Microsoft Retail Stores

[lsufrontier]

Hey I was reading on the internet that Microsoft is planning on opening up retail stores similar to Apple? What do yall think of this? Anybody have anymore info on it? Thanks

 

[Lordbob75]

Hey I was reading on the internet that Microsoft is planning on opening up retail stores similar to Apple? What do yall think of this? Anybody have anymore info on it? Thanks

This happened a while ago actually.

I keep meaning to visit the first one over in Scottsdale.

~Lordbob

 

[lsufrontier]

Ohh ok. I saw that there is only two stores open though. I wonder when they plan on opening more. I also wonder how the store that are open look.

 

[Lordbob75]

No idea to all those.

~Lordbob

 

[adrian271]

I've been to the one in the Mission Viejo (CA), it's a really nice store. They have a few touch screen tables which are hit among the kids. They have an assortment of Sony computers and laptops, a lot Dell/Alienware, HP, Sony. They have a huge touchscreen in the back which I think also serves as a learning center where they can give classes though I haven't hung around the store long enough to see one. Though, if you're not tall enough you can't touch all the parts of the screen; I saw a 12 yr old struggling to close a window.

They have some Xbox stuff, a station that will make software CDs and DVDS and print them right before you. The walls are all screens which I heard get ridiculously hot if there is no AC blowing. But they use these as interchangeable decor or can be used to play XBox games or display like monitor.

In comparison to an Apple store, its better and seems a lot more fun to roam around. Though, I doubt MS sells anywhere close to what Apple does through their retail stores.

 

[thefabe]

Well they sure choose a great location for a store Very high dollar area in California. So if their is any money to be spent that would be the place. JMO . Fabe

 

[smarteyeball]

I doubt MS sells anywhere close to what Apple does through their retail stores.

That's because Apple have an established advantage of selling an 'image' .

MS simply doesn't have anywhere near that sort of 'image' (a good thing IMO)

Broadly put:

Form over function = Apple
Function over Form = MS


Besides, a store that doesn't have "Geniuses" working at a "Genius Bar" just isn't chic enough...

 

[NoN]

I doubt MS sells anywhere close to what Apple does through their retail stores.

That's because Apple have an established advantage of selling an 'image' .

MS simply doesn't have anywhere near that sort of 'image' (a good thing IMO)

Broadly put:

Form over function = Apple
Function over Form = MS


Besides, a store that doesn't have "Geniuses" working at a "Genius Bar" just isn't chic enough...

MS recently open their "Windows Café" in Paris (not yet been there)...Guess they do try having their "Image", in polite sense of terms

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
I'm not sure what they would actually SELL in these places -- but it seems a nice but flawed idea.

Apple has the advantage in that you have to buy the WHOLE package hardware AND software.

MS only really supplies the software and a lot of this is quite easily delivered by other (and cheaper) means.

Maybe if these were more like Education / Internet centres or cafes then they could do some good but I'm not sure at all of what "business model" they are following.

As an "Advertising presence" showing new technology such as 3-D / Virtual Reality etc it could be good but would be expensive for MS to do well.

If I need software I'm not likely to go to one of the most expensive parts of California (although still a beautiful area) when I could buy it on the Net at a considerable discount.

Now if MS teamed up with SKY TV to provide a lot of places for watching the World Cup in 3D -- then THAT would go down a treat.

IBM and Rolex have been working for years at the Wimbledon tennis championships -- so why shouldn't MS get together with SKY to provide 3D viewing for what is probably the LARGEST sporting event in the world (FIFA WORLD CUP 2010) -- and this would get them ready to do the same for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[NoN]

Guess many things are made of "attitude" , "trend"...Apple is good at that and please many customers by his way of life...MS seems taking the same way but might be shy or prudent not harm their mostly average customers, and losing market! Windows 7 is already a little revolution. Tendency of manufacturers to make their new computers looks like some Apple's one by keyboard design, thinner design should boost MS to a new kind.

What a must have:

An IMMACULATE McBook / iMac, with Harman Kardon SoundSticks II Clearglass /JBL Creature III white, Airport at home....White paint everywhere, glass table! I'm not being sarcastics but it is not the way i'm, give me your white pants and 10 seconds to bring it back to you with coffee on it!!

 

[artfd]

I live in NE OH & knew that a Microsoft outlet opened at the Beachwood Place mall months ago, about 30 miles from where I live.
In Oct 2012 they opened a "pop-up" store there, basically a kiosk.
I do almost everything computer-related online now, except that there is an excellent retail outlet, MicroCenter, about 4 miles from Beachwood that I visit several times a year, they often have really good deals on equipment that's being phased out, and sell refurbished stuff with optional extended warranties for very reasonable prices. I bought a regular version of OneNote 2010 software for $18 there, the cheapest price I have found anywhere.
But I never had a reason to veer off my usual path, and check out the Microsoft retail outlet a short distance from MicroCenter.
In April 2013 Microsoft opened a regular retail store in the same mall, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8uUxy2l_nI
Still had no reason to visit. Then my sister moved back to NE OH from NM, and lives in an apartment 7 miles from Microcenter. So now I go up weekly, visit Sis and then the Microcenter. Two weeks ago sis got a Dell touchscreen laptop with Win 8.1 from her daughter & suddenly got bogged down with malware & browser hijackers as she set up her new machine. I spent 2.5 hours the other day debugging her machine.
As I was heading toward the Microcenter, I decided to veer off & pay a visit to the Microsoft retail outlet.
I was quite pleased. The staff was enthusiastic, friendly & very knowledgeable. I used a test question to see how they would respond, e.g. for someone who bought Office 2010 Home & Student Family and who had lost the installation media but still had a valid installation code key, what were the options? They could answer the question in 30 seconds, faster than it took me to find out at home.
I got a free diet Mountain Dew while I was there.
I found that they offered free virus and malware removal from Microsoft systems, and :tip: went off.
I called my sister from the store & told her about this. She lives just 5 miles from that store. Since then she has stopped by twice to have funny stuff fixed on her new laptop, which happened while she waited. She was careful to show up in mid-afternoon & not on the weekends, times which are the slowest there.
A good thing to know, and a great benefit for my sister, and indirectly for me