Report: Microsoft’s Cloning of Apple’s Stores Continues With Hiring of Apple Staff

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Microsoft is attempting to hire Apple retail managers to staff its new stores, Jim Dalrymple of The Loop reports.

Citing anonymous sources, The Loop says managers are being offered better money and in some cases, relocation expenses. They are then encouraged to recruit their former colleagues with similar incentives.

The strategy seems to be in line with Microsoft’s playbook. Earlier this year, Microsoft reportedly tried to lure iPhone developers to the Zune platform with cash incentives.

Which means that Microsoft’s retail strategy can be summarized thus:

Copy the idea of retail stores
Hire Apple’s former real estate head George Blankenship as a consultant
Locate Microsoft’s stores next to Apple’s stores
Put in face-to-face help desks, but call them Guru Bars instead of Genius Bars
Hire Apple’s staff

What’s next? Stock the stores with Apple products?

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Microsoft’s first retail store is scheduled to open in October near Apple’s retail store in Mission Viejo, Calif., at The Shops.

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About the author

Leander Kahney is the editor and publisher of Cult of Mac, and author of three books about technology culture: Inside Steve’s Brain, the New York Times bestseller about Steve Jobs; Cult of Mac; and Cult of iPod. Leander has written for Wired, MacWeek, Scientific American, and The Guardian in London. Follow Leander on Twitter @lkahney and Facebook.

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Posted in Apple, News, Retail Stores |

Poppa
The interior design of the new Microsoft stores will have walls covered with pegboard, to mimic their software which is full of holes. :-)
Barry Wood
Maybe they’ll hire the abusive manager from the Seattle store ;)
I live about 10 miles from the Mission Viejo, CA location where the first MS store is going to be opening. I will probably end up wandering by to laugh at it.
http://www.cccp.com Pooch
Has Microsoft ever had an original idea? Windows, Zune, and now the retail stores…. If Apple ever goes out of business, Microsoft will be doomed because they won’t have anyone to steal from.
THES
What’s with the comment about the retail store? Pretty sure retail stores have been around for far longer than Apple. Okay, fair enough computer themed retail stores are fairly new but how many other ways are there to put your product on a high street?
http://www.knoxware.org ghostshadow
@ THES
Computer retail stores aren’t at all new. Gateway, Dell, Compaq, and a few others used to have retail stores. They all went under because of the big box stores like, best buy, circuit city, compusa, etc. gained more traffic and sales.
I think the issue here is that Microsoft is blatantly copying Apple’s retail stores and business strategies. Microsoft seems desperate. They are going to be hiring Apple employees to run their retail stores. That has to tell you something. I personally think it’s shady business. There is no reason why Microsoft can’t afford to higher well trained folks out side of the Apple realm.
Apple is just doing great right now. They are at the top of their game and everyone want’s a piece of their pie (bad pun i know). These companies just don’t get how Apple can pull it off, so they have copy them.
Totie
You can get Microsoft’s products and PC’s with Windows everywhere. The employees can always advise their customers, because they usually don’t sell products with other OS. I don’t get why Microsoft establishes own retail stores for this, they don’t need them. Their products will be sold, no matter if they have their own stores for that. The only plus-point would be the support, but as I said before, other stores can give you that too.
Apple’s retail stores on the other hand are vital. They can fully concentrate on Apple’s products, especially the Mac. In the Netherlands, stores that sell Macs are very rare. You have to visit a premium reseller or order products on the internet. If there weren’t Apple Stores, Apple would sell much less Macs.
I’m getting tired of Microsoft. Apple isn’t doing great either, but their competitors are still running behind.
Charli
have ya’ll seen this. it’s a riot
from
http://www.pcworld.com/article/159521/10_ways_microsofts_retail_stores_will_differ_from_apple_stores.html
10 Ways Microsoft’s Retail Stores Will Differ From Apple Stores
1) Instead of Apple’s sheer walls of glass, Microsoft’s stores will have brushed steel walls dotted with holes — reminiscent of Windows security.
2) The store will have six different entrances: Starter, Basic, Premium, Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate. While all six doors will lead into the same store, the Ultimate door requires a fee of $100 for no apparent reason.
3) Instead of a “Genius Bar” (as Apple provides) Microsoft will offer an Excuse Bar. It will be staffed by Microsofties trained in the art of evading questions, directing you to complicated and obscure fixes, and explaining it’s a problem with the hardware — not a software bug.
4) The Windows Genuine Advantage team will run storefront security, assuming everybody is a thief until they can prove otherwise.
5) Store hours are undetermined. At any given time the store mysteriously shuts down instantaneously for no apparent reason. (No word yet on what happens to customers inside).
6) Stores will be named Microsoft Live Retail Store with PC Services for Digital Lifestyle Enthusiasts.
7) Fashioned after Microsoft’s User Account Control (UAC) in Vista, sales personnel will ask you whether you’re positive you want to purchase something at least twice.
8) Xbox 360 section of the store will be organized in a ring — which will inexplicably go red occasionally.
9) DreamWorks will design a scary in-store theme park ride called “blue screen of death.”
10) Store emergency exits will be unlocked at all times so people can get in anytime they want even if the front doors are locked.