Facebook and luxury car brand Maserati have tied up with experiential store Situ Live, which will be opening its first outlet in Westfield London.
The concept store will feature items in immersive environments grouped into six curated arenas: "fitness and wellbeing", "connected home", "nutrition kitchen", "entertainment", "home and mobile working" and "on the move".
Within the arenas, which operate as "lifestyle sets", visitors can see the products in action. Maserati will be at the heart of the "on the move" lifestyle story.
Launching in spring 2021, the store will have two virtual-reality experience lounges. Simon Storey, EMEA channel marketing manager at Facebook, said that consumers will be able to use these spaces to try out the Oculus Quest 2 VR headset.
He added: "Experiencing VR rather than just reading about what it can do makes such a difference, so we're pleased our products will feature as part of the launch."
Consumers can interact with products, get advice from Situ Live's "storytellers" and make purchases directly from the manufacturer by scanning a QR code. Products cannot be obtained directly from the store. The Situ Live digital platform facilitates the purchase and provides additional product choices and information.
The in-store team will also present "key stories" (product demonstrations) that resonate with consumers, personalising the interaction based on the user's needs.
The hybrid experience has been designed to "shake up" the current in-store offering. Situ Live will create competitions, exclusive content and events with key brand partners.
Warren Richmond, founder and chief executive of Situ Live, said: "Situ Live will be the destination for people who want to discover and experience products as they would in real life and then speak to knowledgeable experts who listen and recommend products that improve their lives."
Additional stores are planned for 2022.