Meta, formerly known as Facebook, is opening its first retail location in an effort to sell people its Oculus virtual reality headsets and its idea of the “metaverse,” the company announced Monday.
But it’s not a huge step into retail. Unlike Apple and other tech companies that have stores in heavy foot-traffic areas such as shopping malls, the Meta Store will open on May 9 at the company’s Burlingame, California, campus. The store will have demo areas where people can try, among other products, its Oculus virtual reality headsets and the apps and games that run on them.
The company has devoted $10 billion over the next year to build the metaverse, a virtual world that CEO Mark Zuckerberg believes will become the standard for working, socializing and gaming. The company is still years away from achieving that goal.
Customers will be able to purchase the Quest 2 headset, accessories and Portal video chat devices at the store. The company’s Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses will be available to try on but have to be purchased online. Meta said it’s also rolling out a “shop” tab on its website.
“Ultimately, our goal with the Meta Store is to show people what’s possible with our products today, while giving a glimpse into the future as the metaverse comes to life — and hopefully demystifying that concept a bit in the process,” the company said.
