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Microsoft Stores Are Permanently Closing
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Let me Just Add another part to the huge list of things that apple didn't invent!!
Windows?
Really.... 😂😂😂
You didn't really miss much... at best, they were trying to emulate an Apple Store with Microsoft products, but since they don't have as much hardware as Apple, they ended up stocking so much 3rd-party stuff that it comes off more as a Best Buy. I say this based on my experience visiting two stores: Somerset Mall in Troy, MI (outside of Detroit), and at the Mall of America. Both stores, in a word: meh.
Microsoft is going to make a killing in the cloud. Think of every company that views Amazon as a competitor(which is basically everyone). Those companies pretty much will refuse to use AWS and go to Azure.
I know Apple is in a hiring frenzy for cloud now.
It's not that surprising, these stores are usually in very high-rent areas (often placed near Apple Stores) but normally there's either only a few customers inside, or none, while the nearby Apple Store is packed. And I've seen this scenario many times in different locations.
That being said, I do have to wonder if the Covid virus will negatively affect foot traffic at Apple's stores as well. There's going to be a bunch of malls that close completely because their anchor stores are gone (bankrupt, in many cases, or cutting back retail presence).
That being said, I do have to wonder if the Covid virus will negatively affect foot traffic at Apple's stores as well. There's going to be a bunch of malls that close completely because their anchor stores are gone (bankrupt, in many cases, or cutting back retail presence).
Only MS store I've seen is the one in Valley Fair mall in Santa Clara, CA. It's a more upscale mall than your typical place. MS put their store literally right across from the Apple Store. The Apple Store was always packed, the MS store was always a ghost town.
Given that MS is almost exclusively a software company, it seemed weird for them to invest that kind of money in a physical store front. For accessories? Ability to question the kids working there on how to try to get Windows to stop sucking? Not sure what MS thought was going to give them an ROI on those locations.
Given that MS is almost exclusively a software company, it seemed weird for them to invest that kind of money in a physical store front. For accessories? Ability to question the kids working there on how to try to get Windows to stop sucking? Not sure what MS thought was going to give them an ROI on those locations.
Same. It turns out the first time I find out they have stores, is the exact same time I also find out they are closing all of the stores.
To counter all the criticism here, I appreciated the very Apple-like experience of walking in with a hardware issue (surface book 2) and walking out with a replacement. Same with the Band 2. Yes, I had one. It was great actually (the number of sensors packed in there was impressive) - except it was ugly.
The in-store hardware support is what keeps me with Apple; RMA's are the least comforting experience.
The in-store hardware support is what keeps me with Apple; RMA's are the least comforting experience.
Microsoft's return policy on their Surface devices is 30 days. Which is more than the 14 days Apple offers. I know, because I had a Surface Laptop 3 "business" edition which I sent back to MS after about 3.5 weeks. No questions asked and the refund showed up within a couple of days.
The two women sitting on the pedestals are just flipped images with changes to the hair and some other minor things. I doubt there's ever been a MS store with this many people.
Listen, I'm not saying that elements of this weren't "photoshopped" - but I'm not seeing any similarities. Different clothes, hair, searing positions. Aside from being two females, I'm not seeing any other similarities...
I think you're reading way too much here
😂 I work next this store... and this image is photoshopped. 😂 They wish they were that popular! 😜
I think so many of you are focused on Microsoft hardware you've forgotten 75% of the product in the Microsoft store was from other brands. I bought two of my Dell laptops there. They had tons of gaming hardware, other laptop brands, and even phones that weren't windows based.
Honestly I loved the store because it was more like going to a Microcenter where you could play with everything, not just apple kit.
Honestly I loved the store because it was more like going to a Microcenter where you could play with everything, not just apple kit.
I have always enjoyed looking around and checking out all the latest tech in person. All the way back from Radio Shack, Comp-USA, Gateway 2000, Micro-Center, Circuit City, Fry's, Best Buy but I must admit I never stepped foot in a Microsoft store but honestly going to an Apple store to buy anything......I'd almost rather go to the dentist!
Well it sucks when 90% of their customers are kids just wanting to play pc and Xbox games. I swear I’ve seen more kids there than adults.
A good bit of Apple's success is at the consumer level, along with some business niches. MS has a much larger business sales and service model, and cloud computing, than Apple. I wish Apple would copy some of theie business essay software such as PowerBI.
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Those are some blastes from the past. I remember G2K's farm themed retail stores. One problem was people were not ready for the test drive and we'll ship to you model, IMHO.
It was "friends and family" day. Every employee got to bring a friend. There was cake and 7-up.
What a shame, the end of an era I suppose. It was always nice to get Apple like service for my surface pros, although Microsoft has always been good to me even over phone/chat.
Guarantee you that future historians will never refer back to the "Microsoft Store Era"
There is one Microsoft Store near me and it was never as busy as the Apple Store that was a couple stores down.
Though I am surprised by this news. I didn't think Microsoft was doing THAT bad in malls -- though I wonder if COVID more or less pushed Microsoft in that direction.
Though I am surprised by this news. I didn't think Microsoft was doing THAT bad in malls -- though I wonder if COVID more or less pushed Microsoft in that direction.
I don't think they ever sold much of everything in malls. It was more about service, brand recognition, and sort of a general showroom. I mean, i can swear i've never seen anyone in a mall walking around with a microsoft store bag. I've seen plenty of people carrying apple boxes and bags through the mall.