an eye exam from a local provider. The cost of an eye exam without insurance is generally around $79. An eye exam with a valid prescription is required to receive glasses from any provider, including Zenni Optical, and is not considered part of the glasses.
- Input your prescription and pupillary distance (PD) into your client account on Zenni Optical.
- Select the frames you like from nearly 2,500 options on the Zenni Optical website. Some frames cost as little as $6.95, with the vast majority being under $20.
- Place your order. Using a combination of human workers, machines, and automation in its Manyang manufacturing facility, Zenni Optical is able to fabricate the frames, cut your prescription to fit the frames, and prepare the finished glasses for shipment.
Then, finished glasses are packaged into containers of 500 pairs and sent via UPS to the San Francisco fulfillment center for distribution to the user’s front door.
How Long Does It Take to Get My Glasses?
Although shipping is not included as part of the cost of the glasses, it is very affordable, with standard shipping starting at $4.95.
Once the order is placed, customers can expect to receive their glasses from the manufacturing facility to their home in just 2-3 weeks.
Can I Return My Glasses to Zenni?
When choosing your glasses, Zenni Optical allows you to upload a picture to see how different styles will look on your face. However, there will still be some instances in which the actual product is not as flattering as the online simulation or, in rare instances, there is an issue with the glasses, and you would like to return them.
Zenni Optical offers free shipping for returns within the first 30 days after receiving the glasses. You can request a return via call, chat, or email, in which Zenni Optical will provide a Return Authorization and complimentary prepaid shipping label.
The glasses should be placed in the original hard plastic case in which they arrived. Customers can receive a 100% store credit for their return or a 50% refund to the credit or debit card used for purchase.
In Summary
Zenni Optical is a pioneering company that offers affordable, direct-to-consumer eyeglass solutions. Although its manufacturing center is located in Manyang, China, Zenni has strong roots in California, with both its company headquarters and fulfillment center located in the San Francisco area.
