EE opens new experiential Oxford Street flagship

EE has opened an experiential retail store on London's Oxford Street, expanding a format it has been rolling out across the UK.

Described as an Experience Local store, the site is EE's third experiential location in the capital. The other two are the EE Studio in Westfield White City and the EE Experience Store in Westfield Stratford.

Former Love Island contestant and footballer Luke Trotman is set to appear in store for the opening and cut the ribbon.

Retail investment

The Oxford Street opening is part of a £3 million investment in physical retail over the past 10 months. EE has presented the spending as part of a broader push to expand experiential stores nationwide.

Experiential formats have become a feature of consumer electronics and telecoms retail as operators and device makers look to differentiate from online channels. Hands-on demonstrations, advice desks, training sessions and appointments are increasingly common on high streets and in shopping centres.

The Oxford Street store is designed for product trials and in-person support. It includes staff known as in-store Guides, who provide device assistance and advice.

EE is positioning the store around connected consumer technology, with a focus on "the latest smart tech".

Safety sessions

The Oxford Street location also joins a national programme of online safety appointments offered through EE's retail network. More than 300 stores across the UK offer 30-minute sessions with trained Guides for families.

The sessions use content developed with Internet Matters. Appointments cover managing connected devices in the home and setting up a young person's first device, including a second-hand handset passed down within a family.

The appointments are open to customers regardless of their mobile network provider, with bookings available through EE's store channels.

The move places additional emphasis on staff training and service as a point of difference. For telecoms groups, in-store support can reduce pressure on call centres and online chat, while also creating another route to upsell devices and services.

High street shift

Oxford Street remains one of the UK's best-known retail locations. Footfall has recovered in parts of central London since the pandemic, though many retailers have changed store formats, put more emphasis on experience, or reduced floor space.

EE is part of the BT Group, which has been reshaping its consumer-facing estate in recent years. The group uses stores to sell mobile contracts, broadband, entertainment services and devices, and has adopted appointment-based support in some locations.

Asif Aziz, retail director at EE, said the operator is responding to changing expectations among high-street shoppers.

"We are so proud to bring our experiential format to one of the busiest retail destinations in the UK. The role of high streets is changing, and we know shoppers want more than just a transaction; they want experiences and personal connection. We designed our Oxford Street Experience Local store to be a space where shoppers can get hands-on with the latest launches and discover how technology can enhance their every day, with the expert support of our fantastic EE Guides on the UK's best network."

Trotman linked the opening to how people use devices and social platforms to communicate.

"Technology and social media are such a big part of how I connect with people every single day. I see first-hand how powerful connectivity can be in helping people express themselves, stay connected with loved ones or learn about the world, so it's a real honour to be opening the Oxford Street EE Experience Local store today."

EE plans to continue rolling out the experiential format across the UK.