Are you really receiving the lowest price?

The feeling strikes tens of thousands of contact lens buyers daily. You've just placed your order online and the relief you feel on your wallet envelopes you like a warm blanket on a cold day. The order may have saved $10, $20, even hundreds of dollars on vision care expenses. Before the feeling passes, buyers need to ask themselves, "Did I really save that much money?". The intense online fight for buyers loyalty is leading to an increase in hidden fees, handling fees, and even the loss of money through inferior customer service.

Buying contact lenses online is a great way to save money and hassle with low costs and quick shipment right to your home. Unfortunately, the widespread use of shady, and borderline criminal, selling tactics are eating away at customer’s wallets. Numerous sites have begun to add a hidden "handling" fee to orders without the customer’s knowledge. The product cost and shopping comparison sites may show the "lowest price" but buyers can find a hidden gem by simply adding up the cost of the contact lenses order in comparison to the shopping cart total. A buyer will quickly notice a discrepancy as much as hundreds of dollars more than the customers perceived order total. Sadly, most buyers are unaware of the over-charge due to the hidden nature of the fee in the shopping cart.

Additionally, some retailers are charging a handling fee on every order. These handling fees are at least shown to the buyer during checkout so they can make a quick exit if necessary. The sad part is the handling fee can add charges, which push the price higher than other retailers, and an unsuspecting buyer could easily over look this charge. While comparison-shopping engines are a great tool to find cheap contact lenses, they don't always show the final price paid.

Ben Thiesmann is a freelance writer specializing in health and fitness. DiscountContactLenses.com is an online retailer of cheap contacts and contacts accessories in the UK.