First MS Retail Stores Will be In Scottsdale, AZ and Mission Viejo, CA 189
UnknowingFool writes "MS has announced the locations of its first two retail stores. The first one will be located at The Shops in Mission Viejo, CA sometime in the fall. There is an existing Apple store at the location. The second one will be located in Scottsdale Fashion Square in Scottsdale, AZ. That location does not have an Apple store. According to Corporate Communications Director Kim Stocks, the locations were picked because they were 'hot markets,' presumably meaning high traffic. Also, the stores will sell laptops, Zunes, Xbox 360s, MS and 3rd party software. No details on which laptops were provided."
Hardware? (Score:3, Interesting)
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Gee, they're locating near Apple stores.. they could just point them over there.
Wrong! (Score:3, Informative)
The Scottsdale loc does have an Apple store; it's shiny, new and enormous. I just bought a mac-mini there a couple days ago.
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Re:Wrong! (Score:4, Informative)
Fashion Square? (Score:2)
Are you sure you're not thinking of the east side of Scottsdale Road, opposite Kierland Commons?
Re:Wrong! (Score:4, Informative)
How this got modded informative is beyond me. Anyone can simply head over to the web site that Apple maintains with the list of stores [apple.com]. The stores in Arizona are:
Furthermore, there's a link to the store at Scottsdale Quarter [apple.com], which gives a map that shows the store is located on Scottsdale Road south of Kierland Boulevard. A Google search will turn up the site for the Scottsdale Fashion Square [fashionsquare.com] mall, which is at the intersection of Camelback and Scottsdale Roads. Plugging that into Google Maps (which Apple conveniently uses for the map and provides a driving directions link for) shows that the two locations are separated by 8.5 miles. So they're not even close.
Hot markets = upscale? (Score:3, Informative)
Not that I expect an MS store to compete with WalMart, but these first two locations seem to target flush consumers.
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Where MS's existing sales channels are making very little headway, comparatively speaking, is the high end. These numbers [arstechnica.com] suggest that just over 90% of computers that sold for over $1,000 were macs. That is pretty
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They did no such thing. They suggested that 90% of dollars spent on a "premium PC" was spent on a Mac. By the mechanism they used, one $5000 Mac Pro accounted the same as 5 $1000 Dells. See the flaw?
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See the flaw?
Yeah, Dell lost a $5000 high-roller customer that probably bought an manufacturer warranty and will buy branded software and peripherals.
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That's just silly. Northern Arizona (Flagstaff, for example) gets snow, and is actually quite chilly much of the year. Phoenix and Scottsdale may get ridiculously hot in the summer, but that only lasts about 4 months; the rest of the time, it's comfortable shirt-sleeve weather with low humidity, and it's not unheard of to need a jacket or sweater during the winter, especially at night. Why, we've even been known to get frost on the ground. I even remember it snowing once! (The snowfall only stuck to th
Anyone Going? (Score:2)
Re:Anyone Going? (Score:5, Funny)
I just got back from the Mission Viejo store. They're serving free beer! At least, they said it was beer, I've never had bright-red, fruit-flavored beer served with ice in a glass pitcher before. Anyway, apart from the cherry-flavored sugary stuff they said was beer, the Microsoft store experience is a well-executed, classy affair that calls to mind the most elegant retailers outside the technology sector, from Nordstrom's to Saks Fifth Avenue to Neiman Marcus. There was free beer, and the tranquil, soothing environment makes you feel like you're the only customer in the store (which I'm sure was just a coincidence in my case) and really puts the crowded, noisy atmosphere in the Apple store to shame.
Clearly, Microsoft, under the forward-looking leadership of CEO Ballmer, has taken a bold yet welcome step into the world of luxury retail. Their new storefront strategy looks like a can't-miss proposition. And the beer, did I mention the beer was really good? And it was free, too, I'm pretty sure I mentioned that. Anyway, I look forward to returning, once I've installed these new copies of Vista Ultimate Edition I just picked up. Thanks, Steve!
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I just got back from the Mission Viejo store. They're serving free beer! At least, they said it was beer, I've never had bright-red, fruit-flavored beer served with ice in a glass pitcher before.
There's just so many jokes to make here I don't even know where to start. I guess I'll go with the non-obvious and ask if they promised there would be punch and pie. Sounds like they got the punch right but where's the pie?
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There's just so many jokes to make here I don't even know where to start. I guess I'll go with the non-obvious...
Unfortunately there's only one joke for me to make here. It starts with the World Health Organization, and ends with Orchard Supply Hardware. It's kinda short, but if you get it, it's actually pretty damn funny.
Re:Anyone Going? (Score:5, Funny)
Kool-aid. He drank the Microsoft kool-aid.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=drink+the+kool-aid [urbandictionary.com]
Re:Anyone Going? (Score:5, Funny)
Here's pics from two guys who visited a few days ago. [penny-arcade.com]
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I just can't think of any way which doesn't result in utter embarrassment for everyone involved.
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Consider: it's a store with gigantic screens and a huge number of Xboxen....
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Would be interesting to hear from people who actually go to one of these stores.
I'd happly walk into a porn store wearing nothing but shorts and sandals and report back to you. But an MS store? I'll have to buy a trenchcoat and fedora to go with my black glasses.
Yuck!
Going the way of Gateway (Score:4, Funny)
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Yep. The Mission Viejo store became a Boot Barn.
That closed, too.
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I presume you mean computers to buy on the spot.
I could see going to a retail store to look at/use the product for a little while to see if it fits your needs even generally, before mail ordering something that you'd send back close to instantly.
Comment removed (Score:5, Insightful)
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Working at the Microsoft store in a mall where there's an Apple store would be a painful experience.
Yeah. People think that "East Coast/West Coast" thing is bad, but this -- Sheesh.
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Working at the Microsoft store in a mall where there's an Apple store would be a painful experience.
Yeah, it'd suck selling 10x the number of computers than the Apple store did. You wouldn't have time to annoy customers browsing your store, like the Apple store does. Also, I'd hate to have to be the one to have to stock the game section. That's a ton of work.
Re:Talk about a lousy job... (Score:4, Interesting)
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If I sell 10 $1000 laptops for every $3000 MBP you sell, well, I've trumped you in both revenue and volume.
Yes, but you have to do that, and no retail outlet has ever done that, because you pulled those performance figures out of yer butt. We've been through this before with the Gateway and SonySTYLE stores... the thing that sets the Apple stores apart is the on-site customer service operation/"Genius Bar", the good curb appeal and browser-friendly experience, and the relatively well-informed staff. The MS stores could do as well if they incorporate those things, but considering they computer hardware they sel
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The comparison to Tiffany's in revenue per sq ft is meaningless. "Consumer store sells more
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You are probably right, there's some correlation but not much. Apple might not actually move as many units as a Microsoft store... they'll just have to find consolation in the fact they run a much more profitable retail operation. It's hard to see how MS could possibly extract better profits considering the material they're selling.
". Revenue per sq/ft is really only a measure of rental/lease costs on a property, and has very little to do with retail success.
I dunno, since rent is the primary and distinguishing cost factor for a retail operation, it seems like performance per square foot would be a key metric, all other things bei
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Re:Talk about a lousy job... (Score:4, Interesting)
Yea, especially for a guy. All the hot women will be going into the Apple store.
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Thankfully for them, they probably won't have to do it for too long before having to find new jobs.
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Employees at Microsoft stores will be drowned in "can you help me fix my computer" requests.
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What do you mean, you mean the employees who are specifically there to field those requests?
Last week, a document surfaced online showing concept sketches for a Microsoft store where people can order personalized laptops, take classes and get help from experts.
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In all seriousness, we can at least hope their techs they know what they're doing, like Apple's Geniuses and much unlike Best Buy's Geek Squad.
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I mean, the right to be smug isn't even worth $1 an hour to me.
They pay about the same; technically, the Apple smug allowance is conveyed as a health benefit.
I hope they sell... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I hope they sell... (Score:4, Funny)
...Clippy the Action Figure!
"It looks like you're carrying a shotgu... oh dear."
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Here you go. [thinkgeek.com] Just add some eyes and you're set.
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And Steve Ballmer who does a monkey dance, says Developers, and throw chairs!
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Well... Yeah... (Score:4, Insightful)
"Also the stores will sell laptops, Zunes, Xbox 360s, MS and 3rd party software."
I would hope that if theres ANY place I could find Microsoft Software, it'd be at a microsoft store. Not that I'd go looking anyways.
Its funny that they would open 2 locations to start, one with an Apple store nearby and one without - I would love to see the stats a month or two in. I'm curious if it'll make a difference.
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I think the proper word to use is "offer" rather than "sell" when it comes to Zunes.
All I know for sure (Score:3, Funny)
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ba dum tsh!
Dell, HP, Lenovo, Asus: TAKE NOTE! (Score:5, Insightful)
Hey guys! You know that software vendor, you know, the one that you send really, really REALLY big checks to every weeK? You know, for license fees?
Well guess what? They're taking all that money you are sending them, and using it to build a private chain store in order to cut you out of the equation! Really makes you feelg good about that six-figure WEEKLY check you send them, doesn't it?
This is probably the DUMBEST possible move that MS could make - after 30 years of selling only through 3rd parties, setting up a 'bricks & mortar' chain while trends are to go virtual, while simultaneously pissing off their huge, multi-billion dollar partners... stupidity at its finest!
Only true if MS made laptops (Score:3, Informative)
Microsoft is going to have to sell somebodies laptops in the store - probably a mix of Dell and HP and possibly someone else.
So while they might irk the hardware makers they do not choose to sell, I don't think any of the makers are going to make a big deal of it.
Re:Only true if MS made laptops (Score:5, Insightful)
Its yet another club that MS can use against the OEMs.
Don't like what MS demands for the desktop? Oops, I guess we can't sell your laptops in the stores anymore.
Promise to ditch linux? Yeah, we can make space for your wares in the stores.
This isn't good news for vendors no matter how you slice it.
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I made my comment because the only proof we have right now is that they will be sold in more stores.
Now, assuming that the poster was right and MS tops them from selling Linux to be able to be sold in the MS store, they will still be sold in more stores than they were before. This is because they would obviously choose MS over linux. Hense, my comment.
Guess I did not spell it out clear enough in the first post. Hope this helps you
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Its yet another club that MS can use against the OEMs.
Don't like what MS demands for the desktop? Oops, I guess we can't sell your laptops in the stores anymore.
Promise to ditch linux? Yeah, we can make space for your wares in the stores.
This isn't good news for vendors no matter how you slice it.
Very good analysis. I would add, however, that if MS pushes this strategy too far (and the only way for it to have leverage is to push it too far, if you think of it), they cause HP or some other vendor to go completely Windows-free.
They need to fix those laptops, in store (Score:5, Insightful)
One of the worst problems with the Gateway stores is that they couldn't fix your computer, they could only ship it to be fixed, even if it just needed a disk swapped. One of the best features of the Apple store is that you can have your hardware fixed relatively quickly. If they're out of the part, you might have to get it the next day.
If MS can't fix any of the hardware they sell on site, even if it's from another vendor, it's going to hurt their reputation and make people hate the stores.
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Redmond-based Microsoft's stores are a way for the company to introduce consumers to its products in person, but they are not meant as a product showcase or a replacement for big electronics stores, Stocks said.
RTFA: it's not just for breakfast anymore.
Also, when was the last time you saw a laptop with "Microsoft" on the case? Microsoft *still* doesn't make their own laptops, they will *still* be selling laptops from Dell, HP, Lenovo, Asus, etc.
Stupidity at its finest indeed.
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Also, when was the last time you saw a laptop with "Microsoft" on the case? Microsoft *still* doesn't make their own laptops, they will *still* be selling laptops from Dell, HP, Lenovo, Asus, etc.
I think the strategy is not too dissimilar to donut chains selling "premium coffee". Instead of selling the usual low-grade commercial blends, they'll sell mediocre-grade coffee but tart up the cups and store displays and use an espresso machine to output crappy coffee.
In short Microsoft's strategy is to give peop
Comment removed (Score:5, Funny)
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Though to be honest, these could be a big hit (unfortunately, for the cause) if they sold and repaired Xbox 360's. On the spot exchange for a unit, just like Apple stores do.
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Should people expect Microsoft to fix their OS after they've installed every spyware software known to man? I'm sure that some Karl Rove disciple is busy printing out fliers explaining the Microsoft Store fixes all computers for FREE. Now that would be an interes
Re:look at it this way (Score:5, Insightful)
Doesn't matter if you can because everyone automatically will. First, because Apple has trained people to expect the kind of service. The last thing MS wants to do is get a reputation for saying that it's the other guys that take care of their customers.
Second, there will finally be a live face for Microsoft. This is huge and I don't think MS realizes how this is going to play out. As someone who has sold computers and has a lot of experience with hardware support, the eternal refrain in every box store employee in the world when clueless customers come back four months later with screwed up software is "I'm sorry, that's a Windows problem, there's nothing we can do". Now there is actually a face for Windows. There will be physical stores where poor unsuspecting sales people will be forced to address every software problem that can happen on a windows box, regardless of if it is actually caused by anything MS is responsible for.
See, the backfire to MS's ubiquity is that for a LOT of people (and a majority of those that will be prone to software problems) equate the the computer with Windows. Their computer IS windows and everything that happens on it is Windows. So if something is wrong is is a Windows problem. And now every box store employee that doesn't want to spend time troubleshooting another screwed up system has somewhere to point the customers. And once people have been told that their hardware is fine but Windows is broken the employees at the MS store are NEVER getting rid of them.
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I'm predicting the stores will be closed and forgotten in five years.
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'Hot Market' (Score:3, Interesting)
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I didn't realize that Mission Viejo was such a hot market... No one goes to The Shops except for locals.
A strategy that suggests it's Republicans who prefer Microsoft products?
Microsoft Genii? (Score:2)
Who will they recruit for THAT duty?
I often say to my lUsers:
I don't understand computers... I just know how to make them work. If I understood them, I'd be the richest man in the world. Oh, wait, he doesn't understand them, either.
MetaMinds (Score:2, Redundant)
http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/7/20/ [penny-arcade.com]
Nuff said.
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Hopefully people more competent than the Geek Squad.
Scottsdale, AZ? (Score:4, Funny)
Scottsdale is full of up-tight white people.
Up-tight white people buy BMWs and Macs.
???
Profit!!!
Wait. . .
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Trendy peopel buy what they think is trendy
The hopes is that they will see the new store in Fashion Square and then purchase from it because it will be new
Once a few start purchasing from it, the trendy people will have to purchase to remain trendy.
Metreon? (Score:2)
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put them next or inside Walmart, that's where they (Score:5, Interesting)
Should be fun to watch this unfold because unlike other Microsoft failures, this failure will not take out the innovator in the market.
LoB
Re:put them next or inside Walmart, that's where t (Score:2)
Every Wal-Mart I've been to in the last 2 years has a huge iPod/iPhone display in the very middle of their electronic section. Which demographic are we talking about?
Re:put them next or inside Walmart, that's where t (Score:4, Insightful)
My point was about the Apple "store" and in general Apple products tend to be high end and stylish at a higher price. Microsoft, in general is about low end, kinda works, products and so it goes with the Microsoft "store". Sure, Microsoft will show a MS Surface device in every store but come on, is that where you'd go to buy one? It's just a marketing gimmick and so will most of the expensive hardware there. Even the Microsoft ads sell them as the low price company.
They'll do better near Walmart and away from Apple stores. But, they've got the money to dump on yet another money losing venture.
LoB
Who wants to be the first asshat. . . (Score:2)
Who wants to be the first asshat and go to one of those stores and ask to buy a laptop with no OS preloaded, or better yet, a laptop with Linux preloaded on it?
Better yet, after purchasing a laptop, open it up, boot it, reject the EULA, and then request a refund for the windows license. :)
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Grow a pair, Microsoft! (Score:3, Interesting)
If they had any chutzpah, they'd put one in Cupertino! Really, if they're competitive, beard the lion in his den!
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why?
MS does care what laptop is running their OS.
Hell, Advertise setting up BootCamp for customers that purchase an OS and bring in their Mac.
The only good part of the store... maybe (Score:5, Funny)
The only good part of the store will be the gaming section with it's X-box 360s hooked up to 50" LCD TVs.
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The rest of the store will suck.
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I wonder if they are going to have someone dress up as clippy so that the children can beat them with pinata bats?
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The chair-throwing range is also supposed to be a blast.
But it's not the first! (Score:2)
Marks and Spencers in the US? (Score:2)
Great! At last no more having to buy god-awful Fruit of the Loom or tighty-whitey underwear!
Are they gonna have the food store with some decent cheese and wine and...
oh, wait... you meant Microsoft didn't you?
Bollocks!
At the Microsoft store (Score:5, Funny)
I thought one thing was a bit odd. When I walked up to the store, the front doors were closed. On the door is the following: "By opening this door you agree to abide by our End Shopper License Agreement. Detailed terms of the agreement can be found inside at the back of the store".
They lack the balls to open in Silicon Valley (Score:3, Insightful)
If they were to open in Silicon Valley, they'd have to close within a week's time.
Hi, I'm a Mac Store (Score:2, Funny)
PC: Hi, I'm a Microsoft Store.
Mac: Hello, PC, wow your store has a very similar feel to the thousands of Mac Stores that we have had open for a number of years now.
PC: Um, no we are nothing like your Mac Stores. You have a Genesis Bar. I have a Guru Bar. Totally Different.
It Failed in SF, it won't work now. (Score:4, Informative)
How is this the first?
Their first store was in San Francisco at the Metreon in 1997.
It failed miserably.
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I can't name too many Microsoft fan boys who are also Apple fan boys. I'd be more worried about the gang violence.
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Well, the American shopping mall is a strange and exotic place. Few can fathom [penny-arcade.com] its [penny-arcade.com] mysteries. [penny-arcade.com]
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What's the problem? Is the only thing stopping you from visiting Scottsdale is that you don't know which state it's in and have no way of finding out?