Quality Assurance: How to Avoid Pitfalls When Getting-Glasses-in-China.com
Public scam blacklist, three pre-purchase checks, lens authenticity verification guide, and consumer rights for buying glasses in China. Independently researched, regularly verified and updated.
Media Exposure
Public records of quality inspections, consumer warnings, and verified scam reports. Be sure to review this list before visiting any market.
The following cases are compiled from public media reports, market regulatory authority inspection announcements, and traveler feedback, and are for reference only. Specific penalty results are subject to official announcements. We do not guarantee the current status of individual stalls, so please verify before visiting.
| Date | Location | Issue Description | Severity | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09 | Shenzhen Henggang Eyewear Market | Reporters posing as customers visited 8 eyewear shops, and 5 of them actively pitched imitation frames of luxury brands such as CHANEL, PRADA and GUCCI. The frames were kept in closed cabinets, and some shops refused to allow photos; the vendors claimed these were "original factory stock" no different from the genuine items sold at brand counters. | High | The Longgang Office of the Shenzhen Municipal Market Supervision Administration seized the goods suspected of trademark infringement and opened an investigation; the Henggang Subdistrict Office summoned the property management on site and removed the safety hazards. |
| 2026-08 | Eyewear market near Panjiayuan, Beijing | CCTV investigation: vendors promoted "UV-1", a rating from a standard that has already been abolished, as the highest level of protection, equivalent to "UV400"; several shops sold "three-no" sunglasses with no applicable standard, no manufacturer and no certificate of conformity; of the 10 pairs of sunglasses the reporters submitted for testing, only 1 passed. The reporters spent RMB 410（USD 60.95 / GBP 45.25） to buy 4 pairs, and neither the frames nor the packaging bore an applicable standard, a manufacturer, a certificate of conformity or a product label; of the 10 pairs submitted for testing, 6 had no label, 2 had unclear markings, and 1 was marked as Category 3 but measured a light transmittance of 76.6% (it is in fact Category 1); a member of the staff at the manufacturer said "Do they reach UV400? Those are all fake" and "Certificates of conformity can just be stuck on; even products without a national standard can have one". | High | The Chaoyang District Market Supervision Bureau carried out a special enforcement inspection and impounded the products suspected to be non-conforming or "three-no" in accordance with the law; the cases are still under verification and follow-up handling. |
| 2026-06 | Shenzhen, Guangdong Province | 2025 quality supervision sampling of eyewear products: of 260 batches of assembled prescription glasses, spectacle lenses and spectacle frames, 2 batches failed, and the failed items were "unilateral deviation between the horizontal optical center and the pupil" and "light transmittance performance". | Medium | The notice required sellers to stop selling the non-conforming products immediately and to honor returns when consumers requested them, and required producers and sellers to be dealt with in accordance with the law. |
| 2026-04 | Rizhao, Shandong Province | The Rizhao Municipal Market Supervision Bureau reported the 2025 special quality supervision sampling of eyewear products: 175 batches of eyewear products were sampled and 167 batches passed, a pass rate of 95.4% (including a 100% pass rate for optical resin lenses); 8 batches failed, a failure detection rate of 4.6%, of which 7 batches were assembled prescription glasses and 1 batch was ready-made reading glasses. | Medium | The market supervision departments of the districts and counties concerned ordered the non-conforming enterprises to rectify in accordance with the law, opened penalty cases and conducted timely re-inspections; they ascertained the quantity and flow of the non-conforming products and urged producers and sellers to take measures such as taking products off shelves and sealing them. |
| 2026-03 | Danyang, Jiangsu Province | In an inspection in June 2025, the Danyang Municipal Market Supervision Bureau found that Danyang Guanyu Glasses Co., Ltd. was selling sunglasses and frames marked "MONTBLANC" and "Cartier" (which the party itself described as counterfeit products), involving goods worth RMB 8,660（USD 1,287.40 / GBP 955.76）. | Medium | Ordered to stop the infringement immediately and correct the unlawful acts; the infringing goods were confiscated; illegal gains of RMB 304（USD 45.19 / GBP 33.55） were confiscated; a fine of RMB 21,650（USD 3,218.49 / GBP 2,389.40） was imposed. |
| 2026-02 | Nationwide (State Administration for Market Regulation) | The State Administration for Market Regulation disclosed that, as of the end of 2025, market supervision departments nationwide had cumulatively investigated and handled 2,157 cases of quality violations related to eyewear and spectacle lenses, with a case value of RMB 3,773,800（USD 561,015.03 / GBP 416,495.04） and confiscations and fines of RMB 5,627,700（USD 836,616.74 / GBP 621,100.53）; the core issue in eyewear product recall cases was a vertical deviation of the optical center that failed to meet national standard requirements. | Medium | The administration guided the China Consumers Association in issuing a consumer advisory, focusing on clarifying that "anti-blue-light" is not the same as preventing myopia and warning against the misleading claim that "myopia can be cured"; for products that failed metrology checks, it required verification of the calibration certificates of optometry equipment and the qualifications of the personnel. |
| 2026-01 | Anhui Province | The Anhui Provincial Market Supervision Administration reported the results of the 2025 provincial-level product quality supervision sampling: 15 batches of sunglasses were sampled (13 batches from physical stores and 2 batches from e-commerce), and 2 batches failed, with the failed items being polarized lenses and polarized sunglasses, sunglasses lens dimensions, and light transmittance. | Medium | The notice only published the non-conforming batches and the failed items; the sampling results are listed in an attachment, and the original text did not mention any specific penalty amount or handling decision for the enterprises involved. |
| 2025-12 | Nanjing (production in Danyang; bonded warehouses in Guangzhou and Zhengzhou) | The company pre-emptively registered Chinese-language trademarks such as the Chinese name for Essilor, and under the name of an "overseas flagship store" authorized by a Hong Kong shell company, used cross-border e-commerce retail imports to sell counterfeit branded eyewear; more than 600 unsold pairs were seized at bonded warehouses in Guangzhou and Zhengzhou, while more than 350 pairs had been sold, generating illegal gains of more than RMB 450,000（USD 66,897 / GBP 49,664.25）. | High | The person in charge was sentenced to 3 years and 8 months in prison for counterfeiting a registered trademark, with a fine of RMB 300,000（USD 44,598 / GBP 33,109.50）; illegal gains of RMB 450,000（USD 66,897 / GBP 49,664.25） were recovered, and the seized goods were confiscated and destroyed. |
| 2025-07 | Danyang, Jiangsu Province | Case opened in November 2024: an eyewear company used the words "anti-fatigue" when selling men's rimless glasses at its Tmall flagship store; the product was an ordinary pair of glasses and the party could not substantiate the functional claim, so it was found to have published false advertising. | Medium | The party was ordered to correct the unlawful acts and fined RMB 800（USD 118.93 / GBP 88.29）. |
| 2024-12 | Shangcheng District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province | Inspection in January 2024: an eyewear shop on Hubin Street in Shangcheng District put "108 Vision Center - Zeiss Official Authorized Store" on two display boards and operated eye exams and prescription glasses under that name; verification showed it could not provide proof of official Zeiss authorization and in fact held no such authorization. | Medium | Found to violate Article 6(2) of the Anti-Unfair Competition Law, constituting unauthorized use of another party's enterprise name that has a certain influence. |
| 2024-08 | Shanghai | Market supervision authorities sampled 30 batches of sunglasses from 30 brands and found 4 batches non-conforming (a 13.3% failure rate); the failed items were light transmittance, polarized lenses and polarized sunglasses, and labeling. For example, one brand's sunglasses measured a light transmittance of 13.4 on the right and 14.8 on the left (the standard requires >43.0). | Medium | The operators concerned have been ordered to stop selling the non-conforming products immediately and to fully clear out inventory and products on sale, and the operators that produced and sold the non-conforming products have been referred to the local market supervision authorities for investigation and handling. |
| 2024-05 | Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province | City-wide special inspection of measuring instruments at eyewear dispensing premises: 627 staff visits were made, 305 eyewear dispensing businesses and 1,062 measuring instruments were inspected on site; 62 businesses had mandatory-verification measuring instruments that had not been submitted for verification or were still in use after their verification period expired. | Medium | 42 businesses were ordered to make corrections, and cases were opened against 20 businesses. |
Three Checks Before You Buy
Please complete these three checks before paying at each store. It only takes 5 minutes and can help you avoid most common scams.
Check the label: manufacturer name and address
Every frame and lens package must have a label indicating the manufacturer's name, address, and production date. If the label is missing, handwritten, or only says "OEM" without a manufacturer name, it is advisable not to buy. This is a mandatory requirement under Chinese law.
Look at the printed information on the inner side of the frame temples. Lens packaging should have a sticker indicating the brand, model, refractive index, prescription, and production date. It is recommended to photograph all information for your records.
Check the anti-counterfeit code
The packaging of brand lenses (Zeiss, Essilor, Hoya, Nikon, etc.) has a scratch-off anti-counterfeit code. After scratching it off, scan the code with WeChat to verify; the result must show "First query". If it shows "Already queried X times", it means the anti-counterfeit code has been reused, and the product is likely counterfeit.
If the anti-counterfeit code on the lens packaging is already scratched off or damaged when you receive it, refuse the delivery. "Code-erased" lenses are goods from unofficial channels and have no brand warranty. Sellers scratch off the anti-counterfeit code to prevent the brand from tracing unauthorized sales channels.
Check the Authorization Plaque
Authorized dealers usually hang a brand authorization plaque on the wall (generally framed). Please verify that it is the original and not a photocopy. You can call the brand's 400 customer service hotline to verify the store name and authorization number. If the store cannot present the authorization plaque or refuses to let you verify it-you assume the purchase risk.
Zeiss: 400-820-0901 | Essilor: 400-820-6868 | Hoya: 400-820-8866 | Nikon: 400-820-0608. Ask the store for the authorization number, then call to verify. We recommend using a translation app to assist with communication; some brands may have English-speaking customer service.
Lens Authenticity Verification: A Four-Step Method
How to confirm that your lenses are genuine branded products, not counterfeit or from unofficial channels.
Step 1: Check the Laser Markings
Observe the lens under strong light at an angle. Zeiss lenses have a tiny "Z" laser marking on the edge. Essilor lenses have a "Crizal" fog marking (visible when you breathe on the lens). Hoya and Nikon also have their own laser markings. Note: Some custom lenses or special treatments may have less visible markings; the absence of a marking does not necessarily mean the product is fake, and other checks should be considered together.
Step 2: Check the Packaging
The lens packaging must be sealed by the original manufacturer, with the anti-counterfeit sticker intact. Ask to open it yourself in front of the store staff. If the packaging has already been opened, the seal is broken, or the label looks like it was printed by the store itself-refuse to accept the product.
Step 3: Scan the anti-counterfeit code
Scratch off the silver anti-counterfeit code, scan it with WeChat or enter it on the brand's official website to verify. The result must show "First Inquiry". If it shows an earlier inquiry record, it means the anti-counterfeit code has been reused on counterfeit lenses.
Step 4: Verify the Three Numbers Match
The tracking number on the packaging, the laser marking on the lens, and the number on the warranty card must all be identical. If any number is different, the lenses may have been swapped or may be counterfeit.
Complaints and Refunds: Your Rights
What to do if you discover a problem after purchase. Return rights for custom lenses are limited, but you can fully protect your rights when it comes to quality issues and processing errors.
✅ Situations Where You Can Return or Seek Remedies
• Prescription processing error - free remake
• Lens quality issues (scratches, coating peeling, bubbles) - free replacement
• Counterfeit products - full refund + compensation
• Frame damage not caused by the user within the warranty period - free repair/replacement
❌ Situations Where Returns Are Not Accepted
• Custom lenses - the "7-day no-reason return" does not apply to lenses made according to a prescription
• Frames that have been worn and have sustained customer-caused damage
• Clearance items marked "special-priced items are non-returnable and non-exchangeable"
• Simply changing your mind after lens processing has already begun
📋 How to File a Complaint and Protect Your Rights
Step 1: First talk to the store manager; most issues can be resolved on the spot.
Step 2: Contact the market management office-each market has an office.
Step 3: Call the 12315 national consumer complaint hotline (we recommend using a translation app for assistance; some areas may provide foreign-language service).
Step 4: If you encounter serious fraud, call 110 to report it to the police.
📸 Evidence to Collect
• Photos of the product, packaging, and labels
• Detailed receipts/invoices
• Anti-counterfeit code scan results (screenshots)
• Store name, booth number, market name
• Communication records (WeChat chats, voice recordings)
• Prescription issued by the optometrist
Before leaving the eyewear market, please try the glasses on for at least 2-3 hours and inspect them thoroughly. If you feel dizzy, experience visual distortion, or notice any flaws - address it immediately. Once you leave China, getting a refund or having them remade will be very difficult and costly.