Apple's integration of hardware, software and services is all the difference here.
Integration of the shopping experience with the User experience. Apple wants to tell it's own story, for years it was told by others. CompUSA, Circuit City, Best Buy. today Carrier Stores and kiosks. Plugging a camera into a computer, editing music or video on a machine before purchasing. Trying the internet or seeing how MS Office, or for that matter Windows, works on a Mac. Financing a phone separate from a carrier. Buying an unlocked phone. Learning some tips and tricks or getting some help face to face. All of that takes Real People working with Real People. Building that takes real commitment. Something that is not MicroSoft's strong suit.
If Microsoft would simply allow Apple to sell Apple products in the Microsoft Store, and also allow Apple to dictate what level of markups Microsoft should be allowed to charge on Microsoft and third party products sold in Microsoft's stores, these stores would probably be able to remain in business. Isn't this the same prescription Microsoft is suggesting Apple provide in Apple's stores?
I’ve been in those stores maybe twice in my life. Last time was to look for some generic earphones or something.
it was depressing. Maybe one, two customers in entire store and way too many employees doing nothing but standing around gazing at their phones. None approaching me when I entered and no one asking me anything. Zero positive vibe in both of those stores.
Sad. Microsoft should be ashamed of itself for continuing the status quo.
The MS Store in Century City (LA) was always busy. I think they had a bunch of Surfaces, Xbox, Oculus Rigs, etc. and appealed to the industry around them. People could order and pick up a new computer quickly. You could go in and try out the Xbox. Want a full on Oculus setup to pick up and walk out with - they had it.
As far as the Apple Store - always people milling about who don't have any business being there. No crowd control, no place to wait for service. Since doing away with the genious area Apple made it harder to figure out where to go to get support. In order to fix that they have an employee hanging out at the front. Apple has made some mistakes in retail over the last 5 years. Someone else mentioned that it is their ecosystem that keeps people involved and engaged. I can't stand the retail store and try to go as little as possible.
If Microsoft would simply allow Apple to sell Apple products in the Microsoft Store, and also allow Apple to dictate what level of markups Microsoft should be allowed to charge on Microsoft and third party products sold in Microsoft's stores, these stores would probably be able to remain in business. Isn't this the same prescription Microsoft is suggesting Apple provide in Apple's stores?
A customer would walk into a Microsoft store for a MacBook and then be subjected to a thirty minute lecture on why they should buy a Surface.
Besides, Microsoft put all of its stores within walking distance of an Apple Store, so why would a customer go to an MS store when they can see an Apple shop from the empty shop they’re standing in?
The MS Store in Century City (LA) was always busy. I think they had a bunch of Surfaces, Xbox, Oculus Rigs, etc. and appealed to the industry around them. People could order and pick up a new computer quickly. You could go in and try out the Xbox. Want a full on Oculus setup to pick up and walk out with - they had it.
As far as the Apple Store - always people milling about who don't have any business being there. No crowd control, no place to wait for service. Since doing away with the genious area Apple made it harder to figure out where to go to get support. In order to fix that they have an employee hanging out at the front. Apple has made some mistakes in retail over the last 5 years. Someone else mentioned that it is their ecosystem that keeps people involved and engaged. I can't stand the retail store and try to go as little as possible.
So the Microsoft stores were perfect and the Apple stores suck. Yet Microsoft is the one who is closing ALL of their stores. Do you understand how stupid that makes you look?
The Coronavirus Pandemic was a perfect excuse for Microsoft to finally close its underperforming stores. Realistically Microsoft has never been able to compete hardware wise with its' competitors. To me the X Box is their main bread and butter for hardware. Surface is... well just Surface. It lags way behind the iPad and other Apple products. Software is their game and they do a pretty good job at that. Someone mentioned that there are a lot of people milling about in Apple stores that should not be there..I have no idea what that means. Apple stores want people to come and "mill about" to see all the products and get hands on information and physically try laptops, iPhones, iPads, and such... It's easy to make an appointment with the genius bar online, you are checked in at the front and have a location to wait until you are called. If Microsoft stores were so good and consumer friendly why did Microsoft throw in the towel and take almost a 1/2 billion dollar write off?
I honestly didn’t know Microsoft had retail stores. I remember seeing pop up kiosks at the Natick Mall when the Surface first launched but that’s about it.
How long has it been since you went to the Natick Mall? The Microsoft store is right next to the apple store. Do you still live in the area? If so, we’ve probably past each other dozens of times.
I had predicted this to some friends when I noticed that stores that didn't previously carry the Surface line were now starting to carry them (in some cases, after a bad experience with the first-gen Surface line). Expanding their generic (but quality) hardware to other retail outlets always made a lot more sense IMO for MS, and having your own showcases always made more sense for Apple. The current line of Surfaces are skyscrapers of usefulness and quality compared to the crack shacks of Android tablets, so they'll do fine with them being primarily available either directly or through the Worst Buys of this world. Apple sells a lot of gear through said retail chains as well, but IME mostly to people who came into the store wanting to pick up a specific Apple product and not really interested in other companies' offerings.
Yes, the MS Store was a terrible idea from the get-go and was probably always a loss-leader for the company, but frankly the true economic fallout from the pandemic (which played at least a part in this failure, though the writing had been on the wall for years) has yet to really hit and will devastate marginal retail over the next few months. Thankfully, our favourite computer company had the margins, the cash, and the smarts to avoid most of the worst of the economic downturn. But those laughing over MS' store failure would do well to remember that the Apple Stores haven't been pulling their weight either for obvious reasons, and Apple has had to find ways to retain its best employees from those stores, et al -- not easy tasks, and not cheap. I fully expect some of the less- or un-profitable Apple stores may also close if the current recession continues to bloom as I expect it will.
In the Galleria Mall in St. Louis the Microsoft store is located not too far from the Apple store. Every time I walk down that promenade I notice the Microsoft store basically empty while the Apple store is packed. Just like Samsung stores the Microsoft stores where me-too efforts in response to Apple's legendary retail stores. The only difference was that Apple knew what it was doing while those two companies told their marketing execs "We have to get on this. Do what you have to do so we don't look like the losers we are in the retail space." Back then all of the tech companies had their branded stores in malls. The Galleria Mall in St. Louis once had a Bose store, a B&O store, a Sony store and they all failed and disappeared.
Exactly the same in Sarasota, Florida. The Microsoft Store rarely had anyone in, the Apple, Store is always mobbed. I always strolled into the MS store when my wife was shopping, excited staff would converge and asked where the Apple store was.
If Microsoft would simply allow Apple to sell Apple products in the Microsoft Store, and also allow Apple to dictate what level of markups Microsoft should be allowed to charge on Microsoft and third party products sold in Microsoft's stores, these stores would probably be able to remain in business. Isn't this the same prescription Microsoft is suggesting Apple provide in Apple's stores?
A customer would walk into a Microsoft store for a MacBook and then be subjected to a thirty minute lecture on why they should buy a Surface.
Besides, Microsoft put all of its stores within walking distance of an Apple Store, so why would a customer go to an MS store when they can see an Apple shop from the empty shop they’re standing in?
I saw and heard that happen several times in Best Buy's Apple section, I even interviewed once.
There is a Microsoft store in the same mall where it has an Apple store. After macOS Catalina requires 64 bit applications. My 2009 Microsoft Windows Office won't run. I went to the store inquiring for options. The employee told me I can have a $99/year subscription to the Windows Office. I paid only $25 through company deal with Microsoft promotion. Of course this subscription won't go. Recently I discovered Page, Numbers can work with Windows Office files. My old documents can survive! I happily update macOS Catalina finally. Now I am waiting for Big Sur and planning on buying an Arm-based MacBook Pro. I am happy with Apple!
In the Galleria Mall in St. Louis the Microsoft store is located not too far from the Apple store. Every time I walk down that promenade I notice the Microsoft store basically empty while the Apple store is packed. Just like Samsung stores the Microsoft stores where me-too efforts in response to Apple's legendary retail stores. The only difference was that Apple knew what it was doing while those two companies told their marketing execs "We have to get on this. Do what you have to do so we don't look like the losers we are in the retail space." Back then all of the tech companies had their branded stores in malls. The Galleria Mall in St. Louis once had a Bose store, a B&O store, a Sony store and they all failed and disappeared.
Exactly the same in Sarasota, Florida. The Microsoft Store rarely had anyone in, the Apple, Store is always mobbed. I always strolled into the MS store when my wife was shopping, excited staff would converge and asked where the Apple store was.
Ouch. That's mean.
But I totally understand, since I've always wanted to do the same...
The MS Store in Century City (LA) was always busy. I think they had a bunch of Surfaces, Xbox, Oculus Rigs, etc. and appealed to the industry around them. People could order and pick up a new computer quickly. You could go in and try out the Xbox. Want a full on Oculus setup to pick up and walk out with - they had it.
As far as the Apple Store - always people milling about who don't have any business being there. No crowd control, no place to wait for service. Since doing away with the genious area Apple made it harder to figure out where to go to get support. In order to fix that they have an employee hanging out at the front. Apple has made some mistakes in retail over the last 5 years. Someone else mentioned that it is their ecosystem that keeps people involved and engaged. I can't stand the retail store and try to go as little as possible.
Hopefully you took a bunch of pictures so you can relive the glory days and tell your grandchildren all about it.
I had predicted this to some friends when I noticed that stores that didn't previously carry the Surface line were now starting to carry them (in some cases, after a bad experience with the first-gen Surface line). Expanding their generic (but quality) hardware to other retail outlets always made a lot more sense IMO for MS, and having your own showcases always made more sense for Apple. The current line of Surfaces are skyscrapers of usefulness and quality compared to the crack shacks of Android tablets, so they'll do fine with them being primarily available either directly or through the Worst Buys of this world. Apple sells a lot of gear through said retail chains as well, but IME mostly to people who came into the store wanting to pick up a specific Apple product and not really interested in other companies' offerings.
Yes, the MS Store was a terrible idea from the get-go and was probably always a loss-leader for the company, but frankly the true economic fallout from the pandemic (which played at least a part in this failure, though the writing had been on the wall for years) has yet to really hit and will devastate marginal retail over the next few months. Thankfully, our favourite computer company had the margins, the cash, and the smarts to avoid most of the worst of the economic downturn. But those laughing over MS' store failure would do well to remember that the Apple Stores haven't been pulling their weight either for obvious reasons, and Apple has had to find ways to retain its best employees from those stores, et al -- not easy tasks, and not cheap. I fully expect some of the less- or un-profitable Apple stores may also close if the current recession continues to bloom as I expect it will.
“frankly the true economic fallout from the pandemic (which played at least a part in this failure”
I completely disagree with this statement. The pandemic played no part at all in this failure, it was merely a convenient time for them to announce these closings now so as to get lost in the news cycle. With so much going on in the US right now, this will be completely forgotten about by Monday morning. Not here, of course. But to the rest of the world it will be like it never happened. Echoes and tumbleweeds... that’s what I’ll remember about the Microsoft Store experience.
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it was depressing. Maybe one, two customers in entire store and way too many employees doing nothing but standing around gazing at their phones. None approaching me when I entered and no one asking me anything. Zero positive vibe in both of those stores.
Sad. Microsoft should be ashamed of itself for continuing the status quo.
As far as the Apple Store - always people milling about who don't have any business being there. No crowd control, no place to wait for service. Since doing away with the genious area Apple made it harder to figure out where to go to get support. In order to fix that they have an employee hanging out at the front. Apple has made some mistakes in retail over the last 5 years. Someone else mentioned that it is their ecosystem that keeps people involved and engaged. I can't stand the retail store and try to go as little as possible.
But I totally understand, since I've always wanted to do the same...