 Will this be their first retail store? |
Microsoft Corp has announced plans to open its own chain of branded stores as it looks to catch up with rival Apple Inc’s successful move into retailing. The world’s largest software company, which also makes the Xbox video game console and the Zune digital music player, did not say how many stores it was looking to open, or when, or which of its products would be on sale.
That is to be decided by David Porter, a former DreamWorks Animation executive, which Microsoft named as its new vice president of retail stores.
Turner, a former Wal-Mart Stores Inc manager, will report to Microsoft chief operating officer Kevin Turner.
Microsoft, bruised by the poor reception of its latest Vista operating system, is facing increased competition from Apple, which is eating into the personal computer market and dominates the personal digital music player market with its iPod line.
They could be terrific – or they could suck. I think the funniest thing would be doing exact copies of the Apple stores – just as Apple has decided it’s time for a redesign.
I can see it now:
– The Crash Corner
– BSOD Bar & Grill
– ‘Patch Download Tuesday’ clothing
– A sitting area where you can wait for _______ (too many things to list) from MS
– Monkey Boy petting zoo
– Shoot An Apple Off The Head Of A Geek archery range out back
– 65% of the floor is devoted to selling virus, firewall and related products
– One, lone support person at the Average Bar who only knows how to tell you to contact your computer’s manufacturer
– You have to press Ctrl-Alt-Del on the keypad next to the door to get out. But you can’t. A hacker disabled it.
Why don’t they open an online store instead?
Can you say, “Massive failure?”
There are plenty of Microsoft stores–they’re called Best Buy, WalMart, and so forth.
The only problem with Vista (which is what runs my laptop) is that it doesn’t look like a business operating system, which is one reason corporate IT hasn’t warmed up to that OS. Macs have the same problem.
The support desk is going to be busy, if they make the bad decision to sell operating systems. If they sell Xboxes, Zunes, and Streets & Trips, meh.
Does anyone remember GATEWAY doing this and failing miserably?
Dell is not this stupid.
The only way this will work for Microsoft is if they have hookers on site.
Anytime Apple decides it’s time to redecorate, you know that the model home computer is broken.
They picked the perfect time to do this with the way the economy is.
So, they’ll sell software, Zunes and XBoxes. Sounds like a department in WalMart not a whole store.
#6
I remember it well! there were a couple of Gateway stores in my area…and some “TINY” too, which didn’t last very long.
Staff really did suck at both those stores
They already have this.
It’s called Best Buy.
I don’t mind Windoze (much), I do like M$ mice (practically unbreakable), and Works just works for me. But I’ll be damned if I’ll be expected to pay prices that aren’t in line with online stores.
I wonder if their hand held POS system is run on iPhones?
# 9 Nimby
Sounds like an Apple store.
Well, they sell copycat game systems, and copy cat MP3 players, so why not sell them in copy cat stores.
Wow, what a looming train wreck! Oh well, they go the money to waste.
Don
NOT EVERYTHING MICROSOFT DOES SUCKS:
* XP doesn’t suck.
It hits the best balance between power and ease. (if only they would tighten security! That sucks.)
* MS Publisher is fantastic.
I’m forced to use Pagemaker professionally but I prefer Publisher.
* Some of their peripherals are a good deal.
MS keyboards and mouses are good for the money. I especially like their keyboards.
OK. OK. I could make a longer list of MS stuff that SUCKS but they do some things right.
Also, I hate the recent version of Office but the last couple were OK. I switched to OpenOffice, so I don’t care anymore.
I’ve got a name for these stores:
VERSION 3
I think this would be good. Microsoft makes lots of great products that get missed. Many of their games are ignored like Pandora’s Box, various hardware devices, etc.
#19,
Im thinking this will be a nice hedge against BB. But then Im not expecting it to revolutionize going to a shopping mall and buying stuff the way Apple stores did.
Is it just me, or does this not make sense?
“Turner, a former Wal-Mart Stores Inc manager, will report to Microsoft chief operating officer Kevin Turner.”
Greg A:
* MS Publisher is fantastic.
I’m forced to use Pagemaker professionally but I prefer Publisher.
Dude…PM was killed in 1997. Get InDesign.
Publisher sucks donkey ball sweat…it’s the FrontPage of dtp apps. 😉
So how does MS plan to do this and not piss off their retail distributers. Look at it from Best Buy’s point of view. If I sell MS products, and then MS opens a store across the street, why should I have to compete with them?
In order to not piss of retailers, then MS will have to charge full price. Then customers will go to the retailers and the MS store will fail.
If MS tries to tell retailers what they can charge, like Apple does, then they get into some serious monopolistic legal area.
So… why? It doesn’t make sense.
@ #17;
Yes – everything M$ does suck; Zunw, Win Me, Win Vista, Win 7, Office 2007, M$ retail store, etc, etc, etc
M$ could be shooting themselves in the foot. If they sell for a certain price, then everyone else will have to sell at that price too. But because of the competition, the other retailers will lose business.
*
I like M$ keyboards and mice too.
#26 Do you think MS would try to go below existing retail? Doesn’t sound too smart, channel wise.
#23,
That was kinda my point, I don’t think you got my joke.
http://tinyurl.com/ajslp5
I’m a little skeptical of this working well. Apple is all about promoting Apple, so their stores make sense. Microsoft is much more about pushing the fact that they work with everything that you might find at Best Buy, so I think having a nice big Microsoft section at Best Buy might be a better idea. Apple’s advantages of design and one cohesive ecosystem aren’t Microsoft’s advantages; a boutique-like store wouldn’t feel as honest to who they are. Microsoft should remember that they are the market leader and shouldn’t emulate the underdog: they’re not the underdog.
If MS decides to go ahead with this, the best thing they could do is make their stores comfy and warm. Apple has the clinical look down to a T.
Microsoft has done this before, and it was a rollicking success.
Of course the experts have spoken before:
“I give them two years before they’re turning out the lights on a very painful and expensive mistake.”
David A. Goldstein, President, Channel Marketing Corporation in 2001 on Apple’s Retail Stores
Now that they bring the Wal-Mart experience to Microsoft it will be fun seeing door greeters and huge ladies on electric carts.