Microsoft Store 2.0

It was announced yesterday that Microsoft hired a Corporate Vice President for Retail Stores. So, that would mean that a Microsoft physical storefront may be coming soon, perhaps to an area near you.

But this isn’t their first attempt at a retail presence. There was also MicrosoftSF the flagship Microsoft store in San Francisco back in 1999 which closed a couple years later. And last month, Microsoft unveiled a fake retail store on the Redmond campus, the Microsoft Retail Experience Center. Is this a preview of coming attractions?

With the economic downturn increasing available retail space as other retail stores fold, it is an opportunity for Microsoft to find some good physical locations. But still running a successful physical store is going to be tough, especially in the shadow of the successful Apple Store – which everyone is going to be comparing against.

Microsoft has their work cut out for them on this venture and I do hope they succeed. My question is – is there a partner play in this? Can we get some “shelf-space”?

Takeshi Eto
VP Marketing and Business Development
DiscountASP.NET

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