“Microsoft continues to aggressively expand its retail presence, building new stores in close proximity to Apple’s existing retail locations,” Neil Hughes reports for AppleInsider.
“The first Microsoft Store opened in Scottsdale, Ariz., in October of 2009, attempting to replicate some of the great success Apple has had opening its own stores across the world. The Microsoft Stores borrow ideas from Apple, including a ‘Guru Bar’ akin to Apple’s Genius Bars where employees assist customers, and Microsoft even attempted to hire away some Apple retail employees for its own operations,” Hughes reports. “Since Microsoft’s retail venture began in 2009, the Redmond, Wash., company has continued to quietly expand its brick-and-mortar footprint. Microsoft’s official retail website advertises that 11 new stores are “coming soon” across North America.”
“The upcoming 11 store openings, including its first outside the U.S. in Toronto, will represent a huge increase in Microsoft’s retail presence Since 2009, the Windows maker has opened a total of 20 stores to date,” Hughes reports. “A Microsoft spokesperson told AppleInsider that those 20 stores have seen more than 13 million customers over the last three years.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Keep bribing grand opening visitors to show up for free concert tickets and counting every 10 year-old whose mom parks him in your store in front on an Xbox while she shops, Microsoft. You’re doing a great job!
Apple currently has 373 retail stores open worldwide.
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What a great retail strategy! Keep it up Ballmer!
Here’s to a Microsoft store next to EVERY Apple store!
They cannot be making money with these stores.
Microsoft throws so much money away on stuff like this. I know they’re supposed to have a lot of cash, but I keep thinking they’re going to end in some Enron-like scandal where their assets were fake.
Microsoft’s assets are entirely conjured up in excel – same as its been since the late 90s. They just plug in the numbers they like and roll off a copy for PR.
Who needs tangibles when you have an instant profit/loss wizard? The only figures obviously they couldn’t fake were for Zune, Xbox and kin sales numbers.
Easy now little man! Your beloved Apple has had it’s share of misses as well. Tone it down and take your meds.
I have a few early gen iPods I can sell you and you can Ping that!
Microsoft may not be making money, but the construction workers that remodel the spaces into MS stores, the malls where they are located, the local governments who collect the sales tax an property taxes from them, the companies that clean them, the liquidation specialists called in when the stores fail – all of them make money off those stores.
Keep up the good work Microsoft – you’re contributing to the economy!
Now, I would like some real data such as how much revenue the stores bringing in per square foot. Are they actually making money or costing the company and shareholders money.
Come on Balmy, fess up. Is your strategy sound?
“[Microsoft] has continued to quietly expand its brick-and-mortar footprint.”
They also seem pretty quiet about revenue and earnings at their stores. I have yet to see where they have reported hard dollar numbers for retail. Anybody else?
Yes, every time Microsoft sells an ASUS, Dell, Gateway, HP, Lenovo, Samsung, Sony or Toshiba computer in a Microsoft store, Microsoft just rakes in 100% of the profit on that device. NOT!
Microsoft is the BEST at providing support for ASUS, Dell, Gateway, HP, Lenovo, Samsung, Sony and Toshiba computers!
What a JOKE. Send in the Clown…
What do Microsoft sell in their stores, they have very few hard ware to begin with. Desperate much 😡👿 there are no Microsoft stores in London and I hope that changes do I can see
idiots who will work in that dump, the moronic customers and hopefully ballmer doing his monkey dance on the opening day. I would live to video ballmer on My iPhone 4s lool
Why are MDN followers so adamant about Apple being the only show in town? Do you not realize that there is nothing good about any company having full control of anything we buy?
Listen for those of us a little older we can remember the days when Burger King built their stores as close to a McDonald’s as they could. This said, I couldn’t care less if the Microsoft store in right next to our local Apple store as I will continue to go to the Apple store but nothing stops me from checking things out at the Microsoft store. Nothing wrong with this strategy at all as frankly Apple might well benefit from it if you know what I mean.
No Pat, we don’t know what you mean. How does wandering into a store selling useless Wintel laptops benefit Apple, it’s products or it’s customers?
There is no competition between Microsoft and Apple. It’s all one sided. Dumping Wintel trash and picking up Apple products.
Ate you seriously asking this question? Marketing 101 and been used for decades. One store sells Rolex the one right next to it sells Tag Heuer …. please follow along. 🙂
If Apple believes it offers consumers a better product then they benefit from consumers who will want to visit the Apple store to compare notes with what is being offered at the MS store.
There has always been room for both Apple and MS and there will always be. MS has North of 1.4 billion users and Apple continuously sees increases in users but still hovers around 66 million via OS X and 200 million+ via iOS.
It’s all good for us the consumers.
Pat a person like you deserves Microsoft, so enjoy the smell of green fart clouds that emanate from Redmond.
WTF is wrong with you? Get a life asshole! I probably own more high end Apple products than you could even dream of!
Thanks Pat, It does get a little old doesn’t it?
And I’m sure plenty of Moms park their kids at Apple store too!
ffs Pat…
Apple isn’t the only show in town, but you refuse to acknowledge the fact that they are, indeed, the best in show, and that MS is nothing more than a continual tag-along.
And judging from from your post, to summarize, ‘It’s ok to be a leech.’ Nice philosophy.
Go troll somewhere else, mate.
Hey little fellow…. I bet good money that I own more Apple products than you do! Best Show in town is subjective… look that up via Google on your Acer computer! What the hell is wrong with you? We are not robots and have a right to support a company without bashing the company who’s products we do not buy! Get a Life!
As an Apple shareholder I want Apple to replace Microsoft in the computer industry because it means greater revenue and likely a higher share price. That’s my main objective. I want to see Apple shares be worth $800, $900 because it means more money for me. I’ve used Apple products for about 30 years and never considered buying any other brand. If Apple does even better in sales, more power to it. I have absolutely no stake in Microsoft but I don’t want to see them go out of business. I just want Apple to be more powerful in the computer industry, that’s all. Be given an equal chance to shine.
For years, Microsoft wanted to be the only show it town and it was. I think it’s high time they passed the baton to Apple.
Points taken but as a shareholder, you Sir benefit from a healthy MSFT, Google and others as it keeps Apple striving towards new goals instead of becoming complacent.
We have all seen the movie about complacency…. Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, GM just to name a few.
Only thing is, Apple has not been ascendant long enough to be “complacent”. Understand that the handcuff sores have not yet faded, nor yet compassion for the tormentors faded. Time indeed heals all wounds, but in proportion to the injury.
Most assuredly, there will be benefits.
Consumers will benefit from choice! — two similar technology stores within a stone’s throw from one another.
Apple will benefit from much-needed competitive pressure, as their yawn-inducing, lackluster products have become stale. Microsoft’s products are so new they don’t exist yet. Microsoft’s aggressive marketing generates energy with rock concerts, and their cavernous stores are a breath of fresh air and Alpine echoes next to Apple’s claustrophobic bazaars.
Microsoft will benefit by siphoning off buyers from the nearby Apple stores — real-life people, desperate to become more than drones, craving the panoply of choices available only from Wintel, the great white hope to stop Apple’s fanatical controlling impulses.
Your post was either brilliant satire or a poor imitation of Zune Tang. I’m tending towards the latter.
The bridge is this way >>>>>>>
=:~)
In fairness, his take is very good and speaks to the reality of what makes a marketplace a marketplace.
Are you trying to be a new satirical replacement for ZuneTang, Hannah? You’ll have to try harder if that’s your intent.
Although I do like your comment: “Microsoft’s products are so new they don’t exist yet”, well, they certainly don’t, and in the recent past, only in certain markets, like the Zune, for example. Only available in North America, that’s a real global strategy, right there.
Actually, I’ve just re-read your other comment; “…and their cavernous stores are a breath of fresh air and Alpine echoes next to Apple’s claustrophobic bazaars.”
Clever, very subtle and clever, they are certainly cavernous and full of fresh air and echoes…
I think I rather like you, there’s a very subtle wit going on there, keep it up, please.
Pat, we just enjoy making fun of Microsoft’s fruitless (pun intended) efforts to copy Apple. The Microsoft Xerox train took to the rails in 1984 and gained even more steam in the 2000s with the Zune, the Lumia phone, and Surface tablet.
Guru bar? Give me a break! Give away free lattes and Microsoft might attract a few customers.
Microsoft is entitled to open its stores near existing Apple Stores, and we are entitled to make fun of them. IMO, the only benefit that Apple will obtain from Microsoft stores is how great Apple Stores look in comparison.
Microsoft can build all the stores it wants, but they need to be able to fill them with customers. I feel sorry for the geniuses or whatever they’re called, trying to troubleshoot about 50 brands and dozens of models of mediocre quality Wintel PCs. They’ll have people waiting around the block to get serviced.
I’m really surprised that Microsoft wants to go head to head with Apple when it has all those manufacturers building and selling PCs for them. How much more market share does Microsoft expect to gain from all this? It’s true that Microsoft has plenty of money to throw away, but I think that supporting the wide scope of computers it does, Microsoft is going a bit overboard on competing with Apple for personalized customer service.
The Redmond public works crew better get over to MS headquarters. Ballmer is flushing so much cash down the drain that I’m sure he is going to start causing sewer backups.
“A Microsoft spokesperson told AppleInsider that those 20 stores have seen more than 13 million customers over the last three years.”
They left off the correct ending of that sentence: “…walk right on past their door and enter the Apple store.”
i don’t believe the figures. if all 20 stores were open for all three years, and they were open 365 days/year and 10 hours per day, then that would be not quite 1 customer per minute per store for that whole time.
@el Tritoma — Thanks for the reality check and a good laugh!
Maybe the count is from a light beam activated traffic counter mounted on the front door. Divide by 2 if it counts each ankle. Divide by 2 again if first visit was a sale and the next visit was a product return, failed virus removal, or failed software install or uninstall, etc. Subtract off each time the door frame is opened inward instead of outward. Sounds like rounding error!
The MDN take explains it (concert tickets)
Pat, it’s the current zeitgeist of the US. Be it politics, sports, or whatever, the current thinking is that it must always be total war with only one winner. The unfortunate aspect is that this thinking leads to everyone losing. sigh…
Well said. The US is going deeper in the tank because of it! China sits by and laughs at they slowly plan their take over due the the US defaulting on their debt.
Let there me but one Ruler they say…. look where that got Germany!
Why build more Mr. Softie stores? What exactly would I want to buy in this store? Windows? XBox?, Virus Killer software &? …… .?????
Pat, it’s time again to take your high dosage prescription drugs your doctor prescribed for your chronic depression and mentall illness. Swallow it
with red bull and go to bed for a good night sleep 😄
Not sure I follow? Why does someone who understands the economic time bomb that the US is get called out this way? Are you kidding me? You Snoop Dogg need to wake from your coma as the 50’s have come and gone.
America has been sold to China dating back to 1991 and now short of Chinese flags flying in Washington, they practically own you!
This is such promising news that the value of Microsoft stock is just shooting through the….oh wait.
Pretty easy to work in the Microsoft Store as a Microsoft “Genius”.
All you have to do all day, every day, is say the following to customer after customer:
“Go to the manufacturer’s website and search for updated drivers/software for your particular third-party device or program.
After you have updated the software, restart your computer and try again.
Thank you for allowing Microsoft to be your solution provider. It has been a pleasure to serve you.
…
NEXT.”
Sigh. How many times have I had to go through that in my mortal and limited life, when I should have been reaching for the stars? There is more than one form of slavery, my friends.
Whatever Pat tends to believe, I don’t know. Owning lots of Apple stuff doesn’t make you smart person. MS copying Apple stores is just as bad as Samsung copying Apple.
Apple isn’t trying to stifle competition just wondering why these competing companies can’t think for themselves. Are they stupid? It isn’t good for the consumer that everyone is copying Apple. If this continues, there will be no distinction between products and services.
Think of every car on the road today looking like a Porsche 911. This would cause the 911 to appear less interesting and unique.
MS can have a store next to an Apple store but MS should AT LEAST T R Y for a unique look dontcha think?
We were no debating the look and feel of the stores. For the record Apple did NOT invent Branded Store model. That model has been around for years! This said, I concur that if nothing else the Branded Stores should look different.
Steve Jobs: Good artists copy great artists steal! Nuff Said.
I monitor MS store and Apple store in Bridgewater Mall usually on Saturday afternoon…apple store 40 to 50 employees all busy. MS store 10 to 12 employees, most just hanging around. See how many white bags leave the Apple Store as compared to few bags leaving the MS store.
Who needs MS store when you can buy anywhere with service from people who don’t know products.
good luck with that…
All I can say is at the Mall in Mission Viejo CA the MS store is only a few doors down. Every time I have been there the Apple store is packed and the MS store is empty!! With only a few kids playing XBox games. They have to be losing millions and millions.
Microsoft has no choice but to open retail stores. Where else are customers going to go for help figuring out how to de-virus their machines or to take hours of classes on how to use Win8?
If Mucrosoft is smart they will buy Radio Shack , cherry pick the best stores and turn them into Microsoft Super Stores and leave the rest Radio Shack stuffed with Microsoft products. Turn the phone stores into Metro stops