Meta Reportedly Set to Expand Retail Locations as Smart Glasses Competition Heats Up

Meta Expanding Retail Presence with New Stores and Ray-Ban Meta Glasses

Meta has been exploring retail opportunities for some time now, and according to a recent Business Insider report, the company is gearing up to expand its physical retail footprint beyond its current single brick-and-mortar location.

An internal communication suggests that Meta is in the process of hiring retail staff and planning to launch more permanent stores, moving away from the temporary pop-up locations it experimented with last year.

Although the details are still under wraps and the strategy is not widely known within the company yet, the potential retail expansion could follow a model similar to Apple’s successful retail approach.

While Meta has garnered attention with its pop-up stores, including a recent one in Los Angeles, the company has also collaborated with retailers like Best Buy to provide demo spaces for its XR headsets in addition to operating a single permanent Meta Store in Burlingame, California.

The main driver behind this retail expansion is believed to be the popularity of Ray-Ban Meta Glasses, a collaboration between Meta and EssilorLuxottica. In 2024, Meta sold over 1 million units of these smart glasses, with plans to ramp up production to 10 million units annually by the end of 2026.

Ray-Ban Meta Glasses offer features such as cameras for photos and videos, Meta AI assistant, and off-ear speakers, and are available in various styles and lens configurations. There are also reports of new smart glasses in development, including a pair with a built-in display and a sportier version from the Oakley sub-brand of EssilorLuxottica.

Competition in the smart glasses market is on the rise, with Google and Apple both entering the space. Google recently showcased its Android XR Glasses in partnership with eyewear companies, while Apple is reportedly working on its own smart glasses chip optimized for power efficiency and camera control.