“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
Actually there at least 4 Apple stores within 20 miles of Mission Viejo.
Now my wife has a place to go if she has a problem with her Office for Mac.
They will support that, right?
@Demon,
I disagree. The first few stores will most likely open with lines and I’m sure Microsoft (and some press) will make a big deal about that.
The question is, will there be lines when they open the 10th and 15th store once the novelty wears off?
Locations of future (planned) Microsoft stores:
http://www.apple.com/retail/storelist/
RE :: Bream Rockmetteller
Attempt to sell? Whether $500 or $2000, Microsoft sells 90% of the market… I believe Apple attempts to sell to the market which is 9%.
Apple is not growing at an alarming rate, it seems that the Apple faithful is buying new Macs every two to three years…
PS… I believe what Microsoft did with Vista (many people had to buy new computers to support the OS), Apple is doing with Snow Leopard! Lovely
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Got a PowerPC that works? Like it a lot? Don’t want to part with it? Want Snow Leopard? No can do! LOL HAHAHAHAHA
Great Job Apple!!! Microsoft did it years ago and now Apple is doing it too…. LOL HAHAHAHAHAHA
In my considered opinion, I predict that there will be lines at both store openings. Those lines will be peopled by Apple folks who want a front-row seat for the train wreck.
I live about a mile south of where the Scottsdale store will be. I doubt if I’ll show up for the opening, but I will definitely visit at least once, because who doesn’t like a good train wreck? =)
@Demon,
You got that right.
I haven’t seen the Apple store in Scottsdale yet, but I’m familiar with both areas you mention and the Apple store is in a very nice upscale location.
Mission Viejo?????? Cool… I get a front row seat!
ok…. I’m going to the MS store opening and taking pics w my iphone, the posting the link here the same day
RE: Joel
You’re comparing Apples and oranges.
The issue with Vista related MS releasing on OS that had difficulty running on then-currently produced, middle to low-end PC hardware.
Snow Leopard, on the other hand, will run fine on any Mac from a maxed-out MacPro down to a Mini. The issue with Snow Leopard is about Apple releasing an OS that won’t run on obsolete Mac hardware.
It’s not the same issue.
and @Joel
Most of Snow Leopard is under the hood, no new features
I have an early 2006 Core Duo (not core 2 duo) and my graphics isn’t one of the newer ones that can take advantage
I don’t think I will see that much advantages with Snow Leopard, but I am happy with Leopard, till the time for a new machine.
Wow, I’m about 4 miles from the Mission Viejo mall. I’ll have to check out this microsoft store. Can’t wait to see how many ‘resemblances’ there are to an Apple store…
@ The Other Steve
Ok, I’ll grant you that the first few stores might open with opening day lines (of less then 100 people) and crowds the first week after opening (of 5 -15 people). But, I still think the one in Scottsdale will open with no line and no crowd. Unless Microsoft buys them.
This does not compare with the Apple Store lines of Thousands and crowds of 50 to 100. I went all the Apple Store opening here in Metro Phoenix the smallest line on opening day was about 700 and I’ve never been in any of the stores with a crowd of fewer then 30, except early on Saturday morning right after opening when there was 15 people in the store before it opened for business with training and Genus appointments but, by the time I left there were 25 people in the store looking to buy stuff.
I just had a Genius Bar of an idea! Start a company to hire people for lines and opening 2 weeks crowds for Microsofts Store openings. I’d charge Microsoft $200.00 a person of an opening day line and then $150.00 for each person in the open 2 weeks crowds in the store. If M$ wanted say a line of a thousand people I make a gross of $200,000 and then keep a crowd in the store of 50 people for 12 hours $180,000.00 for was 2 weeks $2,520,000.00 for a total opening store cost of $2,720,000.00 or $5,440,000.00 for the two stores you pay each independent contractor recruit $75.00 to queue at the grand opening then all the queued minions would be offered $50.00 for each 30min. stint of browsing around the M$ Store with a maximum each day of say $600.00 and they could do the stints each day over the 14 days of the grand 2 weeks.
Aisle 10: RETURNS!
“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??
You misunderstand. You have to pick three of the four. You don’t get all four. You only get three. Now. Which three do you want?
I predict open day at the MS store.
Crickets chirping………..
What sort of demographic are they talking about? Are they targeting stingy misers who make Ebenezer Scrooge look as kindly and self-sacrificing as Mother Theresa? That seems to be the targets of their Laptop Hunter ads.
Demon and Other Steve, here’s a thought …
They’ll hire folks like Lauren to “innovate” a line
D’oh
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(hope didn’t just give the Dumb Bastards a Great Idea)
Now, krquet
Am such a fortunate and official “old ham fan”
Had been watching him for about 6 months
As we then were introduced, after him, to Linda Overnight
And so it goes …
BC
You shtiheads better worry about what is really going to happen when MS gaze is full on this.
The management at Microsoft have to be the biggest idiots in the world. Seriously, any computer store already carries MS crap. But, I always like to look at the positive of any thing. It will be a perfect opportunity to short msft, when their story flops.