Microsoft Retails Stores on the Horizon?

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.neoseeker.com/news/7878-microsoft-to-open-retail-outlets/' target='_blank'>http://www.neoseeker.com/news/7878-...retail-outlets/</a><br /><br /></div><em>&quot;Sources close to Fudzilla stated Microsoft indeed does want to forge a stronger bond with their retail consumers. Much like Apple has done with their Apple Retail Stores, Microsoft seems as though it will be following the same pattern. Anyone not familiar with the Apple outlets: they essentially offer a more personalized experience, giving you the most accurate and expert information for whatever product you need assistance with. Occasionally presentations and workshops are featured as well. Essentially, it's a forum for Apple to show off their stuff, and not just products. It's effective, kind of like technical support without all the annoyances of phoning fifty different lines or waiting a day or two on an e-mail response while your main computer is busted.&quot;</em><br /><br /><img border="1" alt="" src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/500/zt/auto/1207869262.usr1.jpg" /><br /><br />I'm not sure how much veracity I place in this, but if true, I'm not so sure it's a good idea. From a purely consumer perspective, Microsoft doesn't have as much to bring to the table in terms of their own hardware and software as Apple does. Yes, their software runs on a huge number of devices out there, but you can count on one hand the number of products where Microsoft controls both the hardware and software experience from end to end (Xbox, Zune, Keyboards, Mice, Webcams - did I miss anything?). <br /><br />Plus, because such a huge percentage of people run Microsoft software in one form or another, the related number of people with problems is proportionately just as big. The level of product expertise and trouble-shooting knowledge that the staff at a Microsoft store would need to have would be staggering - and where does the troubleshooting end and the finger-pointing begin? If a laptop is crashing, is it the OS or faulty hardware? The level of diplomatic skill required to explain a customer that you can't help them without upsetting them is typically beyond the skills of your average minimum wage worker.<br /><br />This just seems like an all-around bad idea to me - unless, and this is a big &quot;unless&quot;, the stores were purely focused on home and entertainment. A store with Xbox 360s and accessories, Zunes and accessories, maybe a bunch of &quot;Games for Windows&quot; titles, etc. If the store was obviously focused on home entertainment, Joe six-pack probably wouldn't bring in his Windows 98 Dell laptop with its 89 viruses and 149 spyware programs looking for help...

[Russ Smith]

I agree. It's a bad idea. Apple stores somewhat fit the Apple marketing philosophy of marketing the hardware. Microsoft's marketing philosophy is to put Microsoft programs pretty much everywhere. That doesn't lead to a specific storefront so much as it leads to every storefront.

[Fritzly]

I beg to disagree: a space setup more as a showroom than a classic store could only be beneficial to the MS brand.
They could even, finally, launch a fully upgradeable MS Smartphone and trying to begin the slow process of regaining some market share.

[Jason Dunn]

I beg to disagree: a space setup more as a showroom than a classic store could only be beneficial to the MS brand.

But what would they show? I can see some interesting "showroom" ideas if they were to show off their online Live tools, etc. But a traditional store? That's harder.

They could even, finally, launch a fully upgradeable MS Smartphone and trying to begin the slow process of regaining some market share.

Ah, but that's where things get ugly - do the carriers want to feel like they're competing with Microsoft? I doubt it - Cingular wants Cingular customers going to Cingular stores...not a Microsoft store.

Microsoft is in a tough place when it comes to concepts like this.

[ucfgrad93]

I don't understand what the draw will be to get people in the door. A bunch of software, keyboards, and mice? This doesn't seem like a good idea to me but, I'll reserve judgment until I see the plans for it.

[Fritzly]

Ah, but that's where things get ugly - do the carriers want to feel like they're competing with Microsoft? I doubt it - Cingular wants Cingular customers going to Cingular stores...not a Microsoft store.


So it would At&T but nevertheless Apple got it its way and not only with them: Apple is closing the same kind of deal with TIM, a division of Telecom Italia group and has already closed it with with Orange in France, O2 in the UK and T-Mobile in Germany.
As I stated in another post carriers are just "paper tigers".
Sure in order to exercise this kind of leverage MS would need something by far better than WM 6.1 and maybe even better than WM 7. Could we say WM 8 and by year end?

[Rocco Augusto]

Who knows, maybe with Bill stepping down the company will start to make some changes like taking more control of hardware as well as software. Personally, I would love to buy a Microsoft designed laptop where they were in charge of the hardware and software development. Microsoft could take an approach similar to Apple and only created hardware that isn't for the faint of heart (or in this case, wallet).

Sure creating their own hardware and software would be a huge OEM nightmare for companies such as HP and Dell, but Microsoft is not above cutting off its own arm to survive. Anyone remember URGE? ;)

[doogald]

Why couldn't they invite retailers to sell their products at Microsoft stores, as well as provide similar services to the Apple Genius Bar? So, you can go to the Microsoft Store and look at laptops from Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc., decide on one, and then perhaps pay for something like Apple's ProCare to have a Genius transfer data from your existing laptop to your new one? They can also do some other services for existing customers as well. People can also find printers and other peripherals, Zunes, Xbox 360s and peripherals, etc.

Apple has provided a good model to follow, and Microsoft could add more things that Apple is not doing (xbox gaming tournaments, stuff like that.)

[Phillip Dyson]

I think there is some potential here for MS. They would definitely have he Xbox and Zune brands off the bat. Then there is Surface and others coming down the pipeline.

Its also an opportunity for MS to show how all of their products can integrate together.

I do seem to recall Apple realizing that clones were a detriment to their model in the past. Microsoft may face that reality if they try to play the partner and End-to-End sides at the same time.

Perhaps rather than requiring innovation in their partners, they could push the envelope themselves with some of their platforms (WM anyone?), yet charge a premium for it.

[Jason Dunn]

This is a tangent, but a fun one, so...

I do seem to recall Apple realizing that clones were a detriment to their model in the past.

Did they ever! I'm going to get my dates wrong (oh wait, Wikipedia helped with that), but around 1995 Apple licensed their OS to other computer companies, wrongly thinking that the "Apple Faithful" would continue to pay the huge premium that Apple was charging for their hardware (compared to the PC market).

What happened? Most people around that time bought Mac clones, because what they really loved was the Mac OS, not the Mac hardware. UMAX, Motorola, and others were making Mac clones - and they were making them less expensive than Apple was. Isn't it funny to think of Motorola making a computer?

Anyway, Jobs came back to power, and didn't renew the OS license so when Mac OS 8 came out, the clone manufacturers were sitting there with their OS 7 machines and Jobs effectively killed them all off. Want to talk about brutal, monopolistic tactics? Apple was far harsher (on a smaller relative scale) than Microsoft has ever been. One of the many reasons why I never believe Apple's self-promoted image as the "nice" computer company. There many be a lot to like about Apple and OS X, but it's very important to remember history.

The whole history here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macintosh_clone

[doogald]

Well, my old company bought one of those UMAX machines, and let's just say that there was a pretty good reason why Steve Jobs decided to stop licensing the OS. As history has shown . . .

[Jason Dunn]

Well, my old company bought one of those UMAX machines, and let's just say that there was a pretty good reason why Steve Jobs decided to stop licensing the OS. As history has shown . . .

The UMAX machines weren't any good from a hardware point of view? I never had one, so I'll take your word for it. :) What was the reason he stopped licensing it in your opinion?

[inteller]

this is a very bad idea. They would be painting a huge bullseye on themselves. You only get loyal zealots walking into an Apple Store to say their prayers and make their daily sacrifice at the Altar of Steve. A microsoft store would bring out the FUD filled whackos who want to vent their vitriol at MS. You'd need to hire big brawny plain clothes dudes who doubled as security to get rid of all the misinformed idiots who turn violent. You'd also have to deal with all the jerks who make it their life to come in and try to screw up the machines.


MS should work with Gamestop and other places like them to give MS consumer devices like Zune and Xbox 360 more prominent floorspace. At my local Gamestop, the Microsoft stuff is shoved to the back of the store.