If I am not mistaken Apple started with two trial stores as well and now they have more than 270.
Yes, and? Because one company has had success doing something, every company that does that is bound to succeed?
Quote:
Let's be real. Microsoft is not going under within our lifetime and given MS history they will keep pumping money into this until they success. Maybe MS will not be making millions from their retail stores but I don't think that's the point. I wouldn't be surprised if Dell, HP, and other PC manufacturers are aiding MS with their retail plans.
However you look at it, it will be a win for those who leave from Apple to the largest software developer in history, which is a fact whether we like MS or not.
I don't think anyone is claiming that MS is going under.
On the other hand, if these first two stores don't do very well, it's a little hard to imagine MS "pumping money" into an undertaking as vast as a network of retail stores. It's one thing to sell the Xbox at a loss to drive adoption-- MS sees it as critical to their strategy for getting into the living room.
But what, exactly, do stores do for Microsoft? Apple decided to seize control of their retail message because they were being so poorly served by big box retailers. Does Microsoft has this problem? Are people having a hard time figuring out where to get the MS gear they crave?
Running their own stores were a vital part of Apple's plan to rebuild the brand, and they've been a huge success in that regard. For many people, the Apple store is now synonymous with the whole Apple vibe.
MS, on the other hand, is simply trying to sprinkle a little "cool" dust on their brand. That's a much vaguer motivation for spending a great deal of money, and the payoffs are likely to be vague, as well.
Add to that the already mentioned problem that MS simply doesn't have the kind of product lineup that lends itself to making a store a center of enthusiasm, and I think the jury is still very much out as to whether MS ever expands this idea much past the first few stores.
Yes, and? Because one company has had success doing something, every company that does that is bound to succeed?
I don't think anyone is claiming that MS is going under.
On the other hand, if these first two stores don't do very well, it's a little hard to imagine MS "pumping money" into an undertaking as vast as a network of retail stores. It's one thing to sell the Xbox at a loss to drive adoption-- MS sees it as critical to their strategy for getting into the living room.
But what, exactly, do stores do for Microsoft? Apple decided to seize control of their retail message because they were being so poorly served by big box retailers. Does Microsoft has this problem? Are people having a hard time figuring out where to get the MS gear they crave?
Running their own stores were a vital part of Apple's plan to rebuild the brand, and they've been a huge success in that regard. For many people, the Apple store is now synonymous with the whole Apple vibe.
MS, on the other hand, is simply trying to sprinkle a little "cool" dust on their brand. That's a much vaguer motivation for spending a great deal of money, and the payoffs are likely to be vague, as well.
Add to that the already mentioned problem that MS simply doesn't have the kind of product lineup that lends itself to making a store a center of enthusiasm, and I think the jury is still very much out as to whether MS ever expands this idea much past the first few stores.
Regardless of whether the retail store idea will add to MS revenues or not, which I am sure is not the goal of the whole thing, you can't blame those who left Apple for a better paycheck and benefits. If history did teach us anything it would be to never underestimate MS. It's business not personal.
Like it or not, the Apple stores are not necessarily the best places to work. They don't pay well because they get so many applicants that want to work there. An article (I think in the NY Times) I read earlier this year indicated that an applicant faces better odds trying to get into Harvard than getting a job at an Apple store.
On the flip side, Apple can pick and choose from the best of the bunch, and that has helped them establish the Apple stores' reputation for customer service. Even if Microsoft poaches these Apple store employees, Apple still has a large pool of eager applicants that want to work there. Apple store employees have the added advantage of selling high demand products.
Right now, Apple's stores generate the highest sales per square foot in the retail business, and the employees do not work on commission. The Apple stores are consequential to Apple's bottomline because so much of the company's revenue is generated by their retail operations, and they help pad the profit margins because they represent direct sales with no middleman.
Despite MS' "me too" entry into the retail trade, I don't see how they can generate the same kind of sales volume that Apple does. Unlike Macs, Windows PCs are available everywhere and they are low margin products. MS does not have a weak link with their distribution channels.
Apple got into the retail business because they had a weak retail presence, and most of those retailers that carried Macs also carried PCs and did not actively promote Macs. Because Apple is a hardware manufacturer, the retail presence works to their benefit by serving as a point of sale and physical site where customers could find answers and get tech support.
MS does not have this same need, so I don't see what they hope to accomplish with their retail stores, other than try to steal some sales from Apple and serve as a showcase for MS' products. It just seems more like a vanity project and marketing-driven play than something that will actually generate a lot of profits for MS.
Regardless of whether the retail store idea will add to MS revenues or not, which I am sure is not the goal of the whole thing, you can't blame those who left Apple for a better paycheck and benefits. If history did teach us anything it would be to never underestimate MS. It's business not personal.
OK. I don't think I ever suggested we blame people who followed the money.
I did suggest that were one considering such an offer, one might take a moment to consider the viability of the operation that was offering. In case that isn't clear, I mean MS's retail venture, not MS as a whole.
Double wages is not a good deal if you leave a steady job with advancement potential in favor of a kind of speculative venture that might or might not go anywhere. Of course, we can disagree on whether or not MS's stores are likely to succeed or not, or if MS will stay the course even if they don't.
Another thought-- while I can see MS trying to poach Apple Store managers, who have platform agnostic skills, what's the point of going after sales people? As far as I know, most of the people who work at Apple stores are stone Apple-heads. Certainly the "Geniuses" are hired because they are knowledgeable Mac users.
Are there really a lot of non-management people working at Apple Stores that are in any way "PC enthusiasts"? Genuine enthusiasm for the platform is the engine that drives the stores. Doesn't hiring away such people just give you well paid Apple users giving PC expertise the old college try?
Like it or not, the Apple stores are not necessarily the best places to work. They don't pay well because they get so many applicants that want to work there. An article (I think in the NY Times) I read earlier this year indicated that an applicant faces better odds trying to get into Harvard than getting a job at an Apple store.
On the flip side, Apple can pick and choose from the best of the bunch, and that has helped them establish the Apple stores' reputation for customer service. Even if Microsoft poaches these Apple store employees, Apple still has a large pool of eager applicants that want to work there. Apple store employees have the added advantage of selling high demand products.
Right now, Apple's stores generate the highest sales per square foot in the retail business, and the employees do not work on commission. The Apple stores are consequential to Apple's bottomline because so much of the company's revenue is generated by their retail operations, and they help pad the profit margins because they represent direct sales with no middleman.
Despite MS' "me too" entry into the retail trade, I don't see how they can generate the same kind of sales volume that Apple does. Unlike Macs, Windows PCs are available everywhere and they are low margin products. MS does not have a weak link with their distribution channels.
Apple got into the retail business because they had a weak retail presence, and most of those retailers that carried Macs also carried PCs and did not actively promote Macs. Because Apple is a hardware manufacturer, the retail presence works to their benefit by serving as a point of sale and physical site where customers could find answers and get tech support.
MS does not have this same need, so I don't see what they hope to accomplish with their retail stores, other than try to steal some sales from Apple and serve as a showcase for MS' products. It just seems more like a vanity project and marketing-driven play than something that will actually generate a lot of profits for MS.
Great post.
They're trying to buy taste in terms of outward appearances, rather allowing it to ensue as a complement to products that commnicate the same (Apple.) MS is trying desperately to shed their bargain-bin, Wal-Mart-esque image, and they believe these stores will give them that special panache, plus a "central" location for everything Microsoft. Except that MS' business model doesn't support that image of taste, nor does it call for a central hot-spot for all things MS, since every BestBuy can function as one.
This is purely window-dressing by MS to capture positive mindshare. But "hip and cool" happens when the products you sell are "hip and cool." And MS aint.
They're trying to buy taste in terms of outward appearances, rather allowing it to ensue as a complement to products that commnicate the same (Apple.) MS is trying desperately to shed their bargain-bin, Wal-Mart-esque image, and they believe these stores will give them that special panache, plus a "central" location for everything Microsoft. Except that MS' business model doesn't support that image of taste, nor does it call for a central hot-spot for all things MS, since every BestBuy can function as one.
This is purely window-dressing by MS to capture positive mindshare. But "hip and cool" happens when the products you sell are "hip and cool." And MS aint.
You really have issues with MSFT that you need help with. I feel sorry for you. They really annoy you , it's so sad.
It would be interesting to see Jerry Seinfeld open up one of these stores. Though no celebrity, Bill Gates or (if they would even dare) Steve Jobs himself is going to make much of a difference -- they're selling Microsoft products and when was the last time anyone has REALLY been excited about that?
I just wonder what kind of response that Best Buy and Wal-Mart will have to this? Price cuts? Well perhaps this will benefit the consumer and give more reason for the store's quick demise.
In addition to the 'Guru Bar', I imagine they'll have something similar to the 'Geek Squad' which will give more in depth help at a cost, though who knows if Best Buy will even care.
Wow! Contacting the retail store managers? Quite an interesting tactic.
a
note that the article did say it was a manager who had recently left. so define recent and why did the person leave Apple.
also, they make it sound like dozens upon dozens of folks have jumped ship but we have only 2 confirmed stores and I can't imagine them having more than perhaps 100 employees from top to bottom.
and how many of those Apple Employees were active and how many, like the manager, recently left (which could actually mean were fired)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Quadra 610
The typical MS solution to most problems:
Just throw more money at it. It applies to retail too, but so do its limitations.
Let's be real. Microsoft is not going under within our lifetime and given MS history they will keep pumping money into this until they success.
There was an era when General Motors wasn't going under within anyone's lifetime, and jumping ship strictly for a paycheck and pension was the thing to do. My how things can change...
I'm not accusing MS of "going under", at least not for the moment. What I am saying it's very dangerous for MS to think they can buy passion and loyalty (versus careerists out for a buck), and to keep throwing big money into also-ran ventures while their cash cows continue to stagnate (Windows 7 IS stagnation).
And someone still needs to explain how MS plans to drive sales traffic into these stores. For some reason I don't see people lining up days ahead to get the latest Office.
I wouldn't have anything to do with MS, for any amount of money. MS is going to fill itself with yes-men precisely when it needs a SWIFT KICK!
Apple's retail stores tend to be fairly stressful, boiler room types of environments. What once started as a nice, relatively calm places populated by people who actually knew something about the product are now constantly mobbed by throngs of idiot teenagers whose only relation to the Apple brand is their iPod and/or iPhone, and oh -- "hey, how convenient, that there's these computers in the store so I can shit away half my day on Facebook while waiting 3.5 hours for my name to come up at the Genius Bar to fix a stupid problem I could've figured out at homeif I knew how to use Google, and which I probably wouldn't have had if I used my iPod/iPhone with a Mac instead of my stupid Windows box!"
(Kinda like how AI forums has changed over the last couple of years, but that's a discussion for another day . . . )
My point is that the store managers probably are worn to the bone by now, and what little brand loyalty they had to begin with (and I don't think many of them do -- for most of them, it's just a job, and they don't have loyalty that goes back to Apple's "dark days" in the mid-'90s, not by a LONG shot) is GONE. Especially in this economy, "double your salary" is very compelling.
It's not just M$ that's aware of this. Trust me, certain independent Apple resellers, who run stores that are profitable (maybe not rape-the-earth profitable, like Apple Retail, but profitable nonetheless) are all too aware of this, too. This is why they're getting applications from people who used to work at Apple's own stores, even at lower rates of pay. In fact, I'd venture to guess that until Microsoft Retail came along, independent Apple resellers were poaching a few Apple Store employees, too. Only difference is that those employees came willingly, not as a result of having dollars waved in front of their faces.
one of the articles here on ai said there would be birthday parties at these stores, i just cannot wait to see pictures of one ...
my only interpretation of this shitty move from microsoft is that they just want to damage apple...their stores will last 6 months tops...i don't even think burglars would go into those stores...
i just wonder how much longer ballmer will be keeping the ceo position?? these antics...are just more money down the drain...
Earlier this week, reports surfaced that Microsoft contacted Apple retail store managers in an attempt to lure them away. The employees were offered raises and compensation for moving expenses if they agreed to work for Redmond, Wash.-based heavyweight, which intends to open its first brick-and-mortar stores this fall.
People do not go to or buy from an Apple store because of the employees. They do so because of the products, experience, curiosity, and "coolness" factor. Apple could have well-trained monkeys in the stores and people would still go to and buy from if they can get the same experience and products. Okay, maybe not well trained monkeys, but they could have only well-trained 17 year olds and it wouldn't matter (but monkeys sounds funnier to me). Point is... even if MSFT hires every Apple store employee, who cares - Apple will just go out hire more people to work there. For every person you see in an Apple store there are 3-5 others at least who are equally qualified and easy to train waiting to fill their spot.
It's not like people will walk by a Windows store and think, "hey MS just hired all the Apple store employee's, forget the iPhone or MacBook Pro -- let's go buy a Zune!"
People do not go to or buy from an Apple store because of the employees. They do so because of the products, experience, curiosity, and "coolness" factor. Apple could have well-trained monkeys in the stores and people would still go to and buy from if they can get the same experience and products. Okay, maybe not well trained monkeys, but they could have only well-trained 17 year olds and it wouldn't matter (but monkeys sounds funnier to me). Point is... even if MSFT hires every Apple store employee, who cares - Apple will just go out hire more people to work there. For every person you see in an Apple store there are 3-5 others at least who are equally qualified and easy to train waiting to fill their spot.
It's not like people will walk by a Windows store and think, "hey MS just hired all the Apple store employee's, forget the iPhone or MacBook Pro -- let's go buy a Zune!"
:nobody (Odysseus)
you have a very good point...
it's a damaging thing msft is doing, but very superficial...
it's almost like wanting to hurt a successful rock band by stealing their instruments...for lack of a better analogy...
There was an era when General Motors wasn't going under within anyone's lifetime, and jumping ship strictly for a paycheck and pension was the thing to do. My how things can change...
GM is not and was never in the same position as MS. The auto market was and is very competitive (at least GM had Ford to compete with) but MS has virtually no competition in the OS market. When you want to buy a PC other that a Mac you will never be asked what OS you want installed (other than if you want Windows Home, Home Premium, ,, etc).
Quote:
I'm not accusing MS of "going under", at least not for the moment. What I am saying it's very dangerous for MS to think they can buy passion and loyalty (versus careerists out for a buck), and to keep throwing big money into also-ran ventures while their cash cows continue to stagnate (Windows 7 IS stagnation).
And someone still needs to explain how MS plans to drive sales traffic into these stores. For some reason I don't see people lining up days ahead to get the latest Office.
I wouldn't have anything to do with MS, for any amount of money. MS is going to fill itself with yes-men precisely when it needs a SWIFT KICK!
Look, I personally don't have sympathy toward MS and wish that their OS market share goes down... waaaay down. But business wise MS is doing great and everyone knows that they can take risks without any problems as long as they have monopoly in the OS market, which as I said will not go away anytime soon.
Let's be real. Microsoft is not going under within our lifetime and given MS history they will keep pumping money into this until they success.
Companies that last 100 years are incredibly rare. 20 good years isn't nearly enough to predict anything about the next 50.
Betting that ANY company today will or won't be around in 50 years is about as likely to be successful as betting that the Lions will not win a super bowl in the next 50 years. Things change.
Comments
If I am not mistaken Apple started with two trial stores as well and now they have more than 270.
Yes, and? Because one company has had success doing something, every company that does that is bound to succeed?
Let's be real. Microsoft is not going under within our lifetime and given MS history they will keep pumping money into this until they success. Maybe MS will not be making millions from their retail stores but I don't think that's the point. I wouldn't be surprised if Dell, HP, and other PC manufacturers are aiding MS with their retail plans.
However you look at it, it will be a win for those who leave from Apple to the largest software developer in history, which is a fact whether we like MS or not.
I don't think anyone is claiming that MS is going under.
On the other hand, if these first two stores don't do very well, it's a little hard to imagine MS "pumping money" into an undertaking as vast as a network of retail stores. It's one thing to sell the Xbox at a loss to drive adoption-- MS sees it as critical to their strategy for getting into the living room.
But what, exactly, do stores do for Microsoft? Apple decided to seize control of their retail message because they were being so poorly served by big box retailers. Does Microsoft has this problem? Are people having a hard time figuring out where to get the MS gear they crave?
Running their own stores were a vital part of Apple's plan to rebuild the brand, and they've been a huge success in that regard. For many people, the Apple store is now synonymous with the whole Apple vibe.
MS, on the other hand, is simply trying to sprinkle a little "cool" dust on their brand. That's a much vaguer motivation for spending a great deal of money, and the payoffs are likely to be vague, as well.
Add to that the already mentioned problem that MS simply doesn't have the kind of product lineup that lends itself to making a store a center of enthusiasm, and I think the jury is still very much out as to whether MS ever expands this idea much past the first few stores.
Yes, and? Because one company has had success doing something, every company that does that is bound to succeed?
I don't think anyone is claiming that MS is going under.
On the other hand, if these first two stores don't do very well, it's a little hard to imagine MS "pumping money" into an undertaking as vast as a network of retail stores. It's one thing to sell the Xbox at a loss to drive adoption-- MS sees it as critical to their strategy for getting into the living room.
But what, exactly, do stores do for Microsoft? Apple decided to seize control of their retail message because they were being so poorly served by big box retailers. Does Microsoft has this problem? Are people having a hard time figuring out where to get the MS gear they crave?
Running their own stores were a vital part of Apple's plan to rebuild the brand, and they've been a huge success in that regard. For many people, the Apple store is now synonymous with the whole Apple vibe.
MS, on the other hand, is simply trying to sprinkle a little "cool" dust on their brand. That's a much vaguer motivation for spending a great deal of money, and the payoffs are likely to be vague, as well.
Add to that the already mentioned problem that MS simply doesn't have the kind of product lineup that lends itself to making a store a center of enthusiasm, and I think the jury is still very much out as to whether MS ever expands this idea much past the first few stores.
Regardless of whether the retail store idea will add to MS revenues or not, which I am sure is not the goal of the whole thing, you can't blame those who left Apple for a better paycheck and benefits. If history did teach us anything it would be to never underestimate MS. It's business not personal.
On the flip side, Apple can pick and choose from the best of the bunch, and that has helped them establish the Apple stores' reputation for customer service. Even if Microsoft poaches these Apple store employees, Apple still has a large pool of eager applicants that want to work there. Apple store employees have the added advantage of selling high demand products.
Right now, Apple's stores generate the highest sales per square foot in the retail business, and the employees do not work on commission. The Apple stores are consequential to Apple's bottomline because so much of the company's revenue is generated by their retail operations, and they help pad the profit margins because they represent direct sales with no middleman.
Despite MS' "me too" entry into the retail trade, I don't see how they can generate the same kind of sales volume that Apple does. Unlike Macs, Windows PCs are available everywhere and they are low margin products. MS does not have a weak link with their distribution channels.
Apple got into the retail business because they had a weak retail presence, and most of those retailers that carried Macs also carried PCs and did not actively promote Macs. Because Apple is a hardware manufacturer, the retail presence works to their benefit by serving as a point of sale and physical site where customers could find answers and get tech support.
MS does not have this same need, so I don't see what they hope to accomplish with their retail stores, other than try to steal some sales from Apple and serve as a showcase for MS' products. It just seems more like a vanity project and marketing-driven play than something that will actually generate a lot of profits for MS.
Regardless of whether the retail store idea will add to MS revenues or not, which I am sure is not the goal of the whole thing, you can't blame those who left Apple for a better paycheck and benefits. If history did teach us anything it would be to never underestimate MS. It's business not personal.
OK. I don't think I ever suggested we blame people who followed the money.
I did suggest that were one considering such an offer, one might take a moment to consider the viability of the operation that was offering. In case that isn't clear, I mean MS's retail venture, not MS as a whole.
Double wages is not a good deal if you leave a steady job with advancement potential in favor of a kind of speculative venture that might or might not go anywhere. Of course, we can disagree on whether or not MS's stores are likely to succeed or not, or if MS will stay the course even if they don't.
Are there really a lot of non-management people working at Apple Stores that are in any way "PC enthusiasts"? Genuine enthusiasm for the platform is the engine that drives the stores. Doesn't hiring away such people just give you well paid Apple users giving PC expertise the old college try?
Like it or not, the Apple stores are not necessarily the best places to work. They don't pay well because they get so many applicants that want to work there. An article (I think in the NY Times) I read earlier this year indicated that an applicant faces better odds trying to get into Harvard than getting a job at an Apple store.
On the flip side, Apple can pick and choose from the best of the bunch, and that has helped them establish the Apple stores' reputation for customer service. Even if Microsoft poaches these Apple store employees, Apple still has a large pool of eager applicants that want to work there. Apple store employees have the added advantage of selling high demand products.
Right now, Apple's stores generate the highest sales per square foot in the retail business, and the employees do not work on commission. The Apple stores are consequential to Apple's bottomline because so much of the company's revenue is generated by their retail operations, and they help pad the profit margins because they represent direct sales with no middleman.
Despite MS' "me too" entry into the retail trade, I don't see how they can generate the same kind of sales volume that Apple does. Unlike Macs, Windows PCs are available everywhere and they are low margin products. MS does not have a weak link with their distribution channels.
Apple got into the retail business because they had a weak retail presence, and most of those retailers that carried Macs also carried PCs and did not actively promote Macs. Because Apple is a hardware manufacturer, the retail presence works to their benefit by serving as a point of sale and physical site where customers could find answers and get tech support.
MS does not have this same need, so I don't see what they hope to accomplish with their retail stores, other than try to steal some sales from Apple and serve as a showcase for MS' products. It just seems more like a vanity project and marketing-driven play than something that will actually generate a lot of profits for MS.
Great post.
They're trying to buy taste in terms of outward appearances, rather allowing it to ensue as a complement to products that commnicate the same (Apple.) MS is trying desperately to shed their bargain-bin, Wal-Mart-esque image, and they believe these stores will give them that special panache, plus a "central" location for everything Microsoft. Except that MS' business model doesn't support that image of taste, nor does it call for a central hot-spot for all things MS, since every BestBuy can function as one.
This is purely window-dressing by MS to capture positive mindshare. But "hip and cool" happens when the products you sell are "hip and cool." And MS aint.
Great post.
They're trying to buy taste in terms of outward appearances, rather allowing it to ensue as a complement to products that commnicate the same (Apple.) MS is trying desperately to shed their bargain-bin, Wal-Mart-esque image, and they believe these stores will give them that special panache, plus a "central" location for everything Microsoft. Except that MS' business model doesn't support that image of taste, nor does it call for a central hot-spot for all things MS, since every BestBuy can function as one.
This is purely window-dressing by MS to capture positive mindshare. But "hip and cool" happens when the products you sell are "hip and cool." And MS aint.
You really have issues with MSFT that you need help with. I feel sorry for you. They really annoy you , it's so sad.
I just wonder what kind of response that Best Buy and Wal-Mart will have to this? Price cuts? Well perhaps this will benefit the consumer and give more reason for the store's quick demise.
In addition to the 'Guru Bar', I imagine they'll have something similar to the 'Geek Squad' which will give more in depth help at a cost, though who knows if Best Buy will even care.
Wow! Contacting the retail store managers? Quite an interesting tactic.
a
note that the article did say it was a manager who had recently left. so define recent and why did the person leave Apple.
also, they make it sound like dozens upon dozens of folks have jumped ship but we have only 2 confirmed stores and I can't imagine them having more than perhaps 100 employees from top to bottom.
and how many of those Apple Employees were active and how many, like the manager, recently left (which could actually mean were fired)
The typical MS solution to most problems:
Just throw more money at it. It applies to retail too, but so do its limitations.
you mean like this
Let's be real. Microsoft is not going under within our lifetime and given MS history they will keep pumping money into this until they success.
There was an era when General Motors wasn't going under within anyone's lifetime, and jumping ship strictly for a paycheck and pension was the thing to do. My how things can change...
I'm not accusing MS of "going under", at least not for the moment. What I am saying it's very dangerous for MS to think they can buy passion and loyalty (versus careerists out for a buck), and to keep throwing big money into also-ran ventures while their cash cows continue to stagnate (Windows 7 IS stagnation).
And someone still needs to explain how MS plans to drive sales traffic into these stores. For some reason I don't see people lining up days ahead to get the latest Office.
I wouldn't have anything to do with MS, for any amount of money. MS is going to fill itself with yes-men precisely when it needs a SWIFT KICK!
(Kinda like how AI forums has changed over the last couple of years, but that's a discussion for another day . . . )
My point is that the store managers probably are worn to the bone by now, and what little brand loyalty they had to begin with (and I don't think many of them do -- for most of them, it's just a job, and they don't have loyalty that goes back to Apple's "dark days" in the mid-'90s, not by a LONG shot) is GONE. Especially in this economy, "double your salary" is very compelling.
It's not just M$ that's aware of this. Trust me, certain independent Apple resellers, who run stores that are profitable (maybe not rape-the-earth profitable, like Apple Retail, but profitable nonetheless) are all too aware of this, too. This is why they're getting applications from people who used to work at Apple's own stores, even at lower rates of pay. In fact, I'd venture to guess that until Microsoft Retail came along, independent Apple resellers were poaching a few Apple Store employees, too. Only difference is that those employees came willingly, not as a result of having dollars waved in front of their faces.
Not that I know firsthand or anything.
you mean like this
Hehe, I liked that one. Makes me chuckle every time.
my only interpretation of this shitty move from microsoft is that they just want to damage apple...their stores will last 6 months tops...i don't even think burglars would go into those stores...
i just wonder how much longer ballmer will be keeping the ceo position?? these antics...are just more money down the drain...
Earlier this week, reports surfaced that Microsoft contacted Apple retail store managers in an attempt to lure them away. The employees were offered raises and compensation for moving expenses if they agreed to work for Redmond, Wash.-based heavyweight, which intends to open its first brick-and-mortar stores this fall.
People do not go to or buy from an Apple store because of the employees. They do so because of the products, experience, curiosity, and "coolness" factor. Apple could have well-trained monkeys in the stores and people would still go to and buy from if they can get the same experience and products. Okay, maybe not well trained monkeys, but they could have only well-trained 17 year olds and it wouldn't matter (but monkeys sounds funnier to me). Point is... even if MSFT hires every Apple store employee, who cares - Apple will just go out hire more people to work there. For every person you see in an Apple store there are 3-5 others at least who are equally qualified and easy to train waiting to fill their spot.
It's not like people will walk by a Windows store and think, "hey MS just hired all the Apple store employee's, forget the iPhone or MacBook Pro -- let's go buy a Zune!"
:nobody (Odysseus)
People do not go to or buy from an Apple store because of the employees. They do so because of the products, experience, curiosity, and "coolness" factor. Apple could have well-trained monkeys in the stores and people would still go to and buy from if they can get the same experience and products. Okay, maybe not well trained monkeys, but they could have only well-trained 17 year olds and it wouldn't matter (but monkeys sounds funnier to me). Point is... even if MSFT hires every Apple store employee, who cares - Apple will just go out hire more people to work there. For every person you see in an Apple store there are 3-5 others at least who are equally qualified and easy to train waiting to fill their spot.
It's not like people will walk by a Windows store and think, "hey MS just hired all the Apple store employee's, forget the iPhone or MacBook Pro -- let's go buy a Zune!"
:nobody (Odysseus)
you have a very good point...
it's a damaging thing msft is doing, but very superficial...
it's almost like wanting to hurt a successful rock band by stealing their instruments...for lack of a better analogy...
There was an era when General Motors wasn't going under within anyone's lifetime, and jumping ship strictly for a paycheck and pension was the thing to do. My how things can change...
GM is not and was never in the same position as MS. The auto market was and is very competitive (at least GM had Ford to compete with) but MS has virtually no competition in the OS market. When you want to buy a PC other that a Mac you will never be asked what OS you want installed (other than if you want Windows Home, Home Premium, ,, etc).
I'm not accusing MS of "going under", at least not for the moment. What I am saying it's very dangerous for MS to think they can buy passion and loyalty (versus careerists out for a buck), and to keep throwing big money into also-ran ventures while their cash cows continue to stagnate (Windows 7 IS stagnation).
And someone still needs to explain how MS plans to drive sales traffic into these stores. For some reason I don't see people lining up days ahead to get the latest Office.
I wouldn't have anything to do with MS, for any amount of money. MS is going to fill itself with yes-men precisely when it needs a SWIFT KICK!
Look, I personally don't have sympathy toward MS and wish that their OS market share goes down... waaaay down. But business wise MS is doing great and everyone knows that they can take risks without any problems as long as they have monopoly in the OS market, which as I said will not go away anytime soon.
Let's be real. Microsoft is not going under within our lifetime and given MS history they will keep pumping money into this until they success.
Companies that last 100 years are incredibly rare. 20 good years isn't nearly enough to predict anything about the next 50.
Betting that ANY company today will or won't be around in 50 years is about as likely to be successful as betting that the Lions will not win a super bowl in the next 50 years. Things change.