Founded in 2021 at the peak of the pandemic, SpectacleX is transforming the way Malaysians shop for glasses. The omnichannel retailer uses artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) to deliver a personalised and immersive shopping experience for the country’s growing base of digital-first shoppers.

Here’s how it works: customers upload a front-facing photo of their face to the SpectacleX app. Then, the company’s AI-powered software conducts a detailed facial analysis and provides personalised product recommendations based on their face shape and skin tone.

The process of selecting, customising, and purchasing glasses can all be completed within the app, though customers are asked to complete a simple lifestyle assessment to identify their eye power levels, electronics usage and driving habits, and undergo aa professional eye examination and lens consultation in-store, to ensure the final product is perfectly suited to their needs. 

The story so far

According to Daniel Lim, founder of SpectacleX, the launch of the virtual try-on feature has elevated the company’s branding significantly, and enhanced its positioning as the leading omnichannel optical boutique in Malaysia. 

“As we introduced the app, we received a significant increase in appointments from customers. After trying the spectacles virtually, they would click in and check which one of our branches have the available stocks and come to the shop to pick up their spectacles,” he told Inside Retail.

Lim noted that shopping behaviour is changing, with customers becoming more comfortable with online shopping and checking online reviews. This is why the company is focusing on an omnichannel retail approach.

The app uses a unique face recognition algorithm to suggest sunglasses that best suit each individual customer’s face shape and skin tone. 

So far, he said, customers have been satisfied with the recommendations, and the brand’s sunglasses, which are made from high quality acetate materials, have been a hit.

It was tough going

The company was conceived during the height of the pandemic, and it was tough going for Lim. In August 2021, the company’s initial capital literally dried up, and Lim received a notification from the bank that his rent cheque had bounced.

“I was sitting in front of the shop computer and thinking why our innovative business was starting to plummet. Of course, I put the blame on the pandemic. Then, I came to the realisation that I should try all possible ways to keep the company afloat,” he added.

After a period of brainstorming, the team figured out that many people who wear spectacles have difficulty choosing glasses that actually compliment their facial features. They  then turned to their key opinion leaders (KOLs) to communicate their solution to the market.

“We continued to engage with KOLs, appealed to a younger generation and continued to grow viral. That led to the point where we have expanded up to another six outlets within less than a year,” he said.

The APAC marketplace

According to Lim, SpectacleX’s vision is to be the most innovative optical brand in Malaysia and even APAC, and it strives to be the category champion by promoting its omnichannel approach through its virtual try-on app. 

“The app allows us and the users to check our stock inventory across all our platforms and retail outlets. We will soon introduce a loyalty program through the app and a flagship product to further improve customers’ shopping experience and to ensure the sustainability of the app,” he explained. 

Lim believes that SpectacleX can grow in this region. The company has received partnership proposals from other countries in Southeast Asia, and it is currently looking to expand overseas in the second quarter of 2024. 

“Gen Z and Millennials are more susceptible to home-grown fashion brands, Instagram-worthy shopping experience and in general, [they are] less price conscious. Ninety per cent of our customers fall into the Gen Z and Millennial category,” he noted.

Innovation is key

According to Lim, innovation will be the key to success in the long term.

“To quote Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum, ‘In the new world, it is not the big fish which eats the small fish, it’s the fast fish which eats the slow fish’,” he stressed.

Lim has realised that businesses can no longer be passive and wait for customers to walk in.

“From day one, SpectacleX has been adopting this omnichannel strategy to save customers the cost and energy to travel far and near to shop almost endless hours just to get a pair of glasses,” he said.

Lim believes the  company must be omnipresent in order to capture the customer’s attention and be as accessible as possible.

“We have to be creative with our sales offers, our products, and retail tools should be relevant to the customer’s needs, so that no matter what the economic situation is, we remain relevant,” he said.