“Microsoft Corp. said Tuesday it is planning to open its first two retail stores in Arizona and California this fall,” Jessica Mintz reports for The Associated Press.
“The software maker said Tuesday it signed leases at shopping centers in Mission Viejo, Calif. and Scottsdale, Ariz. The Shops at Mission Viejo is already home to an Apple store. The other location, Scottsdale Fashion Square, does not have a competing Apple Inc. shop,” Mintz reports.
“Microsoft maker picked those areas because they’re “hot markets,” with the right demographics, said Kim Stocks, a corporate communications director at the company,” Mintz reports. “She said the stores will sell laptops in addition to Microsoft and third-party software, Zunes, and Xbox 360 games and consoles.”
Full article here.
I think they mean “attempt to sell…”
I see what they’re doing
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OMG! No Mission Viego!
o_O
OK Apple fans, be sure to flood the stores with problem PC.
Will they be getting a tax rebate?
Epic Flail.
If Microsoft had half a brain, they would throw this money at making deals with BestBuy to open a “Microsoft” section in the store, and have their own people staffed. Maybe even have a few “Gurus” on the Geek Squad for home service, something Apple doesn’t currently offer.
Someone should let the idiots running Microsoft know that daytime highs of 115° when unemployment and foreclosures are rampant in Scottsdale do not define a “hot” market. Sure Apple finally opened a store there, after they had opened 250 others.
Hey, Michael…you know Microshaft just might copy your ideas. So, you better hide it. Or do something with it before it’s too late.
@box. problem 1.
Customer: I bought this pc yesterday for $700.00
PC Salesman: What is wrong with it?
Customer: Its price fell as soon as I got it home!
PC Salesman: What is its value now?
Customer: $350.00
PC Salesman: Nothing wrong there, in fact you are lucky, there was a time when the price would have fallen even further!
Customer: When was that?
PC Salesman: When people upgraded their boxes with every new Windows operating system. Now go home and count your lucky stars that M$ are not churning out new OS’s every year! 🙁
@ Michael. Apple inc. has opened mini Apple shops in all the PC World stores. They are run by Apple employees and anything you buy from them is buying from Apple inc. itself. The only thing they don’t have more likely due to lack of space is a genius bar and tech personnel, also the staff are not as highly trained as the ones you would find in an Apple Store.
Did anyone read the similar article about this on CNET by Ina Fried?? Here’s a quote from there . . .
“Our customers have told us three things–they want a more simplified buying option for PCs and devices, great technology, and competitive prices and a knowledgeable staff.”
Is it just me or am I counting FOUR things, not three??
Idiots at M$
Maybe, MS’s strategy is, as some old Letterman fans (Perhaps Annnnd Down the Stretch they come?) might know this :
“You’ll come for the ham, you’ll stay for the band.”
Except, maybe in this case, they’ll take their ham to go, and pry into the Apple store next door. Great strategy is this, Microsoft. Way to expose your 90% market sufferers (literally too in this case as many will be bringing in their broken junks) to 10% competition with quality products across the hall.
I can imagine some strategy course at a decent university would flunk this strategy as it really ought to be the other way around.
Is it true that Ballmer is going to call the stores “CrabApple”
So those two areas are known for their slavish dependance upon Microsoft products?
@ box;
Why bother? I plan on hitting the M$ store while carrying a MacBook Pro/Air. I have no problems telling people that “Yes, a Macintosh can run everything you see on the shelf, so why don’t you pop on in to the Apple Store?”.
This should be very entertaining. I hope they put them right next to stores so it becomes painfully obvious, even to Enderle, Dvorak & the other gasbags, what people WANT.
MS store logo will be a fully eaten apple core turning brown.
Microsoft store layout:
Aisle 1: BSOD problems
Aisle 2: Virus problems
Aisle 3: Spyware problems
Aisle 4: Malware problems
Aisle 5: Registry bloat problems
Aisle 6: Keylogger problems
Did I forget one?
Aisle 7: Ballmer dance classes
@ Kevin
Is it just me or am I counting FOUR things, not three??
NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise…surprise and fear…fear and surprise…. Our two weapons are fear and surprise…and ruthless efficiency…. Our *three* weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency…and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope…. Our *four*…no… *Amongst* our weapons…. Amongst our weaponry…are such elements as fear, surprise….
aisle 8: copy machine
This is a pretty sizeable gamble which is going to be a spectacular failure. I couldn’t be happier. Microsoft is accelerating their decline, which I approve wholeheartedly.
Microsoft store in Scottsdale is in a Mall that most consumer’s with Money avoid. Why, because that mall is full of tourist and People that think by shopping in that mall they’ll be more like the people that live in Scottsdale. People that live in Scottsdale shop in the Stores 6 mile or so North of that Mall. Which by chance is were the Apple Store happens to be.
The Microsoft stores will open with no crowds or lines and will largely go unnoticed and unvisited by everyone.
Aisle 9: Chairs