As Microsoft had already confirmed, it's going to open a line of retail stores later this year. Last week, Gizmodo published a set of detailed slides supposedly detailing the shopping experience Microsoft is going to implement. Today, Microsoft has confirmed those leaked plans are real (but not finalised!), while also announcing the first two store locations.
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2009-05-31
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Er, why? Microsoft are not a hardware company. I really can not see how increasing their overheads by building brick & mortar stores will help them sell software.
Of course that assumes they intend to make money from these stores. It could simply be an effort to raise their profile and get some exposure among people who would not normally find themselves in a computer store. Having a shop-front on Main St. (Or the High St.) is a good way of doing that.
Member since:2005-06-29
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Well, technically, they do sell hardware... plenty of peripherals (mice, keyboards, etc), as well as the Microsoft Surface, Zune, and the XBox 360...
Not sure if these will be featured in their store, however.
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2005-07-07
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With retail stores Microsoft will be able to get direct feedback from average customers. This is something they really haven't had outside of their various Beta Programs.
Consider if MS were to use their stores as sort of a, 'test venue' for new, upcoming products. Having direct feedback from users will be helpful in new product releases and their long-term viability. This could be done in various markets on a national scale.
To be honest, every person I know who owns a Zune player loves it and wouldn't part with it. These same folks would jump at the opportunity to see future pre-production Zune players to test them in the store.
Apple was hugely successful with the initial release of the iPhone beause every Apple Store had about 20 for customers to play with prior to purchasing them.
I don't see MS Stores selling computers & laptops (at least not outright). But I can see them as a sort of, public lab,' environment.
MS does move slow at times and was a late-bloomer to the Internet. Now look where they are with MSN, Bing!, Hotmail, Windows Mobile and more.
We may see a repeat with their retail stores.
Member since:2005-07-24
Consider this. Until now, only Microsoft *employees* have received the mind-controlling Borg implants. But with actual brick and mortar stores, and customers going into them... well... just imagine...
Edited 2009-07-29 01:14 UTC
Member since:2006-05-03
This could be a way that Microsoft is evolving their business strategy. With the negative response to Vista, this may be a way of earning customer confidence.
Or ... Another possibility is that Microsoft will start manfufacturing their own line of PCs & Laptops to compete with OEMs like Sony, Toshiba and the rest.
One of the reasons people don't like Apple is they control everything and don't allow clone mfrs. Consider Microsoft announcing their own lines of PCs & Laptops. What would something like this do to the computing market?
Everything is just a guess at this point. We'll all find out when they start to open the stores.
Member since:2006-02-10
Actually that is not correct. No one saw an iPhone until they were available for sale on day one.
The problem with MS having retail stores is that they are not going to retail anything. According to their outline theses stores will just be there to show everyone how great MS products are. Wanna buy something? Well you can go home and order it online or visit the nearest Best Buy, or...
It reminds me of the movie "Dave";
"You want to spend x millions of dollars making people feel good about the cars they have already bought?"
It is a foolish move unless MS is ready to unveil a line of their own computers.
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2008-04-18
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I wonder how many times they'll tell people that there is no problem with Windows and that the hardware drivers are the issue.
I'm not sure what they hope to achieve, especially being in the same malls as Apple but to confuse and promote FUD.
I hope that they'll find positive aspects to sell but I feel that Microsoft will always be Microsoft.
Member since:
2006-09-15
Where you by a PC with Windows without the crap. At least you'd hope so. Every OEM I have dealt with has required a wipe of the system - repartition and reinstall of the OS - the garbage that usually gets bundled like Norton 360 or iTunes or some other garbage.
Windows can work well when left to its own and configured with some basic idea as to how to prevent simple issues from arising. Bit like setting up Linux.
Does smack of Apple though and that can't be too good - MS users might get smug and a superiority complex about their over priced but trendy calculators.
