Best Buy is opening Meta Lab experiences in over 50 stores and expanding GEEKOM Mini PC availability to draw tech shoppers into physical locations and compete with online rivals.

What happened: Best Buy is partnering with Meta to open hands-on Meta Lab experiences in more than 50 stores, where customers can try AI and VR products in person. The company is also rolling out GEEKOM Mini PCs in stores, moving beyond their previous online-only availability.

Why it matters: These moves aim to pull high-value tech purchases back into Best Buy's stores—something online-only competitors like Amazon cannot easily replicate. By letting shoppers try products hands-on and stocking compact computers in-store, Best Buy shortens the gap between research and purchase, while also creating opportunities for follow-on revenue through services that require setup and support.

What to watch: Best Buy's stock is up 8.6% over the past week and 34.8% over the past month. The real test will be whether these experiential zones and vendor partnerships materially lift customer traffic and attachment of services, or whether they fall short of offsetting pressure from online competitors.