Comments on: Microsoft Retail More Like Brick-and-Mortar Advertising Depots

By: 10 Questions for Tesla’s New (& Apple’s Former) Retail Chief | iPhone, iPad Weblog

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 07:07:43 +0000

[...] of his career at Gap, joined Apple in 2000 — the year before Apple opened its first store. As TheAppleBlog has explained, Blankenship was responsible for “shaping the way Apple chose to place its inaugural retail [...]

By: 10 Questions for Tesla’s New (& Apple’s Former) Retail Chief

10 Questions for Tesla’s New (& Apple’s Former) Retail Chief — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 07:01:37 +0000

By: Microsoft Becoming Apple With First Retail Store, Online PC Sales

Microsoft Becoming Apple With First Retail Store, Online PC Sales — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:37:50 +0000

[...] like the whole premise is designed more around showing, rather than selling, as early speculation suggested. Microsoft is clearly pushing the experience, [...]

By: Site7000

Site7000 — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:11:50 +0000

When the MS store concept was first announced, I couldn’t believe it was as dumb as it sounded–surely they had something in mind. But no, it’s as dumb as it sounded. Living in Seattle and knowing some MS employees, I’ll let you in on a secret: it’s GM all over again.

By: MT

MT — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:10:49 +0000

Microsoft spends its advertising money downing Apple but when it comes to business strategy, it’s all about belated importing Apple’s ideas, but having them fail in fire because the very ideas Apple creates cannot work in Microsoft’s corporate environment. Yet, Microsoft never realizes this, and so becomes a millstone around the neck of its shareholders.

By: HD Boy

HD Boy — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 05:54:58 +0000

Microsoft – an increasingly pathetic lack of innovation.

By: The Eck

The Eck — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 02:15:48 +0000

@ bill: Now there’s a contradiction in terms (Microsoft…genius).

By: Howie Isaacks

Howie Isaacks — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:16:46 +0000

This will be entertaining. Dell tried this in Dallas at Northpark Center one floor above, and across from the Apple store. It didn’t do well. Consumers can test drive and buy Windows at Best Buy, Fry’s… anyplace that sells computers. Why would they go out of their way to visit a Microsoft store?

By: bill

bill — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 23:52:35 +0000

I wonder if microsoft will have employees like the apple genius?

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 20:25:26 +0000

Lets remember that Dell tried to do the same. The problem is, Microsoft like Dell and Gateway before them will have an uphill battle trying to make a boutique environment with commodity goods. Apple’s goods are not a commodity which is why they were able to be successful.

By: Carl

Carl — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 20:16:32 +0000

So true. Case in point is Lenox Mall in Atlanta, GA. The Sony Style store is dead (assuming its still in business) and the Apple store has what appears to be more traffic than ANY store in the mall.

By: Oak

Oak — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:01:50 +0000

Sony tried this with their Sony Style retail stores. And while they actually had products you want to see and feel, I don’t remember many visitors at checkout.

By: Joe

Joe — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:31:37 +0000

Renting at the most expensive locations and not selling very much sounds like very expensive advertising!