Glasses Warranty or Eyewear Protection Plan? Why You Should Offer Both

More than half of U.S. adults (63.7%) wear prescription eyeglasses, making it no surprise they can often be damaged during daily life. This can happen in all sorts of ways, like accidentally sitting on them, not cleaning them right, or just tossing them in a drawer where the lenses can get scratched up.

Replacing damaged glasses can get expensive in a hurry, especially for consumers with hectic lifestyles or kids needing eyewear. According to a recent Consumer Reports survey, the “median price respondents paid after insurance for a pair of glasses was $205.”

With the risk of accidental damage so high, merchants in the optical space should consider offering eyewear protection plans. These plans cover types of damage manufacturer’s warranties do not and give consumers multiple reasons to stick with your brand. 

We’ll discuss these reasons, as well as how an eyewear protection plan works — and why a standard warranty is rarely enough to satisfy consumers.

How a Glasses Warranty Works

A glasses warranty is a promise made by the manufacturer to the buyer at the time of purchase. The manufacturer agrees to repair or replace new eyewear that fails due to a defect, not accidents. Retailers typically include warranty costs in their pricing.

Because accidental breakage is fairly common, manufacturers are usually crystal clear about what their warranties cover and don’t cover. Warranties also expire after a limited time, since normal wear and tear can eventually cause eyewear to break down slightly.

Retailer Frames Direct’s one-year manufacturer’s warranty covers these defects: 

• Lens cracks not caused by rough handling
• Peeling lens coatings
• Stripped frame screws
• Broken nose pad posts
• Broken or loose frame hinges
• Dislodged jewels or logos
• Frame oxidation or discoloration

If the consumer experiences any of these manufacturer defects, Frames Direct requires them to return the damaged eyewear for inspection before any repair or free replacement takes place. 

But if the manufacturer determines the damage resulted from one of the situations below, it won’t be covered.

• Exposure to excessive heat or cold
• Prolonged exposure to water
• Rough handling
• Improper cleaning

None of these is the manufacturer’s fault, but some aren’t the fault of the consumer, either. 

What if an otherwise careful consumer has a cat that decides to play with a pair of glasses sitting on a table? The manufacturer could consider cat-related damage “rough handling,” but in this case the rough handling isn’t the consumer’s direct fault. 

Such situations illustrate the limits of glasses warranties. The good news is eyewear protection plans can pick up where warranties leave off.

How an Eyewear Protection Plan Differs from a Glasses Warranty

Eyewear product protection plans generally cover some types of accidents, and have longer coverage periods than many glasses warranties. 

Visionworks’s optional protection plan covers accidental damage and will repair or replace eyeglasses damaged by a pet’s “beaks, teeth or claws.” The plan even covers many human-related accidents that result in eyewear cracks and vision-impeding scratches, some of which might qualify as unintentional “rough handling.”

Also unlike warranties, product protection has an additional cost. For example, one year of protection from the mishaps outlined in Visionworks’s plan might cost $34.99, a fraction of what a new pair of glasses costs. Another eyewear retailer, Felix Gray, offers up to two years of accidental damage coverage on eligible products for a modest cost related to the price of the eyewear.

Like warranties, protection plans may require the consumer to submit photos of eyewear damage or return the impacted glasses to the retailer. 

Why Merchants Should Offer Eyewear Protection Plans

Product protection not only makes the inconvenience of damaged eyewear less painful for the consumer; it can also lay the foundation for business growth. Here’s how.

Reduces post-purchase friction

Both warranties and protection plans require consumers to file claims before any product repair or replacement can occur. Providers who make consumers fill out lengthy claim forms before taking days or weeks to respond add frustration to an already difficult situation.

Modern product protection plans from providers like Extend remove friction from the claims process. 

Suppose a customer who’s purchased a protection plan accidentally scratches the lenses on their glasses. They visit Extend.com to initiate a claim with the email address associated with their eyewear order, answer a few questions, and then their claim is processed in minutes.

If approved, the customer receives either a digital gift card to cover a new pair of glasses or a link to an approved nearby repair shop. The plan covers any approved repair costs.

Frictionless post-purchase experiences like these encourage customers to stick with you. Friction is a friend of inconvenience, and it drives customers away. According to a 2024 Salesforce study, “More than a third of consumers say that inconvenience, such as a difficult return process or clunky purchase experience, will cause brands to lose them.”

Removing friction is one reason Visionworks Senior Manager Wade Chouinard began offering product protection: “Partnering with Extend Product Protection is a critical way we’re able to provide unparalleled customer experience no matter what happens to their favorite eyewear.”

Drives revenue

Consumers benefit financially from product protection because they won’t necessarily need to pay full price for new glasses if an accident occurs. Eyewear merchants like you benefit financially in two ways:

• Thanks to the frictionless claims experience product protection provides, customers who add it are more likely to buy their next pair of glasses from you. In other words: product protection provides security against customer churn.
• The fee customers pay for protection plans increases their average order value (AOV), and you keep a portion of each plan sale.

But is this bump in AOV significant? Extend merchants in the apparel and accessories vertical, which includes eyewear, saw an 11% lift in AOV after making product protection available.

Makes your loyalty program stand out

Product protection plans are a perfect perk for any retail loyalty program, especially as loyalty-program competition gets more intense.

According to a recent study from the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), U.S. consumers “are joining more programs but are less loyal and engaged overall.” The reason? Their expectations are higher. Also from the BCG study: “As competition has increased, people have become more aware of programs’ benefits and perks, and expectations are higher as a result.”

Loyalty programs aren’t foreign to eyewear brands. Sunglass Hut has a four-tier, point-based loyalty program that awards better perks to program members who spend more.

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Sunglass Hut doesn’t include product protection in any tier. So if you’re a less-established eyewear brand looking to launch a loyalty program, this perk could give you an advantage. Your program members will appreciate knowing you have their back in case of accidental eyewear damage.

Eyewear Protection Plans and Shipping Mishaps

Eyewear protection plan accidental coverage typically begins when the consumer takes possession of the eyeglasses. Suppose a consumer buys eyewear online, but the shipping carrier accidentally damages the package before it reaches the consumer. Product protection wouldn’t cover this damage. But shipping protection would.

Because eyewear is likely to ship in smaller packages and is generally fragile, the risk of loss or damage during transit should concern merchants. And as the ecommerce eyewear market continues to grow, the risk goes up even more. At the time of writing, Global Insight Services predicted the market will expand from $41.8 billion in 2024 to $73.5 billion by 2034, a CAGR of approximately 6%.

You can protect your customers’ orders from these mishaps by making shipping protection available at checkout. Similar to product protection, shipping protection costs a fraction of the order total. It replaces eyewear that goes missing during shipping, and repairs or replaces glasses that arrive damaged.

Give glasses wearers peace of mind with product protection from Extend

Consumers who depend on eyewear daily can experience a perfect storm of stress whenever accidents occur. And while manufacturer’s warranties alleviate some of this stress, they don’t protect wearers from inevitable drops and mishaps.

Eyewear protection plans fill this coverage gap, saving consumers from unexpected costs and days or weeks without proper vision correction. For merchants, product protection can set their brand apart, drive revenue, and cultivate loyalty beyond the initial purchase.

To learn how Extend product protection can help your eyewear business grow, click here for a complimentary demo.