Step inside the world of the Microsoft store
October 23rd, 2009 • 23 CommentsDestructoid has taken a tour of Microsoft’s first retail outlet its opening day, somewhere in the middle of Arizona. People camped out to be the first inside the shop, which bore an uncanny resemblance to… go on, have a guess:
“Upon walking into the Microsoft Store, it immediately became clear who the software giant was trying to be. Anyone who has spent any time in one of Apple’s brick-and-mortar locations would quickly draw parallels between the stores’ clean and sparse designs. Rows of tables bearing laptops and desktop monitors feature Microsoft’s products and offer a hands-on approach and the Answer Desk, a domineering counter at the rear of the store, is clearly a carbon copy of Apple’s “Genius” program.”
“Does it look like an Apple Store knock-off? Certainly, but I’m not sure that’s going to matter. The people who care about that already aren’t likely to be shopping in a Microsoft Store to begin with. But, for consumers of the biggest software company in the world, having a place where you can go to buy what you want when you want it in a clean and helpful environment has been a long time coming.”
You can read the full review and find out what the new Microsoft experience has to offer over at Destructoid.
Wow interesting… I don’t think we have this in America, and not even here in San Francisco and Seattle where it’s all tech all the time. Hope you find some good deals!
So Microsoft copied one of Apple’s ideas. Isn’t that why they’re so successful?
At least this store won’t be full of web designers who drive Mini convertibles and clueless fashionistas.
Posted by Financial Samurai | October 23rd, 2009 at 4:17 pm
“Wow interesting… I don’t think we have this in America”
DUH, it does say Arizona in the article.
Apple will be too busy trying to defend the multi million dollar patent lawsuit filed by Nokia to worry about Microsoft. This is from ZDNet;
“Nokia has sued Apple over the iPhone manufacturer’s use of GSM, 3G and Wi-Fi patents. The suit, filed in a US federal district court in Delaware, was announced by Nokia on Thursday The Finnish handset maker said in a statement that 10 of its GSM, UMTS and wireless LAN (WLAN) patents had been violated by Apple.”
LOL
@ John Pickering
Most Americans wouldn’t realise Arizona is even in the US, let alone one of the states. I kid you not.
Sorry Tom, I meant you, not John. LOL.
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I want to visit a Juicy Pair shop. I don’t like apples.
^ zeddy, its just down the road – soho, there’s quiet a few…
Why would Microsoft want to copy Apple’s ideas and stores when they are clearly crap and overpriced? – surely MS would want to be successful and not be drawn in to Apple’s ‘Hip and cool’ crowd…
Posted by Alex | October 23rd, 2009 at 7:15 pm
“surely MS would want to be successful and not be drawn in to Apple’s ‘Hip and cool’ crowd…”
Hi my name is Brian.
I own an iPhone 3gs & an iPod touch 64GB, i’m ‘Hip and cool’ , according to my friend Jeremy. MS should open a POUND shop for the CRAP they sell !!!!
Of course elements will be the same.
The Apple-store are one of the most loved single-branded electrical outlets in the world. They must be doing something right. Why wouldn’t Microsoft/DSGi/BestBuy/other brands take ideas from them!?
It’s evolution, baby.
the ms store in redmond, in microsoft campus, looks like an apple store. but then it was there before apple stores existed in mainstream?
Why reinvent the wheel?
Design by Co-Net » Microsoft Retail Shops open
@ Andy Brown
“At least this store won’t be full of web designers who drive Mini convertibles and clueless fashionistas.”
No, it will be full of geekwads that wear duffel coats and smell funny… ewwwww
Yuck smelly geek shop!
Maybe they should have opened an Xbox shop as the rest of the stuff is crap. The only they got going for them in my opinion is games!
*Walks straight back out of Microsoft store and heads back to the Apple store* Aahhhh…..
I wouldnt be seen dead in either shop!? An Apple shop? Is that a place , where chavs and muggers are employed to give that 100% daylight robbery feeling? Do you get receipts or plasters?
Wheres the blog about SPAR copying Costcutter?, or perhaps Co-op has similarly placed onionsright next to carrots, as do Asda (allegedly).
*walks straight back out of Apple store and heads back to poundstrectcher, a place where no chavs are allowed, Aaaahhhh shit…….
Whilst Im talking to myself let me quote “Rows of tables bearing laptops and desktop monitors feature Microsoft’s products and offer a hands-on approach and the Answer Desk, a domineering counter at the rear of the store, is clearly a carbon copy of Apple’s “Genius” program”
So microsoft want to display their OS on compatible multi-touchscreen laptops. Now, lets think where they are going to put the laptops? On the floor, yes, the floor….because putting laptops on desks would reek of Steve Jobs wouldnt it. Perhaps theyd like to show off some games and and software on large screen TV’s, yes better use the floor again, we cant have those TV’s on the wall can we- that would be stupid. In fact better not have any racks or shelving on the wall, just in case people get confused as to which store their in.
Shock horror ensue’s as microsoft has some sort of help desk / counter, should anyone trip over a laptop, bang their head and want to buy something from shock….. better set that up outside the shop as to avoid a major counter related apple lawsuit.
On a side note, has anyone seen the recent Windows 7 adverts?
“One day, I had an idea right here in/on this _______. I realised it would be easier if _______. I’m a PC and I came up with Windows 7″.
I’ve seen two adverts under this structure and both should be called “One day I opened up a Mac”. They are simply advertising the hell out of a feature that Mac nailed years ago.
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