MacDailyNews’ intrepid sometimes-reporter “Joe Architect” went on a reconnaissance mission deep into enemy territory yesterday and he took notes about the Microsoft’s Retail Store “experience” in Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall in Scottsdale, Arizona:
• The mall all area around store rather empty. No line to get in. Keep in mind this is only 3 hrs after opening. Must have run out of “good” freebies. Pile of clear freebie HP printers still at area by “genius counter” or whatever they call it.
• Store was somewhat crowded but not even close to full.
• I would say at least 1/3 people were staff or ms promo folks due to obvious badly-colored logo shirts.
• Staff seemed older than what you see at apple. Not cool hipster geeks. Rather soccer moms and even retirees. “Genius counter” even had older workers – i.e. not helpful seeming geek types.
• Yes, this is a very obvious attempt to copy Apple, but on the super cheap.
• It’s like Microsoft copied the line drawings of the Apple ceiling plan (slot lights, luminous panels), but skipped the quality materials and refined detail. All cheap painted drywall – no metal bands, etc. Plastic luminous ceiling panels with poorly masked florescennt tubes. Also the ceiling is very low for retail. Compared to the Apple Store in Kierland this felt like a cave.
MacDailyNews Note: In all fairness, even if Microsoft doesn’t deserve it, the Apple Store, Scottsdale Quarter is a work of art and a mall store shouldn’t really be compared with it. That said, it sounds like any of Apple’s mall stores would make Microsoft’s look bad anyway – even before the products are placed.
• Big tables like Apple Stores, but made of cheap plastic laminate with wood pattern (vs actual hardwood). Dark brown plastic lam tops to be “different”. Just like zune. Clumsy detailing of legs to top. Display of product does not look “clean” like Apple. “Tasteless” is the word that keeps popping into mind.
• “Tons of cords” on tables. Just like that old iMac ad comparison. Lots of HP crap. HP must have out-paid Dell et al. Hodge podge of black and blue and brown and silver plastic. Makes for Best Buy-like look, but on lighter Apple-knockoff background (vs Best Buy blue shag carpet environ).
• Floor is cheap pergo-ish maple laminate (vs Apple green slate) aka your typical GAP store.
• LCD panels approx 5′ high running length of store both sides. Up high above side counters But nothing on them except repeating win logo. Perhaps a software glitch? Also display band is actually just stacked off-shelf lcds each with thick bezel. May work when you are far enough away but here you are so close any attempt to do big images spanning multiple panels will be very clunky.
• No other signage except ripoff of Apple app grid poster seen bottom right of photo. Truly could not decipher the “organization” of store. Disorganization is more like it. No clarity regarding which area is for this and which is for that. Just seemed like a blur of same junk on every table. Could be deliberate i.e. to confuse.
• Genuis counter seemed small (for assumed need) and the back is glass, so you really cannot see where it is.
• In the short time I was in there (30 minutes) I did not see anyone buying or even carrying anything. No shopping bags seen. No obvious queues at registers or staff with handhelds swipping cards (as you see pretty much constantly at Apple Stores).
• Lastly I would cite the poor choice of location in this mall. On darker lower floor of side leg down a bit from dramatic central atrium (food court/movies). Customers would have to go find it or randomly run into it. It’s really a poor choice as there are plenty of vacancies in better spots, but presumably they cost more to rent (more cheapness on the part of Microsoft).
MacDailyNews Take: Could Microsoft just be doing this for what they think is “publicity” with no intention of actually keeping these stores open and/or seriously building out a network of retail stores? If so, they’d really open themselves up to huge amounts of negative PR when the “closed” signs” go up in Arizona and elsewhere. Why would a monopolist with tens of billions of dollars on-hand not spend the relatively paltry sum it would take to do things right? Of course, we could ask that about Windows, Xbox, Zune, etc., too. Cheapness and/or laziness really seems to be ingrained in Microsoft’s DNA.
Copied right down to the fricking Windows logo on the storefront. Does anyone really equate that logo with anything?!?
disposableidentity, rob:
Age has nothing to do with passion/knowledge for a product.
I’m 19m and I know more than most people would ever want to about Apple and other computer products. I happen to know both older people AND younger people than I who know more about technology than I do.
I also happen to know people older AND younger than I that have no idea what a hard drive is (or how to turn on a computer, for that matter).
I don’t Zeith
last time I was in an Apple store, (small one in Las Vegas mall)
I was in line for check out with 4 other people , 2 of us buying Mac’s, 2 buying iPhone’s, and the other person some kind of accessory .
and that was a 10-15 minute snap shot
Let M$ spend more cash on wasted efforts. We need them to continue to flush money down the drain on failing projects.
If M$ earn $14B in today’s quarterly report that means Apple’s revenue is ~ 80% of M$’s. As M$ continue to waster money hopefully their profit level will drop too.
Hey, wtf!?! I’m 55, and while certainly no geek I know a bit about Mac, using one since ’88. But I do know guys older than me that definitely qualify as geeks. While younger and middle-aged consumers might not be as open to listening to geek-speak from older folks, older folks certainly do not have that problem.
And I have seen elderly workers at an Apple store, although few in comparison to other age groups. Still, since these retail stores are fairly new it’s not surprising.
You think Woz working a genius bar would be a turnoff for customers CAUSE HE’S OLD!!!
How appropriate: http://www.peopleofmicrosoftstores.com
Thank you for providing my lulz for the day.
You’re the best!
Whats wrong with old? I’m 50 and have owned Macs since 1984. I’ve probably forgotten more about Macs than the writer will ever know. Not that I need a retail job since I am an IT architect. Anyway..I work only a few miles from this store. I’ll have to drop by next time I go to the Apple store.
I’m lactose intollerant. Today I’m loading up on milk, cheese and some Starbucks Mocha with lots of real milk.
In a few hours, I’m going to go to the Microsoft Store, look around, and fart. Quickly dash away and watch the action.
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Check out the video and all of the negative feedback.
The next MS store report should come from someone who spent some time being a fly on the wall near the guru bar. Lots of smiling happy people there for sure!
Quoting myself:
“I’m 19m and […]”
Whoops! I’m nineteen years old, not nineteen meters. =]
I’ve never been in the Microsoft store, but the one Apple store I’ve been in (a Mall in Houston) was kind of a dive. Reminded me a bit of a warehouse rather than a nice store. So maybe all Apple stores aren’t created equal.
And really, who cares how old the workers in the store are? Some of us Apple users aren’t exactly spring chickens ourselves. If you think (not young) = (technically challenged & not hip) then you just need to wait a few years till you’ve matured some and then re-evaluate.
In recent advertising, Microsoft has maintained PCs are a cheaper alternative to Apple Macs. To support this new branding, it is only logical that Microsoft roles out cheaply done stores.
Refail store.
Zeith:
A few months ago, a report came out about Apple’s retail business. It turned out that EVERY Apple store has significantly higher revenue per square foot than its neighbours. The flagship store in NYC (the one on 5th Avenue, across the street from The Plaza Hotel) raked in three times more revenue per sqft ($35k) than Tiffany ($18k), Harry Winston ($12k), Bergdorf Goodman, Bulgari, Prada, Disney, Louis Vuiton, Cartier… In other words, in a year, the store sells a C-class Mercedes for every square foot of retail space!
So, yes, Apple retail stores seem to be famous in the retail industry as the ones that rake in significantly higher revenue per sqft than their competitors.
gotta love it when an anti apple person wanders into this forum. They immediately try to point out flaws to protect windows etc.. its Kinda like when someone gets picked on and the answer is “Oh yeah….well….well…your mom dresses funny!!!”
idiot…
well, my math didn’t come out right… The point remains; Apple rakes in twice (not three times) as much as the next competitor (Tiffany’s). The rest of the message stands.
Numbers don’t lie, you moron. Every quarter, AAPL posts record profits, margins, and revenues. Take a look at the last one, dolt. Their stock is at a record high. Is MSFT? Uh, duh, uh, duh, NO.
How’d the summer quarter go for you, MSFTie? Profitable? Equity price up? NO? Damn, that 14% revenue drop’s really gotta hurt.
Hmmm. NOTE FOR THOSE WHO WILL NOT SEE: Only $50 billion to go and Apple is bigger than Microsoft. Ask Michael Dell how that feels! (Apple Inc. is now 6x larger than Dell, and growing. Too bad, so sad, Mikey!)
Get a life, Zeith! (And start a’migratin’ your XP box over to Mojave Vista 7!)
“Staff seemed older than what you see at apple. Not cool hipster geeks. Rather soccer moms and even retirees. ‘Genius counter’ even had older workers – i.e. not helpful seeming geek types.”
As one of those retired types, I resent this mindless agist stereotyping. I’ve taught those youthful geek types a thing or two they didn’t know, but I’ll refrain from doing so henceforward, since they seem to know it all already!
Yes, I am EXTREMELY pissed!
BTW: I could also teach the author of this piece how to spell, but again why bother telling anything to those who know it all already?
If they want more business, they should put some nice cushioned couches in there, then tired shoppers could sit down and drowse the product line.
@Berrylium
I’m 46 and I get annoyed with such ageist comments. I have a Diploma in IT and I’m studying for my Degree.
But I’ll forget about that comment the next time I go to my favourite Apple Store.
Did anyone happen to watch ’30 Rock’ last night? There was a scene where they were designing a new GE microwave and the guy was using a black laptop that had a white Microsoft logo on the lid.
That had me baffled. Possibly just something MS fabricated and paid NBC to place in the show?
Guys,
Give MS a break. The company is run by a used car sales man…. Ok not used cars…… but close. LOL
Remember the articles about how Apple worked hard to decide what their stores should look like. They even build a dummy store to try things out in. Even Disney build the test store at Steve’s urging.
And from what I hear….. it makes a big difference in the final product. MS, says — So what? See, there is the difference.
Just a thought.
en