Absolutely **********

Had an extremely frustration experience at Mellins i.Style, Somerset West Mall, recently.

On 19 June 2025, I visited the store with a valid prescription from Spec-Savers and was told that no further eye test was required to order a pair of glasses. My prescription did not change from my previous glasses to the new – all that was needed was a new frame and lenses (to match the prescription that I was assured was more than sufficient). Whilst fitting new frames, I mentioned to the assistant that the frame I liked brushed against my eyelashes and asked whether that could be fixed at all. Her solution was to “cut my eyelashes” to fit. The alternative was to adjust the frame after the glasses were made – the option I obviously took. In the end, I was quoted a hefty R25 214.

On 30 June, I was notified to collect my new glasses and immediately realised that I could not see. When I notified the assistant in the store of this fact, I was brushed off and told that I “need to get used to it”. Note again that my prescription did not change from my old pair of glasses to the new and, as such, there was no need to “get used to” glasses that were supposed to be the exact same. Nevertheless, I went home extremely disappointed after the dismissive response I received and after having spent over R25 000 on a pair of glasses that were now useless to me.

On 1 July, I returned to the store twice to speak to the optometrist, instead of the assistant, after realising that there was, in fact, no “getting used to”. On the first visit, the optometrist was not there and I was told to return in the afternoon. The second visit, I was at first told that they “take no responsibility for making glasses according to a (what they thought was wrong) prescription that was not theirs”. She then went and tested the lenses only to discover that the left-eye prescription was in the right lens, and vice versa. Naturally, this mistake made it impossible for me to see with the new glasses. I was told that the mistake was due to the assistant’s negligence and that the glasses would be remade and was again added to the waiting list. Throughout this entire process, I was treated as though this was my fault.

After two weeks with no update, I decided to call the store on the 14th of July, only to be told that the glasses were still at the Head Office for authorisation before the replacement could be ordered. Meaning that for two weeks, nothing had progressed and I still had no glasses almost a month after this entire process began and R25 000+ was paid.

Suddenly, the 17th of July, I was notified to collect my glasses. This, after being told on the 14th that it was yet to receive authorisation? The miscommunication from your store continued through the process of me collecting my glasses. Finally, after a month of struggling and disappointments, I had glasses that worked.

The lack of communication, miscommunication, and overall disorder that I experienced was truly astounding. The store’s handling of this situation was extremely rude, chaotic, and completely unprofessional. With a price of R25 000+, I expected to receive a level of service that matches the price. Upon checking the HelloPeter and Google reviews, I see this experience is commonplace.