Specsavers Pavilion

Dear Specsavers Customer Care,

I have been a loyal Specsavers customer for six years and have always appreciated your professionalism and efficiency. However, my recent experience with the Pavilion branch has been extremely disappointing and frustrating.

Three weeks ago, my glasses broke, and I explored payment plan options as I could not afford a new pair upfront. I chose to remain with Specsavers despite other options, trusting the quality of your service. At the Pavilion branch, I was informed that I did not qualify for a payment plan but could proceed under my fiancée’s name, which was approved after a credit check.

I was then called in for an eye test, which I agreed to under the impression that the payment plan had been arranged. After completing the test, I was unexpectedly informed that a full payment of R600 was required immediately. I had to borrow the money on the spot. I had intended to take the R1200 special (2 pairs including the eye test), but was later told that the special could not be combined with the payment plan — information that should have been clarified before the test.

Despite my frustration, I proceeded because the test had already been done. I selected two frames, but a few days later I was told that one of my chosen frames was not eligible for the plan, even though it was shown to me as an available option. Only after I raised concerns did the manager agree to approve both pairs under the plan — something that could have been done from the start.

After further issues, I cancelled the initial order and returned to redo my prescription. Another credit check was done under my fiancée’s name and again approved. We selected new frames, but were told to go home and email the required application documents because the manager was not available. My fiancée then sent her personal documents (ID, payslip, and bank statement) to an unverified Specsavers email address. This raised serious concerns about data privacy and who has accessed her personal information. We were later told she no longer qualified — even though she had been approved twice before.

The next day, she received an SMS stating she was pre-approved and could apply online, adding to the confusion. For nearly a month, we have been sent back and forth without any clear communication or resolution. We have made every effort to cooperate and finalize the purchase, but the Pavilion branch has failed to deliver basic service or accountability.

This experience has been stressful, time-consuming, and deeply disappointing. I feel misled into paying for an eye test under false pretenses, left with no refund, forced to choose frames I do not want, and concerned about the repeated and possibly harmful credit checks on my fiancée’s name.

Specsavers has always stood for professionalism and customer care, but this experience has been the complete opposite. I hope this complaint is escalated and addressed urgently, both to resolve my situation and to ensure no other customer goes through this.