I still remember going into a Microsoft store to make a return for a recent purchase. They were not able to find my receipt in their system, despite the fact I used an outlook.com email address. I had to call home and get my wife to take a picture of the Microsoft store receipt and send it to me.
Microsoft is, in my opinion, the most worthy example of a company that lacks vision, cohesiveness, and strategy.
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.
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.
Maybe they should have called them libraries or showrooms.
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.
I believe that was by design - they were intentionally located near Apple Stores
I wonder why MSFT thought that would help them? Different products/experience/users, did they really think people would cross-shop the 2 stores?
I'm a long-term St Louis resident and been to the Galleria many times, i can't even picture where the Microsoft store was, made no impression. Still, at least there's still a Lego store there (at least for now)!
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?
Wow, get a grip people. I know this isn’t the place for opposing viewpoints, but the OP made some valid points.
I too tend to stay out of Apple Stores as the overcrowding in them reaches levels of absurdity. As a customer of the Apple ecosystem (iPhone, iPad, Watch, and stockholder), I honestly don’t understand what most of the people in those stores are doing (and no, they’re not all going in to buy a new device). It’s not as if Apple refreshes its products more than once a year that would warrant repeat visits by the same customer. When a new product is released, I tend to visit one on my way to take a look, but otherwise am content to just walk by the throngs of people lured by the bright lights.
I agree that the empty Microsoft stores were a bit uncomfortable to walk into, but inversely, the over saturated and overcrowded Apple Stores are of equal discomfort.
Kudos to Apple’s successful business strategy. But no one is without faults.
Finally. It was a waste of money. They should also discontinue their surface line. Use the money to improve their cloud offerings. Better compete with amazon.
In the Galleria Mall in St. Louis the Microsoft store is located not too far from the Apple store.
I believe that was by design - they were intentionally located near Apple Stores
I wonder why MSFT thought that would help them? Different products/experience/users, did they really think people would cross-shop the 2 stores?
I'm a long-term St Louis resident and been to the Galleria many times, i can't even picture where the Microsoft store was, made no impression. Still, at least there's still a Lego store there (at least for now)!
It is likely based on the celebrated Burger King location strategy (who just set up theirs across from already-established McDonalds): get your innovative competitor to do all the legwork to determine the optimal-location, and set up nearby. Saves you a lot of $$ and the pain of trial-and-error.
They were still open? Is it a “store” if they barely sell anything to customers?
Well, if you want to get technical, the word "store" is where things are stored, not necessarily sold. So essentially Microsoft Stores were glorified storage facilities, not retail outlets.
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?
Wow, get a grip people. I know this isn’t the place for opposing viewpoints, but the OP made some valid points.
I too tend to stay out of Apple Stores as the overcrowding in them reaches levels of absurdity. As a customer of the Apple ecosystem (iPhone, iPad, Watch, and stockholder), I honestly don’t understand what most of the people in those stores are doing (and no, they’re not all going in to buy a new device). It’s not as if Apple refreshes its products more than once a year that would warrant repeat visits by the same customer. When a new product is released, I tend to visit one on my way to take a look, but otherwise am content to just walk by the throngs of people lured by the bright lights.
I agree that the empty Microsoft stores were a bit uncomfortable to walk into, but inversely, the over saturated and overcrowded Apple Stores are of equal discomfort.
Kudos to Apple’s successful business strategy. But no one is without faults.
Why would you assume that everyone goes to see a new Apple product as soon as it’s released? I imagine most people will go to have a look at the iPhone when they need a new iPhone.
Secondly, the stores don’t just sell Apple gear; they also sell accessories, educational toys, software subscriptions …
The only reason why I go to an Apple store is to quickly look at a new product and try out some stuff, then get the hell out before an obnoxious hipster with a blue shirt gets close.
I hate the Apple Store and how it’s setup. There doesn’t seem to be a reason for these retail stores except support and repairs, in case you live close by.
The only reason why I go to an Apple store is to quickly look at a new product and try out some stuff, then get the hell out before an obnoxious hipster with a blue shirt gets close.
I hate the Apple Store and how it’s setup. There doesn’t seem to be a reason for these retail stores except support and repairs, in case you live close by.
I am a big supporter of Apple Stores as a via for direct contact with Apple. This is largely due to country specific historical issues.
However, you are right that they have lost their way. They are almost like parodies of their old Jony Ive 'staring into space' videos.
Taking themselves far too seriously and far to smug.
The last time I was in one was when I got the iPhone XR and planned to run it through a 2011 MBP.
I took the machine along because I was expecting issues but wanted to play safe just in case.
At every step of the way I explained what issues I expected to run into but was told there would be no issue by a smart arse smiling hipster who clearly had no idea what I was talking about. His job was to push the sale and once that was done any problems would be for someone else. This was a trade in and right before wiping the device I reminded him that my backup was sitting on the MBP in an older Mac OSX. I told him to at least check with someone but he insisted I shouldn't worry.
So the device was wiped, I was given the XR and had requested that someone run through the setup with me so they would know what was going to happen.
I was told to sit at a table with a group of other people being helped to setup their devices. It felt like I was back at primary school. Another Apple hipster, this time with shaggy hair and the tech hipster look was taking care of the kiddies. When he saw my MBP he laughed and said 'what's that? Almost as if he'd just been confronted with the technoligical version of a caveman.
Then the issues I had warned about began popping uo one by one. Everything I feared became stark reality. His only recourse was to run through a series of flashcards in his head and hope for success. He clearly had no idea what was going on. Eventually he consulted with someone else who couldn't help either. Everyone smug as hell but almost showing pity that I had such an 'old' machine.
So the old phone had been wiped and the new one couldn't transfer anything over.
They told me it was impossible, forgetting that they (collectively) had put me in this situation by not listening to me and double checking.
In an effort to fob me off (the guy was dealing with at least eight other people at the same time) they suggested going to tech support (but it was impossible, right?) but I would have to make an appointment and come back. That's a 120km round trip that I wasn't going to make again.
So I packed everything up, went home and began the arduous process of resolving the issues myself.
Apple made things unnecessarily difficult to get up and running along the way, as did the Apple Online Store, which to start with, couldn't provide me the trade in prices - for that I would have to visit the store. Crazy.
Lots more problems and hoops to jump through. The whole process was frankly awful but the staff were just lifeless, smiling robots reading from mental flashcards.
I love the promotional photo of the packed Microsoft Store used to illustrate this article. Are those actual customers, or Microsoft employees on their lunch break?
Comments
No - ‘registries!’
I'm a long-term St Louis resident and been to the Galleria many times, i can't even picture where the Microsoft store was, made no impression. Still, at least there's still a Lego store there (at least for now)!
I agree that the empty Microsoft stores were a bit uncomfortable to walk into, but inversely, the over saturated and overcrowded Apple Stores are of equal discomfort.
Kudos to Apple’s successful business strategy. But no one is without faults.
Sounds familiar, no?
Well, if you want to get technical, the word "store" is where things are stored, not necessarily sold. So essentially Microsoft Stores were glorified storage facilities, not retail outlets.
Apple realized in the beginning that stores need to be about the experience, not the selling.
How excited can you get about looking at another Windows laptop?
Thirdly, training courses.
However, you are right that they have lost their way. They are almost like parodies of their old Jony Ive 'staring into space' videos.
Taking themselves far too seriously and far to smug.
The last time I was in one was when I got the iPhone XR and planned to run it through a 2011 MBP.
I took the machine along because I was expecting issues but wanted to play safe just in case.
At every step of the way I explained what issues I expected to run into but was told there would be no issue by a smart arse smiling hipster who clearly had no idea what I was talking about. His job was to push the sale and once that was done any problems would be for someone else. This was a trade in and right before wiping the device I reminded him that my backup was sitting on the MBP in an older Mac OSX. I told him to at least check with someone but he insisted I shouldn't worry.
So the device was wiped, I was given the XR and had requested that someone run through the setup with me so they would know what was going to happen.
I was told to sit at a table with a group of other people being helped to setup their devices. It felt like I was back at primary school. Another Apple hipster, this time with shaggy hair and the tech hipster look was taking care of the kiddies. When he saw my MBP he laughed and said 'what's that? Almost as if he'd just been confronted with the technoligical version of a caveman.
Then the issues I had warned about began popping uo one by one. Everything I feared became stark reality. His only recourse was to run through a series of flashcards in his head and hope for success. He clearly had no idea what was going on. Eventually he consulted with someone else who couldn't help either. Everyone smug as hell but almost showing pity that I had such an 'old' machine.
So the old phone had been wiped and the new one couldn't transfer anything over.
They told me it was impossible, forgetting that they (collectively) had put me in this situation by not listening to me and double checking.
In an effort to fob me off (the guy was dealing with at least eight other people at the same time) they suggested going to tech support (but it was impossible, right?) but I would have to make an appointment and come back. That's a 120km round trip that I wasn't going to make again.
So I packed everything up, went home and began the arduous process of resolving the issues myself.
Apple made things unnecessarily difficult to get up and running along the way, as did the Apple Online Store, which to start with, couldn't provide me the trade in prices - for that I would have to visit the store. Crazy.
Lots more problems and hoops to jump through. The whole process was frankly awful but the staff were just lifeless, smiling robots reading from mental flashcards.
This is not how it should be.