Meta Corporation (formerly Facebook) is considering opening its network of retail stores to sell virtual reality devices. It is reported by The New York Times, citing market participants and several internal company documents.
The plan to create a retail chain was developed even before the concept of Meta – last year, Facebook held discussions on opening its first store in the U.S.
The outlets will open in the format of “impression zones,” which will feature Reality Labs’ developments. Store customers will be offered the opportunity to test the company’s latest developments, including Oculus Quest, Stories smart glasses, and virtual reality headsets.
Meta plans to keep the store “simple and minimalistic” – one that will be conducive to a comfortable and relaxed customer experience and free testing of devices before making a purchasing decision.
To date, no final decisions have been made on the launch of the retail concept, and there is no information about the timing of the first stores to sell virtual devices. Experts do not rule out that Meta may ultimately abandon plans to launch the network. If the project goes ahead, however, experts predict that Meta stores will be a real hit. It is assumed that the first retail store could open in Burlingame, California, where Reality Labs’ office is located.
