Zenni Optical Launches Image Search and Prescription Scan Tools

Zenni Optical has launched two digital tools designed to help customers find and buy glasses.

A new Image Search tool lets shoppers upload a photo of frames to find a similar pair available from Zenni, while Prescription Scan reads the customer’s prescription, so they don’t have to enter the details themselves, the online retailer of eyewear said in a Tuesday (May 9) press release.

“We continue to streamline the discovery and purchase process to make it easier than ever for our customers to find and buy the perfect pair of stylish and affordable Zenni frames for any occasion,” Zenni CEO Julia Zhen said in the release.

Many retailers are now adopting visual search, which uses technology to identify the relevant items a shopper might be seeking and make it easier for shoppers to find items when they don’t know the right terms to use in text-based searches.

With tools powered by artificial intelligence (AI), shoppers can more easily find and replicate items they’ve seen worn by friends, celebrities and style icons.

Zenni’s Image Search tool can be used on the company’s website or mobile app. Users can upload a photo or choose a photo from Zenni and then ask the AI-powered tool to find one of a similar style, according to the press release.

With the Prescription Scan tool, customers can take a photo of their prescription, upload it and save it to their account, so they can access it anytime they shop, for up to two years, the release said.

“Image Search helps address a real need, as we know visual search is increasingly important to today’s customer, especially Gen Z, and Prescription Scan helps our customers move through the purchase process even faster and without any friction,” Zenni Chief Technology Officer David Ting said in the release.

Merchants need to learn the behaviors of their customers and simplify the user interface so that the purchase experience is as efficient and intuitive as possible, Ting told PYMNTS in an interview posted March 31.

Omnichannel’s evolution has helped spur a transformation in buying eyewear, which used to be confined to in-person visits with optometrists and now straddles several face-to-face and digital touchpoints, Ting said.

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