The Microsoft Store is a chain of retail stores and an online shopping site,
owned and operated by Microsoft and dealing in computers, computer software
and consumer electronics. The stores aim to "improve the PC and Microsoft retail
purchase experience for consumers worldwide and help consumers make more
informed decisions about their PC and software purchases."
The Microsoft Store offers Signature PCs and tablets like the Microsoft Surface
and from third parties such as HP, Acer, Dell, Lenovo, and Sony without demos or
trialware. It also offers Windows, Microsoft Office, mobile devices running
the Windows Phone OS, Xbox 360 game consoles, games and services including
on-site Xbox diagnostics. The Answers Desk helps to answer questions related
to Windows, Office, and other Microsoft products. The stores also offer class
sessions as well as individual appointments.
The first two Microsoft Stores opened within a week of the Windows 7 launch,
in Scottsdale, Arizona and Mission Viejo, California. Additional stores
have since opened in California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota,
Missouri, Texas and Washington. At the 2011 Professional Developers Conference,
Microsoft announced that they intend to open 75 new stores in the next three
years. The first store outside the U.S. opened
in Toronto on November 16, 2012 while the first store outside the North
America opened in Sydney, Australia on November 12, 2015
History Microsoft's first experience with a
retail store was located in the Metreon in San Francisco. It was owned and
operated by Sony Retail Entertainment, and ran from 1999 to 2001.
In 2009, Microsoft built a "Retail Experience Center" in their Redmond, WA
headquarters and announced plans to build its own retail stores. On October
22, 2009, the same day as the Windows 7 launch, Microsoft opened a retail store
in Scottsdale, Arizona. A week later, another opened in Mission Viejo,
California. Five additional stores were opened in 2010. A ninth store opened in
Atlanta in May 2011, with two more openings planned in Houston and Los
Angeles by the end of June. Shopping experience
The Microsoft Store is similar to the popular Apple Store concept, which has
been largely successful. The concept aims to give a greater level of customer
satisfaction by not only having sales staff but also employing "Technical
Advisers" to assist customers with technical questions and issues. In
addition "Specialists" are employed to show customers how to get the most out
of their software. Xbox Ones are also available to entertain patrons.
Store locations Flagship Store locations
Microsoft Store Online Microsoft Store Online is the online
store of Microsoft and is the successor of Windows Marketplace, which was also
owned and operated by the company. It sells Microsoft software and hardware,
as well as Microsoft Signature PCs and select third-party software and hobbyist
products. Besides the online storefront, items from the store can be ordered by
phone. The website is in 228 markets
world-wide, including Australia, Canada, the European Union, France, Germany,
India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, the Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom, and
United States. The stores in Europe are able to accept orders from, and ship to
other European countries as well. The Microsoft Store offers immediate
software download options of some Microsoft software products in most
regions. On February 12, 2012 it was reported
that Microsoft's India online store was hacked, and username and passwords were
stolen, by a Chinese group called "Evil Shadow Team". The team has stolen login
ID's and passwords of users who had used the website for shopping. It was
revealed that passwords were not encrypted and were stored in plain text.
Other formats = Microsoft Specialty Stores=
In May 2013, Microsoft began to launch mall kiosk locations known as Microsoft
Specialty Stores, expanding upon the Surface-focused pop-up stores
established during the launch of Windows 8. They have a smaller product offering,
with a particular focus on Surface and Windows Phone product lines.
= Best Buy Windows Stores= On June 13, 2013, Microsoft announced a
partnership with the Best Buy and Future Shop chains to launch a special
department known as The Windows Store at 600 locations in the United States and
Canada by September 2013. The store-within-a-store showcases Microsoft
hardware and software, along with Windows-based devices from other
vendors. These sections replaced the computing departments in the affected
locations; sections for other manufacturers remain separate from the
Windows Store sections. Best Buy also pledged to add 1,200 Microsoft-trained
sales associates to its stores, and to stock more accessories for
Microsoft-related products, such as Windows Phone devices.
See also Apple Store
Google Store References
External links Official website
Microsoft Store Locations Gizmodo: Microsoft Store Concepts