Microsoft considering retail stores, à la Apple
Microsoft is seriously investigating the prospect of opening a self-branded set of retail stores, according to a new claim. Alleged sources near Microsoft say that the company hopes to boost its brand by launching a retail chain that presents an ideal Microsoft experience, similar to Apple's own outlets.
What the store is likely to contain is unknown, though the company is likely to promote Windows and its software. It may also use the strategy to tout its own hardware, including the Xbox 360, the Zune, and potentially its smaller peripherals.
This guy in the Electronista comment section got it mostly right:
If the MS store worked like Windows:
You would enter the store and within 5 minutes everything would turn blue. The store employees would ask you to leave and enter again.
After about 3 months of the store being open, everybody who entered the store would experience a time dilation effect where everything would slow down to about 1/2 of normal speed... walking, talking, etc would be affected.
A sales associate would relentlessly follow you around the store saying things like, "I see you are looking at software. How can I help you with that?" and never stops with this behavior until you punch them out because you can't take it anymore.
A 'loss-prevention specialist' will tail your every step through the store.
The product pricing will be a mind-numbing array of different prices for each product depending upon what features you want.
Post Data
- Posted: Apr 11, 2008 by Scott McDaniel
- Tags: apple, links, microsoft, retail, Rumors
- Short URL: http://bit.ly/3v9Bm
