FYidoctors - Online Personal Shopper

Pioneering Remote Eyewear Shopping During COVID-19

As a Web Developer at FYidoctors, I pioneered and prototyped the Online Personal Shopper, a groundbreaking bespoke video conferencing application that transformed eyewear retail during the COVID-19 pandemic. This innovative solution enabled 2-way video consultations between opticians and customers, providing safe, effective frame selection and fitting guidance when in-person shopping was restricted.

Innovation Leadership

This project represented a significant technological and business innovation that I led as part of the FYidoctors development team:

COVID-19 Response: Developed as an immediate response to pandemic restrictions that prevented traditional in-store eyewear shopping and consultations.

Technology Pioneering: Created custom video conferencing solution specifically designed for eyewear retail needs, going beyond generic video calling platforms.

Prototype Development: Led the initial prototyping and proof-of-concept development, demonstrating feasibility and business value.

Core Application Features

Remote Eyewear Consultation

2-Way Video Technology: Built custom WebRTC and OpenTok integration providing high-quality, real-time video communication between opticians and customers.

Frame Selection Guidance: Interactive consultation tools allowing opticians to guide customers through frame selection, fit assessment, and style recommendations remotely.

Professional Consultation Tools

Customer Information Management: Integrated customer profile and prescription information to support informed consultation decisions.

Product Catalog Integration: Seamless access to FYidoctors' frame inventory and product details during live consultations.

FittingBox Virtual Try-On Integration

Augmented Reality Try-On: Integrated with FYidoctors' existing FittingBox licensing to provide real-time virtual frame try-on capabilities during video consultations.

Live Frame Recommendations: Consultants could send suggested frames directly to customers through the app, enabling immediate virtual try-on and discussion.

Interactive Frame Selection: Seamless workflow allowing consultants to browse inventory and push frame recommendations to the customer's interface in real-time.

Customer Experience Features

Selfie Capture: Built-in selfie feature allowing customers to save images of themselves wearing different frames during the consultation for later review and comparison.

Shopping Cart Integration: Customers could add selected frames to their shopping cart during or after consultations, creating a seamless transition from consultation to purchase.

Technology Architecture

Real-Time Communication

WebRTC Implementation: Custom WebRTC integration providing reliable, high-quality video and audio communication across different devices and network conditions.

OpenTok Platform: Leveraged OpenTok's robust video infrastructure while building custom interface and workflow specifically for eyewear consultations.

Cross-Platform Compatibility: Ensured consistent experience across desktop and mobile devices for both opticians and customers.

Vue.js Application Framework

Responsive Interface: Built fully responsive Vue.js application accommodating different device types and screen sizes for flexible consultation scenarios.

Real-Time State Management: Implemented Vuex for state management of live consultation sessions, customer information, and product browsing.

Component Architecture: Modular component system enabling efficient development and maintenance of complex consultation workflows.

Business Impact & Innovation

Pandemic Response Success

Business Continuity: Enabled FYidoctors to maintain eyewear sales and customer service during lockdown periods when physical stores were closed or restricted.

Customer Safety: Provided safe alternative to in-person shopping, protecting both customers and staff during the pandemic.

Market Differentiation: Positioned FYidoctors as an innovative technology leader in the optical retail industry.

Technology Leadership

Industry Innovation: Pioneered custom video consultation technology specifically designed for eyewear retail, setting new industry standards.

Retail Innovation: Created new paradigm for remote retail consultations that extended beyond pandemic necessity.

Customer Experience Enhancement: Delivered personalized shopping experience that rivaled in-person consultations while providing additional conveniences.

Technical Excellence

The Online Personal Shopper demonstrated my advanced technical capabilities in real-time communication, retail technology, and user experience design during my tenure as a Web Developer at FYidoctors. This pioneering project showcased my ability to identify emerging business needs, lead technology innovation, and deliver solutions that provided immediate pandemic response while establishing long-term competitive advantages for FYidoctors in the evolving retail landscape.