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Microsoft plans to counter Apple by building 75 retail stores in 2-3 years - Page 2

post #41 of 114
7/13/11 at 3:49pm
Imagine, you can walk right in and buy a Zune. Wow!

Next to it will be a bunch of crappy HP laptops with buttons missing from too much handling from customers.

And don't forget the vast selection of mice (the same ones you can buy at Target).

And half the displays won't work (like the XBOX demo's at Walmart)

...this concept lacks any creativity

But you keep crackin' on Apple Mr. Ballmer,

Keep crackin'

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post #42 of 114
7/13/11 at 3:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rtkane View Post

Now, 75 is too much, but 324, last time I checked, is a lot more than 75

/sarcasm

Outstanding!
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post #43 of 114
7/13/11 at 3:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blastdoor View Post

So... as Apple moves to sell software exclusively online, Microsoft is moving to open brick and mortar retail stores?

Yes, I know that Microsoft sells mice, keyboards, and game consoles. So they do have some hardware. But is that enough to base a store on?

I was thinking the same thing! Microsoft's biggest product is software, which is increasingly being sold online through 'app stores'. Now they do make a keen keyboard and mouse - maybe they'll set these up in little kiosks so customers can drive Outlook with the latest accessories!

I'm betting their best hope is to drive Windows Phone 7 sales by having the employees every hour, on the hour, come out in their colored shirts and do a little 'Safety Dance' routine to mimic the Win Phone 7's colored tile interface?
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post #44 of 114
7/13/11 at 4:01pm
Where is MSFT gonna put these stores? Really?

Apple selects upperscale malls and higher-end retail areas because they know who their customers are.

MSFT's demographics are vastly different and I bet they don't have a clue who they will be trying to attract.

I suppose a MSFT store will be coming to a stripmall near you.

Right between the nail and tanning salons.

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post #45 of 114
7/13/11 at 4:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rtkane View Post

Now, 75 is too much, but 324, last time I checked, is a lot more than 75

/sarcasm



Great replies here. but I like this one the best. The Google eyed Balmer is great too!
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post #46 of 114
7/13/11 at 4:18pm
With all major retail outlets selling computers with Windows, Microsoft seems pathetic to think stores are going to improve its image.
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post #47 of 114
7/13/11 at 4:23pm
This is an extremely puzzling move. Microsoft products run on other manufacturers hardware, apart from Xbox I suppose, so what do they hope to sell in these retail stores - other manufacturers hardware loaded up with Microsoft products? Why is that any different from what happens in hundreds and thousands of computer retail outlets around the world now?

And has nobody told balmy Balmer that Apple is now moving to selling it's software online through it's App store, and that is a much more cost effective way to distribute software than through a physical store, not only for Apple, but for software developers and customers?

Why is Microsoft so far behind the times? They are rapidly becoming a sad joke and a reflection of everything that is bad about the American economy these days. On the other hand Apple is showing the way in leadership, innovation, quality, profitability and business acumen.

All you guys have to do now is to convince Apple to manufacture it's amazing range of products in America rather than exporting all those manufacturing jobs to Asia - but why should I care if you Americans prefer to buy cheap products manufactured overseas rather than have secure jobs!
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post #48 of 114
7/13/11 at 4:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by irnchriz View Post

Seems like a total waste of money for Microsoft.

But it will help the economy by spreading that M$ money around for rentals, contractors, employees, etc.

No, they will not get any return on investment as expected, but who cares?
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post #49 of 114
7/13/11 at 4:28pm
Microsoft announced today that it is shutting down all retail stores in an effort to boost share price.
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post #50 of 114
7/13/11 at 4:56pm
Zzzzzz
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post #51 of 114
7/13/11 at 5:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Woodlink View Post

Where is MSFT gonna put these stores? Really?

Apple selects upperscale malls and higher-end retail areas because they know who their customers are.

MSFT's demographics are vastly different and I bet they don't have a clue who they will be trying to attract.

I suppose a MSFT store will be coming to a stripmall near you.

Right between the nail and tanning salons.


These stores will be opposite the Apple Store whenever MS can manage it, they're not really stores - they're 'brand building' exercises. They're not selling to the demographic MS has, they're marketing to the demographic MS wants.
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post #52 of 114
7/13/11 at 5:12pm
I'm just curious, but did the posted graphic come from Microsoft? It shows the Lone Tree Colorado location in Wyoming. I know that all the boxy states in the middle of the country look similar, but that's a pretty big error for a store that Yelp claims was the 3rd Microsoft store to open.
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post #53 of 114
7/13/11 at 5:24pm
Yeesh.
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post #54 of 114
7/13/11 at 5:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by neiltc13 View Post

A good move. Microsoft is making the best products they ever have right now and I think the only thing that's holding them back is exposure.

If they can get people into the store and using Windows Phone 7 there's no reason why it can't start gaining the marketshare it deserves. Maybe it will also be easier when the new Xbox 360 UI is released that is similar to Windows Phone 7.

That was funny. I almost thought you were serious.
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post #55 of 114
7/13/11 at 5:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pauldfullerton View Post

All you guys have to do now is to convince Apple to manufacture it's amazing range of products in America rather than exporting all those manufacturing jobs to Asia - but why should I care if you Americans prefer to buy cheap products manufactured overseas rather than have secure jobs!

I have been saying this for a long time. You are absolutely right!
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post #56 of 114
7/13/11 at 5:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jazzguru View Post

I'm not sure I follow the reasoning that OS X is "still behind" Windows 7 just because Apple's hard ware can run both operating systems. That doesn't make any sense.


Of course it doesn't make sense .... it's from Microsoft, the company that decided many years ago that, if you wanted to QUIT your computer .... you hit the START button ..... how brilliant is that???

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post #57 of 114
7/13/11 at 5:59pm
We will accelerate our stores! Uh, how do you accelerate a store?
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post #58 of 114
7/13/11 at 6:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pauldfullerton View Post

All you guys have to do now is to convince Apple to manufacture it's amazing range of products in America rather than exporting all those manufacturing jobs to Asia - but why should I care if you Americans prefer to buy cheap products manufactured overseas rather than have secure jobs!

Apple is a global company now, why should it prefer American to Chinese jobs? Especially when China is an increasingly important market for them.
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post #59 of 114
7/13/11 at 6:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cloudgazer View Post

Apple is a global company now, why should it prefer American to Chinese jobs? Especially when China is an increasingly important market for them.

I am Australian so I couldn't care less if America wants to have a 9.2% unemployment rate, and if I can buy nearly twice as many US$ with an AU$ as I could a few years ago, and if Apple products are now much cheaper here.

But I can assure you if I was an American I would want to see the full benefits of Steve Jobs genius being reflected in a lower unemployment rate and a better trade balance with Asia. But I guess you guys are so committed to the 'cheaper is better' philosophy that drives companies like Microsoft, that more manufacturing jobs in America is not an issue! Just don't complain if the USA has to default on its US$14 trillion debt - at least you will be able to buy cheap Apple products made overseas if you manage to keep your jobs!
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post #60 of 114
7/13/11 at 6:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brometheus View Post

We will accelerate our stores! Uh, how do you accelerate a store?

By building faster horses.
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post #61 of 114
7/13/11 at 6:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cloudgazer View Post

These stores will be opposite the Apple Store whenever MS can manage it, they're not really stores - they're 'brand building' exercises. They're not selling to the demographic MS has, they're marketing to the demographic MS wants.

The OS they sell is largely transparent because it runs on someone else's hardware.

They can try and build a brand, but I think it's a waste of time.

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post #62 of 114
7/13/11 at 6:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Prof. Peabody View Post

Apple stores sell tons of product and make more money per linear foot of shelf space than almost any other type of store.

You are actually understating things by including the words "almost" and "type". The proper statistical fact is that the Apple retail stores outsell every other store in terms of $$ per square foot... and by a large margin. The number two store, which was "Tiffany's" last time I checked, didn't even come close.

Thompson
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post #63 of 114
7/13/11 at 7:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pauldfullerton View Post

But I can assure you if I was an American I would want to see the full benefits of Steve Jobs genius being reflected in a lower unemployment rate and a better trade balance with Asia. But I guess you guys are so committed to the 'cheaper is better' philosophy that drives companies like Microsoft, that more manufacturing jobs in America is not an issue! Just don't complain if the USA has to default on its US$14 trillion debt - at least you will be able to buy cheap Apple products made overseas if you manage to keep your jobs!

You are as wrong in your assumption that I am American as you are in essentially every other way.
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post #64 of 114
7/13/11 at 7:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cloudgazer View Post

You are as wrong in your assumption that I am American as you are in essentially every other way.

He may be wrong about your nationality, but he's unfortunately quite right about the $14 trillion dollar national debt and policy of exporting jobs that paid well while allowing massive illegal immigration to undercut low wage workers here - and send huge amounts of those wages out of the country as well. How do you see doubling the $ money supply in the past few years, rising unemployment, stagnant to falling real wages for decades, and the lack of fiscal responsibility and sound fiscal policies as positives? (And that's over the past 30+ years, not an Obama dig.)
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post #65 of 114
7/13/11 at 7:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pauldfullerton View Post

I am Australian so I couldn't care less if America wants to have a 9.2% unemployment rate, and if I can buy nearly twice as many US$ with an AU$ as I could a few years ago, and if Apple products are now much cheaper here.

But I can assure you if I was an American I would want to see the full benefits of Steve Jobs genius being reflected in a lower unemployment rate and a better trade balance with Asia. But I guess you guys are so committed to the 'cheaper is better' philosophy that drives companies like Microsoft, that more manufacturing jobs in America is not an issue! Just don't complain if the USA has to default on its US$14 trillion debt - at least you will be able to buy cheap Apple products made overseas if you manage to keep your jobs!

Oh, yeah. Australia is a manufacturing mecca. You're really one to talk.
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post #66 of 114
7/13/11 at 7:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by thompr View Post

You are actually understating things by including the words "almost" and "type". The proper statistical fact is that the Apple retail stores outsell every other store in terms of $$ per square foot... and by a large margin. The number two store, which was "Tiffany's" last time I checked, didn't even come close.

Thompson

As with so many things, it's complicated. Analysts can calculate Apple's average Sales/sq-ft because Apple does publish it's total retail revenues. It's a bit more than $4000/sq-ft, which is pretty huge already.

http://www.theiospost.com/latest/201...il-stores.html

The Tiffany comparison is from this story http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...d=aK4TfewPa37M. Which is basically a real estate guy pulling a number out of the air.

We do know that the stores in China are currently the highest grossing per square foot, but not how much more. http://news.cnet.com/8301-31021_3-20...ag=topStories1
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post #67 of 114
7/13/11 at 7:33pm
I thought thats what Best Buy and Wal Mart was for!
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post #68 of 114
7/13/11 at 7:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrstep View Post

He may be wrong about your nationality, but he's unfortunately quite right about the $14 trillion dollar national debt and policy of exporting jobs that paid well while allowing massive illegal immigration to undercut low wage workers here - and send huge amounts of those wages out of the country as well. How do you see doubling the $ money supply in the past few years, rising unemployment, stagnant to falling real wages for decades, and the lack of fiscal responsibility and sound fiscal policies as positives? (And that's over the past 30+ years, not an Obama dig.)

The national debt is less related to manufacturing than to the fact that you're on the tail end of two expensive wars, GOP tax-cuts and a the bursting of a monumental property bubble, leading to a huge recession. You had no more manufacturing during the Clinton era either, but back then the debt was well under control.

The increase in the money supply is a sensible reaction to a deflationary shock, it would only be a bad thing if it had resulted in rampant inflation. US CPI is still a long way from hyper-inflation levels last I heard.

America can still manufacture lots of things, but hugely labour intensive stuff like consumer electronics probably won't be one of them.
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post #69 of 114
7/13/11 at 7:45pm
there is some empty space in the san francisco metreon that might be a good spot for a microsoft store.

oh, wait, that's why it's empty to begin with. it was already a microsoft store from 99-01. never mind.
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post #70 of 114
7/13/11 at 7:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post

"Also shown off during this presentation was that an Apple retailer in Latin America was showing off Apple hardware running Windows 7," the report said. "Microsoft used this to poke fun that Apple makes fantastic hardware but their OS is still behind Windows 7."

"Haha! See, they even run Windows 7 on their inferior Macs. Let us point at them and laugh! Haha!"

"We will bury them with our mighty retail stores, which are just like their retail stores, but because we are Microsoft we will be popular and hip and people will love us."
"And just like that, everyone here realizes you're just another sweaty little Google licker with an axe to grind and no idea what he's talking about." --addabox
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post #71 of 114
7/13/11 at 7:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cloudgazer View Post

Apple is a global company now, why should it prefer American to Chinese jobs? Especially when China is an increasingly important market for them.

I think a good reason is due to the fact the china is increasingly tring to sneak back-doors into it's computer chips. Like they tried to do to the US military that would have allowed them to remotely shut down anything they were connected to.

Here is the link: http://www.google.com/search?q=chine...&client=safari
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post #72 of 114
7/13/11 at 8:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MissionGrey View Post

I think a good reason is due to the fact the china is increasingly tring to sneak back-doors into it's computer chips. Like they tried to do to the US military that would have allowed them to remotely shut down anything they were connected to.

Here is the link: http://www.google.com/search?q=chine...&client=safari

Well Apple's chips are being supplied by Samsung so I think you're safe. Honestly do you really think China is going to want to risk destroying its contract manufacturing business by sticking back-doors into the iPad? Critical military equipment it is not.

Oh and those dodgy Chinese chips were knowingly sold to the US military by upstanding american citizens - so doesn't seem like on-shoring manufacturing will necessarily save you from the red peril.
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post #73 of 114
7/13/11 at 8:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pooch View Post

there is some empty space in the san francisco metreon that might be a good spot for a microsoft store.

oh, wait, that's why it's empty to begin with. it was already a microsoft store from 99-01. never mind.

Microsoft, bringing you the world of yesterday, tomorrow.
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post #74 of 114
7/13/11 at 8:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by AaronD12 View Post

Gateway stores here in Dallas: Gone.

Dell stores here in Dallas: Gone.

What makes Microsoft think they will succeed where Gateway and Dell failed? Opening stores across from Apple stores does not help them either. Apple has the retail thing down.

In the Northpark mall in Dallas, there was a Dell store across from the Apple store. The largest number of customers I saw in the Dell store was 3. Yes, three. The Apple store is ALWAYS standing-room-only. It's about the retail experience, and from what I've seen of the Microsoft stores, they don't understand it yet. Even with a former Apple employee, I seriously doubt they'll be able to duplicate the "cool" factor the Apple stores have.

The cool factor of Apple stores is an incredible asset. It's so hard to just not go in one when you see it. Even the most conventional mall Apple stores are hard to avoid. The visual appearance is so premium, timeless, and I think there's something about those bright lights that attracts you like an insect.

I couldn't get my parents to switch back to Mac until we experienced the store multiple times and played with the machines. That was back when Best Buy had huge metal clamps that prevented you from using the laptops at all, and stupid demo software that prevented you from using the computer as well. I think the Apple computers in the Best Buy store are still the only ones with an unrestricted environment where you can get on the internet and see how much you would be saving by buying somewhere else
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post #75 of 114
7/13/11 at 8:27pm
I was visiting the mall of America and saw the MS store right across from the apple store (of course). It was hardly empty, there were people there, but it in no way was matching the bustle of the apple store. What struck me was how spread out the store was, there was tons of empty space, which isn't exactly common in that mall. You go in the apple store and there are hardware products everywhere, all nicely displayed with headphones in each device so you can play with them and iPad 2s to give you information. The MS store didn't really make sense. They're not selling hardware, but software, but it didn't seem like it was easy to test everything. The store associates we're helping people, but many seemed rather lost. Apple stores don't try and sell snow leopard/lion/iOS, they sell hardware. I dunno, it didn't seem terribly well thought out what "success" would mean in a software store.
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post #76 of 114
7/13/11 at 8:29pm
Does anyone see a problem with Microsoft's Map?
The pin drop for "Lone Tree Colorado" is in Wyoming.

I know Microsoft likes to waste money, but I never figured they would put a store in Big Horn national park. No wonder their sales are bad. They built a store in the middle of a national forest in Wyoming. Maybe they gave up on people buying computers and decided they would be more successful marketing to deer and squirrels.

Another explanation is that Microsoft employees are so stupid they don't know the difference between Colorado and Wyoming. Microsoft is only 2 states away from Wyoming. You would think they would have a better grasp of West coast geography. These guys are an embarrassment to society.
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post #77 of 114
7/13/11 at 8:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cloudgazer View Post

Well Apple's chips are being supplied by Samsung so I think you're safe. Honestly do you really think China is going to want to risk destroying its contract manufacturing business by sticking back-doors into the iPad? Critical military equipment it is not.

Oh and those dodgy Chinese chips were knowingly sold to the US military by upstanding american citizens - so doesn't seem like on-shoring manufacturing will necessarily save you from the red peril.


Actually I do, there is end goal is to create chaos.

Yeah and that is deff a major issue that should be fixed and have major repercussions, tho I doubt we will see any as more and more military manufacturing goes off site.
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post #78 of 114
7/13/11 at 9:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ash471 View Post

Does anyone see a problem with Microsoft's Map?
The pin drop for "Lone Tree Colorado" is in Wyoming.

I know Microsoft likes to waste money, but I never figured they would put a store in Big Horn national park. No wonder their sales are bad. They built a store in the middle of a national forest in Wyoming. Maybe they gave up on people buying computers and decided they would be more successful marketing to deer and squirrels.

Another explanation is that Microsoft employees are so stupid they don't know the difference between Colorado and Wyoming. Microsoft is only 2 states away from Wyoming. You would think they would have a better grasp of West coast geography. These guys are an embarrassment to society.

It turns out there is a Lonetree Wyoming. However, it isn't in the place where the pin drop is. More importantly, according to wikipedia, the population is 61 people.

I can see why Microsoft would have a hard time keeping track of the location of all its stores. No really, 11 is a big number for Microsoft. When they open up nearly 7 times the number of stores, they will probably need 7 times the number of employees, which means Redmond may soon employ another 280,000 people.
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post #79 of 114
7/13/11 at 9:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by gwilson811 View Post

I was thinking about the Genius Bar as well. What will they do when they have irate customers show up at the store? Are they going to service their existing Windows etc. customers through the channel. Sounds like a poorly devised plan by a desperate CEO to me!

And one can only imagine how long those lines will be with the bloated buggy crap they sell...
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post #80 of 114
7/13/11 at 10:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by 80025 View Post

This is what can happen when you use Bing for geolocation data.

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