BUYING A HEARING AID ONLINE

BUYING A HEARING AID ONLINE VS. FROM AN AUDIOLOGIST

How does one decide whether to buy a hearing aid online? Or how do they know which brand or model of hearing aid to buy online? And does a consumer really save money? Are consumers happy with the hearing aids they bought online? Buying a hearing aid from an audiologist will have several advantages over buying a hearing aid online and I want to outline them here for you.

The first thing you need to do to get a hearing aid is to have your hearing tested and to make sure there is no medical reason for you not to wear a hearing aid. If you order a hearing aid online you do not get a thorough examination to determine other medical issues. It is best to see an audiologist. There will be a charge to have a complete examination done that is not included in the cost of the online purchase of hearing aids.

Online purchases offer many different brands of hearing aids but you have more choices over the brands and styles of hearing instruments if you see an audiologist that dispenses hearing aids. For example, audiologists can take impressions of your ears to make a custom built product. These can be the very small hearing instruments that go deeper in the ear canal for a more discreet unit. The audiologist can also let you try different technology levels to compare how well they work for your lifestyle. Online stores would let you return the hearing aids and try others but mailing hearing aids back and forth is not only inconvenient it can be costly as well.

You will have a much more personal experience in getting instructions on how to use your hearing aid and how to care for it. Mail order and budget clubs may sell hearing aids at lower prices because they often come with minimal instructions and/or adjustments. Buyers may be charged for return visits and adjustments. In the long run, the patient might pay as much or more than they would from a full service audiology practice.

Buying locally also allows the consumer to have follow-up visits for adjustments and to have their questions answered by the audiologist who fit them to the hearing aids. Mail order consumers will have their questions answered by whichever operator happens to answer their call.

The full-service audiology practice will also help you in taking care of the hearing aids by giving them a professional cleaning. This is often done at no charge. This is a service you will not get by ordering your hearing aids online. In order to have your hearing aids serviced you would have to mail them in and be without them while you wait to get them back.

Lastly and most importantly, 30% of consumers who purchase hearing aids online return them. They either do not understand how to operate them, need help in troubleshooting why a hearing aid won’t work or didn’t get the right adjustments. So, in the long run, there is less satisfaction and really no money saved by trying to buy a hearing aid online.

At Amy Swain Hearing Centers we want everyone to hear better and we provide you with all the help you need! Call us today at 866-525-4913.