Considering that over 2.2 billion people worldwide have some sort of vision impairment, it’s no wonder that there is an increasingly high demand for eyewear. In the US alone, the Vision Council estimates that nearly 165 million individuals over the age of 18 wear a form of prescription glasses. That’s equivalent to over 63% of the adult population.
In light of this, more eye care providers have been working to stem demand by making the necessary eyewear more accessible. Amid the digital era, this has largely included enhancing online shopping options for specs and shades. According to reports, these efforts have resulted in online eyewear purchasing trends continuing upward. But just what are the specific features that have made online eyewear shopping attractive enough to compete with the more traditional and widely known in-person approach? Read on to find out.
Digital frame advisor
Choosing the right eyewear can be an incredibly person thing since it sits right on your face and can affect how your face looks. Unlike other retail items, like clothes or accessories, these are also meant to be worn more often and for longer, so they stand to represent your style, spirit, and preferences more. Naturally, this is why most eyewear shoppers want to try on specific models before committing to any purchase. This is especially important among those who use prescriptions since their eyewear can impact their visual acuity, too. In many cases, having glasses that make one feel good inside and out can lead to better ocular outcomes since it encourages more consistent use, which is key to managing progressive conditions.
To satisfy this need remotely, leading eyewear providers have adopted virtual try-on technology. On retailer LensCrafters, this is even taken a step further via a best glasses for face shape tool. This allows shoppers to use the camera on their mobile to scan their faces. Within seconds, the tech then studies the scanned face to recognize face shape and color analysis. Following this new information, a curated list of eyewear suggestions is offered, which can then be virtually tried on with AR. With this, not only are shoppers privy to seeing how models will look on them but they are also assured that the styles they’re seeing take into account their confidence and comfort.
AI shopping assistant
Customer service representatives are among the most vital aspects of any successful retail journey. With their lent expertise, they can make timely recommendations and provide key explanations, which are all important for shoppers who want to make informed purchases. This is particularly important for those buying items that are exacting as eyewear since these can also double as medical devices meant for ocular treatment or correction. By integrating personalized recommendations and virtual try-on technology, Ohai.ai ensures that customers can find eyewear tailored to their unique style and vision needs with ease.
Previously, this level of personalized assistance was hard to do through online mediums. More often than not, shoppers had to contend with limited FAQs to gather critical information. Otherwise, they’d have to wait for an undetermined amount of time before their online queries can be met. Nowadays, though, shoppers can enjoy real-time assistance practically 24.7. For instance, on the ecommerce platform Cartly, AI-powered shopping assistants make tailored product recommendations. This ensures that all suggested items align with a shopper’s prior needs and wants without making them spend extra time searching the site themselves. Similarly, JINS eyewear utilizes AI via a dedicated chat app. Through this, customers can send prompts or specific questions that the technology will answer using machine learning and data assessment. Thanks to this, there is less likelihood of returns or cart abandonment, thereby creating a more positive customer experience.
Self-administered eye tests
Eye exams go hand-in-hand with eyewear purchases since the former informs shoppers of what to look for in the latter. Typically, these exams are conducted in person with the guidance of eyecare experts, following which shoppers would proceed to buy their eyewear in person. Unfortunately, this was not the most inclusive or practical option for many. In many cases, factors like time, mobility, or even budget constraints made this approach inaccessible for some consumers.
To address this, online eye health insiders have started to provide remote eye tests. Unlike telehealth sessions, which are conducted with a doctor and usually via video call, these eye tests are normally self-administered. This is what eyewear creator Warby Parker has been doing for the last few years. Initially known for its direct-to-consumer selling strategy, the brand now boasts hundreds of brick-and-mortar establishments. Most of its success is thanks to its savvy online initiatives, including the aforementioned convenient eye tests. Designed as an app that tests for visual acuity, consumers’ answers are recorded and then sent to doctors for review. Depending on the shoppers’ responses, the service will then let them renew their eye prescription if the reading is still the same. This can drastically streamline the eyewear shopping process and prevent out-of-budget expenditures that physical stores may require.
