Microsoft hopes to boost Surface sales by expanding retail availability
A lack of retail presence is reportedly "killing" the Microsoft Surface, which has prompted the company to expand availability of its iPad-competing tablet beyond Microsoft's own stores.
Panos Panay, general manager of the Surface project, revealed that Microsoft's tablet will go on sale at North American retailers this week, according to The Telegraph. Availability is also expected to expand to third-party stores in Australia this month, while more countries will follow suit soon after.
No retailers were specifically named by Panay, but Staples separately announced it will begin stocking the Surface as of today.
Up until Wednesday, the Surface has only been available in Microsoft's retail and online stores, and there were signs that consumer interest in the Surface has been limited.
One survey conducted on Black Friday found that the Microsoft Store at Mall of America in Minneapolis saw 47 percent less traffic than the Apple Store across from it. While the Apple Store had an average of 17.2 items purchased per hour, just 3.5 items per hour were bought from the Microsoft Store, and none of them were of the new Surface tablet.
Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer made headlines last month when he said sales of the Microsoft Surface had gotten off to a "modest" start.
The Surface runs a new Windows RT operating system that cannot run legacy Windows applications. Windows RT is largely driven by the touchscreen-friendly Metro interface, though a traditional Windows desktop interface can also be accessed. Initial reviews of the device praised the hardware design, but the software was characterized as a letdown, particularly when compared to Apple's iOS ecosystem.
Panos Panay, general manager of the Surface project, revealed that Microsoft's tablet will go on sale at North American retailers this week, according to The Telegraph. Availability is also expected to expand to third-party stores in Australia this month, while more countries will follow suit soon after.
No retailers were specifically named by Panay, but Staples separately announced it will begin stocking the Surface as of today.
Up until Wednesday, the Surface has only been available in Microsoft's retail and online stores, and there were signs that consumer interest in the Surface has been limited.
One survey conducted on Black Friday found that the Microsoft Store at Mall of America in Minneapolis saw 47 percent less traffic than the Apple Store across from it. While the Apple Store had an average of 17.2 items purchased per hour, just 3.5 items per hour were bought from the Microsoft Store, and none of them were of the new Surface tablet.
Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer made headlines last month when he said sales of the Microsoft Surface had gotten off to a "modest" start.
The Surface runs a new Windows RT operating system that cannot run legacy Windows applications. Windows RT is largely driven by the touchscreen-friendly Metro interface, though a traditional Windows desktop interface can also be accessed. Initial reviews of the device praised the hardware design, but the software was characterized as a letdown, particularly when compared to Apple's iOS ecosystem.
Comments
/s
Of course, they hope retail shoppers will confuse it for a real Intel PC and buy one.
They finally made that big a$$ table fit in your hand, and people still don't want it. Well I guess it can take up shelf space at your local retail stores.
Ah yes, THIS has been the problem, availability in other retailers! They must have been hearing from many retailers of hordes coming in asking for Surfaces. I NEED A SURFACE! WHERE ARE THEY!?
What's wrong with MS's strategy???
Everything!
Tells you something about the success of their own stores.
Quote:
Originally Posted by macminiwii
They finally made that big a$$ table fit in your hand, and people still don't want it. Well I guess it can take up shelf space at your local retail stores.
Soon... a free Surface tablet with every couch, washer, dryer, stove... whatever... that you buy.
Maybe they'll rebrand it with a cheap sticky label so that people won't know it's a Surface.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheUnfetteredMind
Ah yes, THIS has been the problem, availability in other retailers! They must have been hearing from many retailers of hordes coming in asking for Surfaces. I NEED A SURFACE! WHERE ARE THEY!?
LOL. You mean you haven't seen those long lines outside of retail stores for this thing. Surely you jest!..
This tablet is never shown in "Portrait" mode lol.
I work with a guy who is anti-Apple and prays to the Microsoft gods. He pre ordered 2 and was bragging how wonderful they are, and how innovative Microsoft is with their smart keyboard.
Last week I asked him if he still liked the Surface. He had already returned them.
If people like him are returning it, Microsoft has bigger problems than "Modest Sales"
Quote:
Originally Posted by AJMonline
I work with a guy who is anti-Apple and prays to the Microsoft gods. He pre ordered 2 and was bragging how wonderful they are, and how innovative Microsoft is with their smart keyboard.
Last week I asked him if he still liked the Surface. He had already returned it.
If people like him are returning it, Microsoft has bigger problems than "Modest Sales"
Wow. This is serious for MS this may be another ME, Vista problem
Welcome to the Microsoft Surplus.
My hope is that MS will also decide to stop just living off their past successes and actually start trying to make some killer apps for the 21st century. For example, Microsoft Word is an app designed primarily to create documents that will be printed on paper. That's so last century! What we need are apps that are as easy to use and widely accessible as Office but that are aimed at creating content for tablets and the web.
The 1980s version of MS would have been one of the first companies to make first class apps for the iPad (MS was there early for the Mac, even though MS sold DOS at the time). That was because Bill Gates was smart enough to realize that it would take years for MS to catch up with the Mac, and that in the meantime, the best way to learn how to copy the Mac was to write software for it. Ballmer has done the exact opposite and he's failing miserably.
I think they're following the Blackberry Playbook's playbook. Soon it'll be a firesale and all the "analysts" will declare it a success and the iPad's days are numbered.
either that or "ET: The Game" will have company in a landfill somewhere.
Hilarious!
Originally Posted by Gazoobee
Translation: "We made a HUGE mistake in initially only allowing the Surface to be sold in our stores."
I love it. It's the exact opposite problem Apple had at the exact same time last decade.
Microsoft can't sell anything when it's in their own stores. Apple couldn't get anything sold when it wasn't in their own stores.
Another thing... these cant count as sales as long as they sitting in a Microsoft store, but if they push them out into the channel of Best Buy and etc, doesn't that count as sale even if no ones buy it?
Quote:
Originally Posted by jkichline
I think they are borrowing from Android's handbook... pump out stock to thousands of retailers and let the world know how much product you've shipped instead of how much product you SOLD to consumers.
You're right. There aren't any Androids sold. They are all sitting in the shelves, in the warehouses, in the boats, in the planes, in the assemblers warehouses, ... anywhere, but not on the street.
It's very well known that only iOS devices sell. But please, do continue spreading the word.
Quote:
Originally Posted by macminiwii
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheUnfetteredMind
Ah yes, THIS has been the problem, availability in other retailers! They must have been hearing from many retailers of hordes coming in asking for Surfaces. I NEED A SURFACE! WHERE ARE THEY!?
LOL. You mean you haven't seen those long lines outside of retail stores for this thing. Surely you jest!..
This tablet is never shown in "Portrait" mode lol.
I have yet to see an ad showing the Surface actually being used to do something! (clicking, swiping and dancing aside)
How about an ad showing the wonderful productivity using Word or Excel?