Dixons, Argos and several independent retailers have told PCR they'd relish a retail launch of the Google Glass smart glasses.
Google's UK country sales director recently told PCR that Google is hoping to get a consumer version of Google Glass to retailers "very soon", following the launch of the Glass Development Kit (GDK) to developers and the Explorer Program for early testers.
“We’d like to stock Google Glass, we think it’s great technology, it depends on whether Google wants to bring it to the UK," Dean Kramer, Head of Computing Category at Dixons Retail, told PCR.
Simon Barry, Trading Manager for Computing at Argos, added: "I hope to have the opportunity to trial Google Glass for myself at some point in the near future. As a major electronics retailer in the UK, we are of course exploring stocking the product as customers will expect us to offer it, although it’s too early to say for sure."
Gavin Holder, Director at GHI Computers, thinks Glass will be a great boost to tech retail.
"The eagerly anticipated Google Glass will no doubt be a winner due to behemoth’s ability to make all things succeed," he said. "For a retailer I have little doubt this will put masses of margin in the tills."
Members of the PCR Retail Advisory Panel also said they're excited about the wearable tech space approaching 2014.
Dixons' Kramer added: "This is certainly an emerging category – we will bring it to life and begin to understand what consumers are looking for over the next 12 months. Once there is a device at a mass market price point with a clearly focused usage, we think wearable tech will be big.”
Argos' Barry commented: "Wearable tech is exciting but evolving. We have a number of options on offer at Argos and we are seeing steady interest from customers.”
A consumer version of Google Glass is expected to arrive in stores in 2014.
In the meantime, a cheaper, more simplistic set of smart glasses - the ION Glasses - is preparing to rival Google Glass.

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