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Microsoft to open Apple like retail shops

Neutral Gamer

Neutral Gamer

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 8, 2007
504
1
The fitting blend of Socialism and Capitalism that
I don't know if anyone's posted this already or not (I had a good search but couldn't find anything) but I just read this very interesting piece of news from the Fudzilla website:

Exclusive: Let’s do retail

Our sources close to Microsoft have confirmed that the company wants to reach out for the retail market presence. Microsoft wants to open and create many retail shops dedicated exclusive to Microsoft and its products.
Click to expand...

Full article here.

Could it be true? Could we soon be looking forward to shops decorated with Vista inspired, translucent, glass filled interiors? Will there be PC's for sale or just Microsoft products? You gotta admit at least the Microsoft keyboards and mice get pretty good reviews and more competition is good, right .... ? ;)
 
They had a one-off (?) Microsoft Store at the Sony Metreon in San Francisco back in 1999 or 2000 or whenever the heck that stupid retail/entertainmentplex opened. Of course it did poorly and didn't stay open for long (not that any of the major retail at the Metreon lasted very long except for the Sony Style and Playstation stores).
 
What would it be, a store with shelves lined with software? I guess they do make the Zune / keyboard / mice. But really, what would be the point?

Edit / Okay so I read the poster's link and it basically said just that. So never mind.
 
If the store doesn't have computers, it will fail. The genius behind the Apple store is that a lot lot lot of people begin to visit the Apple store solely for the iPods and iPhone. Then once the gateway effect takes place, they start going for the computers. But Microsoft doesn't have an iPod equivalent (the Zune isn't popular enough), but we will have to see if they include computers.
 
I can;t imagine M$ without computers, but how woul they decide which brand to carry? Dell, the numero uno, doesn't sell retail, nor gateway, nor Sony, blah blah... Which line would they carry?

It wouldn't be successful without computers, but choosing a brand to offer would either lock them out of certain brand-loyal customers (if that's even a factor among the technologically polygamous Windows users)
 
One other thing that makes the Apple store special, really, is that you can't try out Macs and iPods pretty much anywhere else. Macs are pretty much found only in Apple Stores (BestBuy is starting to carry more Macs, though), and that helps draw in customers. A Microsoft store? Why not just go to Wal-Mart...
 
They do sell Xboxes too. And all the games and accessories for them.

And of course the Zune.

I can see the ad campaign now. "Come in for a squirt" :p
 
I'd say their stores will push Xboxes and Zunes hard, but both of those products' brands seem to be intentionally positioned rather distantly from Microsoft's overall brand.

Keyboards and mice it is, then! :D
 
It's Possible It would not have computers though I don't think They may have software tutorials though and the zune, X-Box and Keyboards and mice. They could have workshops for vista and Office.
 
Microsoft to open Apple like retail shops

Apple 'like'?
hmmm
That would be something to behold, wouldn't it?
C'mon I know you want to be the first to visit it. I do and it would be 'Mecca' to all those disillusioned Vista users.
I really think it would be a great idea, honestly, can you imagine wandering through the vast isles of vacant shelves and devotees. This would be awe inspiring for those of us that complain bitterly about children hogging the Macs to use FaceOff, however what computers would they use? :confused:
 
Any Microsoft store would be a haven of Radio Shack-caste people (no offense to Radio Shack people) who really have no clue about computing and are suckered in by cheap advertising gimmicks and low prices - I say this in realization of course that many intelligent people use Windows; however IME I've seen more dumb first-timers use Windows than anything else - and are easily wowed by baggy-clothed idiots with foppish hair-do's. The power of Microsoft is in it's quantity of product, not quality and certainly not design sense or brand cache.

They'll sell the Zune (big whoop... er, 'Big Squirt' I should say), they'll offer Office courses (that I can attend at my local library, free), lots of those USB patch cords or extensions, maybe a wireless router or two, and they'll sell Microsoft branded Mice and Keyboards "for the intense, live-on-the-edge gamer.". Such a store will have nothing to do with creativity, passion for work or reliable dependability.

With, what? five different versions of Windows Vista (every one of which sucks, but we don't tell the customer that, it's a secret) and even one named the Signature Supreme Windows Vista Ultimate Media Center Edition (or whatever that signature one was last year), they'll need a full team of techies just to explain to mom and pop looking for that impulse purchase computer what the differences are among them all.

I know! They'll offer the official "Bill Gates Clothing" label, with wire-frame, official Bill Gates Glasses... just a thought...

That's a ramble eh? sry... three shots of single-malt scotch on an empty stomach does wonders...
 
I've been to the Microsoft company store on their campus in Redmond. It's actually a pretty good store with a relatively diverse product offering. You have to be with with an employee to purchase there of course.

I could see where they would have some success with this, particularly if they focus on the Xbox, entertainment angle of things.

Hopefully they will not have a lot of Dell's sitting around with a myriad of bloatware and security popups on their Vista screens.
 
Okay, now I'm a bit freaked out.

I live around the corner from one of the neighborhood commercial "high streets" in San Francisco. I came home today and noticed the awning on one of the vacant stores (which was hitherto vacant because of the exorbitant commercial rents on this street) now has a bright blue awning with Windows logos on it reading "Windows Live Portrait Studio".

And GAG, they put themselves on Yelp already:

http://www.yelp.com/events/san-francisco-portrait-studio

Looks like a pathetic attempt to hammer home the "Windows Live" brand, whatever the heck it stands for. I guess you don't have a personal web page, you've got a "Windows Live Space" or something. How daft.
 
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