Microsoft Opens First New Retail Store in Scottsdale, Arizona

[Jason Beck]

Apple Store customer:

"Hey I was wondering if I could try out the new mouse that was released, I heard good things about it."

MS Store customer:

"I got me one of them new fangled laptops with Windows 7 and I hit the "Eject Button" fo' my coffee cup holder to come out the side, put mah cup o' joe in it and spillt' coffee all over the dang thing."

 

[Mike Oxard]

And a Microsoft sales person will sell you the Internet in a box (wireless, of course)

And the first thing you'd do is search for Google in Google:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrQUWUfmR_I

 

[ogee]

I wonder if they ever get embarrassed ripping off other peoples ideas.

If you cant innovate, replicate.

 

[Cybbe]

Yeah, the cheering is freaky.

It's interesting that people seem to think that Apple somehow invented retail. While I haven't been in a Microsoft store, I would classify both it and the Apple Stores as concept stores, or a boutique in more general terms. The concept store trend was started by European retailers in the 1990s; Apple didn't invent it, they simply jumped on the bandwagon. Sony is another large electronics producer with its own chain of boutique stores. There's nothing new in this, and to say that MS copied Apple is simply wrong.

I for one welcome these stores. While I'm currently happy with my Apple products, it's nice to have a store with (hopefully) the latest and greatest from the Windows world. In line with the boutique concept, I'm sure Microsoft will carry many of the most interesting PC products (and yes, there are quite a few of them). It's nice to have options.

 

[AppleTecFan]

They even copied the opening of an apple store

 

[theheadguy]

I find people replacing "s" with "$" in anything they write about Microsoft here quite funny. You guys do realise that both Microsoft and Apple are publicly traded companies, which exist with the sole purpose to generate money for the benefit of their shareholders, right?

Brilliant observation good sir... yes, I noticed that as well!

 

[iMouse]

Damn they even copied Apple's wall of iphone apps pic:

1/3 of which that will have difficulty or not run at all on Windows 7...

 

[glossywhite]

Opinions are like a s s h o l e s, everyone's got one.

Yep, and unfortunately, every *sshole has an opinion...

 

[Bubba Satori]

Walk into a M$ store :

We are better than them.

 

[Jason Beck]

Yep, and unfortunately, every *sshole has an opinion...

And they all stink!

Poop in one hand and hold a Win7 box in the other and see which one fills with errors first.

 

[LagunaSol]

Here's the Seattle P.I article on the store opening. Kevin Turner's quote at the end is just creepy.


http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_az_microsoft_store_opening.html

Naw, the real money quote from that article is this one:

Carol Castellano, 50, sat with two store workers for hours as they set up a laptop she bought with all the bells and whistles, including Windows 7. A store worker said the process should ideally take no more than 15 minutes.​

 

[Eidorian]

1/3 of which that will have difficulty or not run at all on Windows 7...

Care to name them?

 

[Jason Beck]

We are better than them.

/agreed

 

[Jason Beck]

Care to name them?

internet explorer has quit because yadda yadda yadda.

LOL

 

[ProfDrSilver]

Am I the only person here who finds the clapping and cheering laughable at BOTH the Apple and M$ stores? I mean seriously, I want to laugh at these people... God damn it's a STORE, people. I'd be very embarassed if I was on video getting cheered into a place where I go to spend my hard earned money.

I feel like the next post on Page 2 Rumors will be a "Apple receipt unboxing"... sheesh.

PowerBookRelic -- we're on the same page, lol.

You don't like a lot of fun hey? Obviously never been at any opening before right? I believe in a lot of cases this is a happy event... unless you're at an opening of a new funeral home...

 

[Bubba Satori]

Yeah, but it'd be fun to flash mob an Apple Store with a hundred people bouncing beach balls too

Oh, that's cruel.




Great idea.

 

[Kristenn]

What a wonderfully original concept! I can't understand why no-one's ever thought of doing something like this before. Such innovative store layout and design. And as for the concept of the Answer Bar - well that's just a stroke of genius.

I laughed. OUT LOUD!

And there is nothing fanboyish about it.. to you other posters. Its just freaking funny and so obvious! Its been funny and a laughing stock since the late 80s... thats what I read! I mean seriously? Would a Microsoft fanboy REALLY deny the fact that Microsoft takes some great ideas from Apple?

I would even agree if someone pointed out something Apple took from Microsoft. Since I'm not a MS hating fangirl... I just laugh at the obvious stuff. It really is funny. And isn't the Microsoft store like... 5 years too late? Kinda like the Zune was to the iPod?

 

[lex750]

I find people replacing "s" with "$" in anything they write about Microsoft here quite funny. You guys do realise that both Microsoft and Apple are publicly traded companies, which exist with the sole purpose to generate money for the benefit of their shareholders, right?

Some people equate money with "their concept" of evil. Maybe that's why they are so poor?

 

[szark]

I couldn't tell, but do they have an Xbox area there. It would seem that if a M$ fan went into an M$ store to buy an Xbox and they didn't have it, that would be not only be absurdly idiotic but also par for the course.

I really like to know, do they sell X-Boxes, X-Box software/hardware, MS keyboards and mice???

Yes, they sell Xbox 360 machines and software, and have demo units to play. They also sell keyboards, mice, and other accessories.

I wonder if you have to wait a week or two for an appointment at the AnswerPub ?

Not yet, though they do have two displays on either side of the bar showing the appointment times and names. (There was one scheduled appointment on the display when I was there.)

If they aren't selling computers then this seems like a big fail.

Poster #75 explains why the Microsoft Retail store won't work.

I bet they will make a deal with Dell or HP within a year to sell PC's in the store.

I'm equally curious as to what they actually sell at these stores... can you buy Dell, HP, and Sony computers there?

As Peace has mentioned several times, they already sell computers there. I definitely saw Dells and HPs. There might have been Sony machines there but I don't know for certain.

The shirts reminded me of the apple store. I wonder if they'll have different roles for the shirts too like the apple store.

Right now, the shirt colors don't mean anything. (I asked.)

Is this the shopping mall at camelback road?

Yes. Scottsdale Fashion Square, Scottsdale Road and Camelback. They just opened a whole new wing on the east side. Although the Microsoft store is on the Nordstrom wing, right near the food court.

I do like all the nice monitors that appear on the walls, bet that was a pain to set up.

According to the person I talked to, the displays are run by a total of 6 PCs running Windows 7, and each individual monitor in the display costs $5000.

 

[Erwin-Br]

If you cant innovate, replicate.

Well, from a business perspective that's not such a bad approach. You let the little guy (Apple) do the research, take the risks. And you only copy the successes, not the failures. And if you can improve the original ideas of the little guy, then that's even better.

The only downside is that you piss off a few Apple users, but that only 6 to 9 percent of the market.

 

[Mike Oxard]

We are better than them.

As Eddie Izzard said, (and those MS store employees proved?) "It's a fine line between looking cool and looking like a ********."

 

[dukebound85]

Sounds like they've got some nice ideas in their stores, like this one...



http://www.destructoid.com/ms-does-on-demand-software-printing-at-retail-152772.phtml

Are you guys going to keep bashing them for trying to make money (Apple's stores are only there to make money as well) or are you going to think about what they've got on offer and visit if you live close?

thats pretty cool

im definitly going to check them out when they get close

i mean why not?

 

[Bubba Satori]

I was at Snottsdale Fascist Square.

Look, a rebel.

 

[Mike Oxard]

We are better than them.

As Eddie Izzard said, (and those M$ store employees proved?) "It's a fine line between looking cool and looking like a ********."

 

[scottness]

Why is everyone clapping so crazily?

They were paid to. Part of the job description.