Posted on 06/26/2020 6:54:12 AM PDT by 11th_VA
While Apple is currently re-closing stores due to COVID-19 outbreaks, Microsoft today announced that it is closing its retail stores for good. Microsoft retail locations shut down in March as the coronavirus pandemic hit, and it seems that the downtime has given Microsoft management time to reflect on their plans.
In a company statement, Microsoft today announced a “strategic shift” in retail operations, which means they are shifting to all-online sales and support. The Microsoft retail stores will not reopen, and the closures will cost Microsoft about $450 million in expenses.
Microsoft will keep a smaller retail presence in the form of its Microsoft Experience Centers, located in London, New York, Sydney, and on the Redmond campus.
The statement says that staff will be offered new jobs in online sales, training, and support roles.
The first Microsoft store was opened in 2009, alongside the release of Windows 7. Microsoft aimed to re-create the allure and prestige of the Apple Store, including very similar store fittings. Newer stores included elements such as the Answers desk, a crib of the Genius Bar. Microsoft seemed to target retail locations that were close to Apple Stores.
As Microsoft moved aggressively into making its own hardware with the Surface line, the stores gave opportunities for customers to get hands-on with the devices, just like how the Apple Store helped raise public awareness of the Mac and later iPhones and iPads.
(Excerpt) Read more at 9to5mac.com ...
Microsoft has little in the way of useful, quality items to sell us.
Windows 10 is still the biggest reason to buy Apple or use Linux.
Like they really needed a retail outlet for patches and updates!
Perhaps I’m not the only person who didn’t know Microsoft had brick and mortar locations.
Apple Stores were always packed when I went there.
Microsoft Stores, eh, not so much.
I wonder how long Microsoft will stay in the retail consumer business.
IBM is one of the largest computing companies in the world, and has zero retail business. All their offerings are for businesses.
Having used Win Pro 7 for years, had to change to Win 10, I HATE IT, NOT AS USER FRIENDLY AS 7.
Hate to see it. Employees in their stores went above and beyond for me more than once. The last time was them voluntarily honoring an extended warranty 27 days after it expired. Then the replacement was an upgrade.
My Surface Pro would like a word with you...
Not a good time to own commercial real estate. Either the riots or the trend to virtual will get you.
Microsoft is a shambles now. They just shut down their streaming service and sold it to Facebook.
I did not know either.
I got a Surface Pro 7. Not a full laptop replacement but works great as an ultra-portable.
I use windows 10 and office 365 and Teams and Onedrive at work at hate all. Slowing opening files and programs, not responding messages and now Microsoft will block you from blocking updates. That should make everyone happy as the last ones in May then Feb 2020 then Oct 2018 were deleting personal files and or cannot log into your own pc or not updating properly so you have to reinstall Windows 10 from scratch and hope your backup files are really backed up.
No loss since they were only offering products that nobody wanted.
Where does it fall short for you? For myself, it doesn’t. but everyone has different needs.
I'm trying to get a mental picture - do you get to play with the 'Blue Screen of Death', or various forms of '404 Not Found'?
I find MS 365 used via OneDrive to be the best cloud system out there for a sole proprietor or small business. I am able to use it and all MS apps on my Apple iPad flawlessly as well as my MS desktop.
Posting just for tag line. Don’t need to say more...
I’m still running systems with Win95, WinXP, and 8 machines running Win7. No problems with any of them. They all work beautifully and have never had an issue with malware or viruses. I have just one system running Win10, and it has been nothing but a headache. It stops running for a day after nearly every update, doesn’t interface correctly with applications or peripherals, and no one seems to write good drivers anymore that can deal with win10.
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