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Microsoft To Open Retail Stores
chaz373 writes "CNET reports that Microsoft is going retail. In the 'Beyond Binary' blog Ina Fried reports, 'After years of brushing off the notion, Microsoft said on Thursday that it will open up its own line of retail stores. Without detailing the plans, Microsoft said it has hired David Porter, a 25-year Wal-Mart veteran, to lead the effort. Sources say that Porter's mission will be to develop the company's retail plans and that the effort is likely to start small with just a few locations.'"
This should be entertaining...
I'm pretty skeptical myself. Why would anybody want to go into a store like that?
"Hey guys, want to head over to the mall and check out the new version of Office?"
"Awesome! Let's go!"
No. The above conversation will not happen with any great frequency because Microsoft is just not sexy, they are utilitarian and mundane.
Gentlemen! You can't fight in here, this is the war room!
Half the reason why Apple made their stores was to encourage people to test drive a Mac right there. They placed most of the stores in malls so people who had other shopping to do can just hop in and try this "Mac" thing out. On top of that, they are able to repair your computer (or at least send it out for repair) right there without giving you the trouble of shipping it yourself. The apple store is half the reason why I ended up with a Mac.
Most people are familiar with Windows so a "test drive" will not do much good. And the people who use Windows tend to be the people that end up using whatever OS is installed in their computer anyway. Microsoft is not really in the PC selling business so they can't help you with your laptop when there is a hardware problem. The only product I think the store will really push is mobile devices since they seem to think thats where a lot of money is (or at least they are scared that Linux or iPhone will grab too much of the market). They can be a "Windows Mobile Phone" store that sells phones that use WindowsCE. I can't think of anything else that would differentiate them from a "Best Buy" or "Frys".
Microsoft and Apple have different problems.
Apple had a case that their products were not shown in stores.
The Apple Ghetto Section in COMPUSA comes to mind, In the far right corner of the store with shelving arranged differently to prevent people from wondering into the area by mistake (you wanted to go to the Apple section to get there). When talking to the sales rep they will stray you away from the Apple Product and point to you a nice shiny new Compaq with Windows and say how much better that is, and give every false rumor and misconception about the apple product as possible.
So that is the key reason for the Apple store to actually show off and highlight their product in their own store. They made an inviting environment that makes all their products look really nice, and the sales rep will talk about its strengths. (granted they will not go too far to point out any weaknesses) As well offer basic training to the people looking at the product to ease the switching anxieties.
Microsoft has a different PR problem. Their success has trivialized their products. Even their high end software which is rather nice (if you are able to look at them threw un Fanboy/Zealot eyes) has the stigma of being sub-par home software. As well associating any and all PC problems that one has with Microsoft even if it isn't their fault. Really gives them a PR problem. Now I am not sure a retail store will fix it. Showing off the software is a much more difficult problem. It takes time to determine if you want or like the software. Vs. say a Mac which just looks cool and you feel that it can do what you want it to do. Most people felt they have been burned by Microsoft far more then people who felt burned by Apple so standard marketing will make them suspicious.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
What MS could offer is:
1) A place to buy PCs as electronics retailers are closing (No Comp USA, No Circuit City), they don't want the only retail option to be Apple Store.
2) Guided test drive, let people use Vista, but be shown a few things. Let the first experience with virtual bouncer be an explanation from someone about how it protects them, let them know it shouldn't happen when they aren't installing new software, and shortly after they get their new computer they won't be seeing it at all.
3) They can run it at a loss, and treat the guiding as a PR expense.
4) Unlike other retailers they can make money on computers, since like Apple they own the OS.
I think it is an intriguing idea for them, and if done right could help them a lot. I think the Mojave thing showed that people can like Vista when shown what new tools it has for them, but when just having it dumped upon they hated it. If they had 8 or 9 computers hi-lighting the different things you can do, people would be much warmer to it I think.
For example, there were tons of complaints about XP vs 2000, and even 98, but I liked XP. They ability to print a bunch of photos out strait from explorer was worth the extra shard of RAM on a new computer. There were a few other things that were nice, but that was the big one.
In Vista, I like the new start button (search by typing), the new explorer, and the new filtering. It feels like Gnome, plus KDE start button. These are things people could be shown and like (looking for a file in a big folder, type ANY part of it's name, I think I did this, if I am wrong correct me). I HATE the default theme though, and generally use the classic look.
Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
Umm... Anyone can recognize an apple computer, it really isn't terribly hard, so no, it's not a metric of intelligence.
Just shallowness
Self proclaimed typo king, and inventor of the bear destroying coffee table (patent not pending).
When Apple went into retail, they got a guy from the nice Gap stores to set it up. When Microsoft does the same thing, they get a guy from WalMart. That pretty much sums up the difference between Apple and Microsoft.
That wasn't really a store. It was more of a really one demonstration showroom and it has been closed.
Huh? There were shrink-wrapped products and cash registers, IIRC. That is a store.
"Microsoft has a different PR problem. Their success has trivialized their products. Even their high end software which is rather nice..."
I'd say Microsoft's problem is first, that they can't design or maintain a robust, secure, desktop operating system; and second, that they continually ignore customer desires for a stable OS environment in favor of a business plan that forces upgrades.
Which high end software are you speaking of? Word? Excel? Project? Word's user interface changes every time they do a new version. A tool shouldn't change unless it helps you do your job better. Project is insanely overpriced. It's good software, but not great. MS should concentrate on making it "great" and "affordable". Because they are no longer the only game in town (thanks to OpenOffice.org), and people don't like not having a choice.
Several of my friends, faced with defunct laptops and the option of "Vista or nothing" on a new purchase, opted to jump to Apple instead of staying with Microsoft. This is not just one, but several of my friends and acquaintances. I think Microsoft may be in bigger trouble than they realize...
Keep the faith kid. From what I can tell. Mojave was someone who knew what they were doing walking through all of the things that Vista can do. That is different than end users doing it themselves. Trust me on this one. I have users on my network that need help every three moths to burn files onto a CD in Xp.
I could have a presenter show them how easy it is. They would tell you how cool and easy XP is....Then three months later still call the help desk and ask how to burn a CD.
Three is a difference between a rigged demo and Joe Sixpack using Vista. It took Joe Sixpack 5 years to learn where everything is at in XP. Even if it is easier in Vista, it is harder, because it is not where Joe expects it to be. It is also not called what he expects it to be called.
vi +
There were no customers though, that's the tricky bit.
I remember going there. It was a bizarre empty space of rows of software boxes. They tried to make it hands on, but there wasn't really anything interesting going on, and nothing really anyone would want to buy in a retail store. That's why it closed two years later. It wasn't really a store so much as a show of thing.
Apple planned cybercafes in 1997 that similarly fizzled, but when the company got serious about retail, they brought on a retailer CEO to the board, and hired a team of big name merchandizing and retail real estate experts.
Microsoft has put the thing in charge of a marketing droid from Dreamworks who had been a manager at Walmart, and who answers to the COO, who sees the plan as a way to, in his words:
"transform the PC and Microsoft buying experience at retail by improving the articulation and demonstration of the Microsoft innovation and value proposition so that itâ(TM)s clear, simple and straightforward for consumers everywhere"
I am not making that up - good luck with that.
Microsoft to open new retail stores like Apple