I was going to bring up the cost of glasses as something similar, but I think your answer explains a lot of that, too.
I recently went and got my eyes checked, and the doctor assured me that they had low-cost glasses. Their progressive bifocals lenses only started at $300. I pretended to still be interested, then gave an excuse and left.
I purchased some online and got them for less than $100, shipping included. I threw in a regular pair of distance glasses for less than $40, too.
Why is it so much cheaper? Because they can charge it. I'm sure some of the cost is in maintaining staff to help adjust the glasses, and sell them in the first place. But I got my main glasses for less than 1/3 of the prices that they wanted for just the lenses.
Their frames were $100+ that I saw. I'm sure they had some around $50, but that's still more than my entire pair of distance glasses cost.
I recently went and got my eyes checked, and the doctor assured me that they had low-cost glasses. Their progressive bifocals lenses only started at $300. I pretended to still be interested, then gave an excuse and left.
I purchased some online and got them for less than $100, shipping included. I threw in a regular pair of distance glasses for less than $40, too.
Why is it so much cheaper? Because they can charge it. I'm sure some of the cost is in maintaining staff to help adjust the glasses, and sell them in the first place. But I got my main glasses for less than 1/3 of the prices that they wanted for just the lenses.
Their frames were $100+ that I saw. I'm sure they had some around $50, but that's still more than my entire pair of distance glasses cost.