Try Before You Buy: VR Headsets and Smart Glasses Hit Physical Shelves

Meta Platforms Inc. (META.US) is stepping into physical retail. The company just launched its first store in Burlingame, California, on May 9th. Visitors can try out Meta’s hardware: Portal video chat devices, Quest 2 VR headsets, and Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses.

Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO, stated plainly: "The best way to understand virtual reality is to experience it." This store fulfills that idea, letting people test gear before buying.

While Meta won’t confirm exact numbers yet, company plans include opening more physical stores and hiring retail staff. The goal is straightforward: sell more hardware like smart glasses and VR headsets.

Meta already tested pop-up shops before. Now, the California store marks a permanent move. The company also partners with Luxottica, the world’s biggest eyewear firm, to sell headsets through Luxottica’s stores. They co-developed the Ray-Ban Stories glasses.

Big tech’s track record with physical stores is mixed. Microsoft (MSFT.US) shut all its retail locations in 2020. switching to online sales. Amazon (AMZN.US) closed its bookstores and pop-ups this past March, focusing only on grocery stores now.

Meta changed its name from Facebook last October, signaling its heavy bet on the "metaverse." Opening real-world stores is its latest step to put devices directly into customers’ hands.