Microsoft store coming soon?

[Neo]

I don't have any information regarding location or timeframe, but I do have a slide from Microsoft showing a future Microsoft store in what appears to be the Charlotte area:

Personally I could care less about a Microsoft store coming, but it can't be anything but positive for the local economy since it appears to be the only store for NC/SC.

[Boricua]

I like how they have their Colorado store in Wyoming, Ha

[101_ce]

I don't have any information regarding location or timeframe, but I do have a slide from Microsoft showing a future Microsoft store in what appears to be the Charlotte area:

Personally I could care less about a Microsoft store coming, but it can't be anything but positive for the local economy since it appears to be the only store for NC/SC.

Ugh. Knowing Microsoft it will be at SouthPark. They really do have fun taking up all the good spaces in America's prime shopping districts. Clogging it up with junk they sell everywhere. "Oh we're SO great. I mean it's not like you can buy Microsoft stuff in EVERY SINGLE TOWN in America". Plus, no offense, but it's just stupid to pay more than $500 for a PC because by the time your done with it, it would have been cheaper to get a Mac, which is much faster, more efficient, and less-generic. Sorry, just my little rant haha.

[Urbanity]

I agree about it being a nice feather in the cap for Charlotte to have the only Carolinas store. I'm certain the Microsoft campus here is a part of that rationale.

I wrote an article about this and have sent an inquiry to the press people asking for additional details.

[nonillogical]

Ugh. Knowing Microsoft it will be at SouthPark. They really do have fun taking up all the good spaces in America's prime shopping districts. Clogging it up with junk they sell everywhere. "Oh we're SO great. I mean it's not like you can buy Microsoft stuff in EVERY SINGLE TOWN in America". Plus, no offense, but it's just stupid to pay more than $500 for a PC because by the time your done with it, it would have been cheaper to get a Mac, which is much faster, more efficient, and less-generic. Sorry, just my little rant haha.

I don't want to get off on a big tangent, but my home PC that I spent $1,000 on 4 years ago still smokes my $1,500 barely 1 year old imac at work. There are a lot of pluses to Macs, mostly relating to their product and UI design, but pricing is certainly not one of them, lol.

That said, I think the idea of a Microsoft store is a little odd too since the products are so widely available, but for that matter, I think Mac stores are just as foolish and only serve to foster a sense of faux exclusivity.

[101_ce]

I don't want to get off on a big tangent, but my home PC that I spent $1,000 on 4 years ago still smokes my $1,500 barely 1 year old imac at work. There are a lot of pluses to Macs, mostly relating to their product and UI design, but pricing is certainly not one of them, lol.

That said, I think the idea of a Microsoft store is a little odd too since the products are so widely available, but for that matter, I think Mac stores are just as foolish and only serve to foster a sense of faux exclusivity.

Yeah they are definitely nicer, especially now. IMO I really can't think of anything better about a PC. I do disagree, though, because Apple stores are more exclusive. Computers ran by Microsoft can probably be found at hundreds of stores in Asheville, but here there are less than 5 places that sell Macs, most likely. I have a PC desktop and a Mac laptop, and the Mac is definitely better. I'm waiting for my desktop to die so I can go buy a Mac, haha. Surprisingly it has lasted me 2 years. I doubt it would last one more though. Anyway, my dad purchased a Toshiba for himself and my mom, and I got my Mac at around the same time. I think they've had to take it and get it fixed around 5 or 6 times. I haven't had any problems with my Mac

But I've added it up and they've spend around $500 on trying to fix it, and on things that are not required for Macs. After the $400 from the computer itself, it was around $900+, when I spend just barely $100 more for a Mac, with no problems at all. A Microsoft store, if it doesn't fail, would be good for Charlotte, however, it sort of makes me mad because they could put something better in the space it's going to go in to, especially if it were to go to SouthPark.

[atlrvr]

Sorry to break up the PC vs Mac debate, but I found it interesting to look at their future store map, and see what Microsoft (which I'm assuming has a pretty solid market research) views as the areas of major buying power, specifically the Northeast. As fast as we feel the south in growing, and the income flowing in, Microsoft feels there is approximately 25x the buying power in the northeast as in the Carolinas.

[nonillogical]

Sorry to break up the PC vs Mac debate, but I found it interesting to look at their future store map, and see what Microsoft (which I'm assuming has a pretty solid market research) views as the areas of major buying power, specifically the Northeast. As fast as we feel the south in growing, and the income flowing in, Microsoft feels there is approximately 25x the buying power in the northeast as in the Carolinas.

That's ok it wasn't going anywhere anyway, lol.

Yeah 2x the buying power in Hawaii as in the Carolinas! Haha. That fact alone makes me take that map with a big grain of salt.

[nonillogical]

I do disagree, though, because Apple stores are more exclusive. Computers ran by Microsoft can probably be found at hundreds of stores in Asheville, but here there are less than 5 places that sell Macs, most likely.

I'll agree to disagree on the mac vs. pc stuff but I did want to respond to this. It's false exclusivity. Apple could afford a lot more stores than they have, and they could distribute a lot further than they do if they so chose. They just have a different business model and a big part of that is in fostering that sense of a special club that is very carefully branded. It's not really exclusive, it's just very tightly controlled supply.

I feel that Microsoft should be running the other way rather than trying to do an obvious knock off of the mac store concept, they should be showing everyone how NOT-exclusive they are and pushing that as a positive.

After all, who thinks the best prices on PC stuff will be at the Microsoft store? No way, it'll just be a little tech playground. Mac stores work only because that's the only place you can go.

[AuLukey]

This rumor is true.

I have it from good authority (from about a month ago) that originally Microsoft had been planning to open the store at Southpark; but some people that had common sense in Microsoft's Charlotte center pointed out that it didn't make a lot of sense to directly compete with Apple in the same shopping center when so many others were available. Instead of aiming at a higher price demographic like Apple, they realized that putting a store in a more practical, high traffic location would better fit the brand. While it isn't official, a friend of mine told me a couple weeks ago that they were now focusing on Concord Mills instead. It's perfectly logical given their residential customer focus is more budget focused than performance and that Concord Mills is the largest tourist attraction in the state. I can attest to this having previously worked in computer sales for the greater part of last decade. 9/10ths of the Microsoft customers that walked through the door were more focused on the price tag than performance, while Apple customers were typically just the opposite (or blindly subdued by marketing vs needs.)

I'm kicking myself for not bringing this up when I found out about it, wasn't really sure what thread it would fit in as they were/are still in the planning phase of a location. So the location is not yet set in stone.

As for Apple vs Microsoft fanbois... who cares? Having that debate has about as much merit as asking which city is the best. Macs fit a certain demographic and needs base while Microsoft fits another... case closed. If you'd like, I'd argue Linux trumps them both, now what?

[StevenRocks]

A Microsoft store in Charlotte would be a coup for the area. Bring it on!

[bchris02]

I don't really see the need for the Microsoft store unless they bring something to the table that Best Buy or Wal-Mart doesn't. Apple has the advantage of exclusivity while you can buy Microsoft products anywhere. That said, with most of the big box PC stores like CompUSA out of business and Charlotte being too small for a Fry's, a Microsoft store might work. The future of computer stores are smaller stores like the Apple store anyways. I would just like to see the Microsoft store have a wider variety of hardware and software than what you can find in a typical Best Buy.

[AuLukey]

On a side note, what is with this "exclusivity" thing? You can walk into a Best Buy in po-dunk-ville and find plenty of Macs, ipods, ipads, iphones, etc. it may not have a full array of accessories and the selection that the Apple Stores do, but it certainly is no longer exclusive ever since they branched out. Hell, it seems like every BBuy I walk into has its own little mini-Mac store. Plus, if you need an accessory, Mac or PC, the internet is cheaper 99.9% of the time (save when Circuit City and CompUSA liquidated.) I'm an impulse buyer, so the internet isn't really my dig; but the option is there.

The Microsoft stores will offer a much more diverse product than just phones, mp3, and computers. Remember they are also very strong in the gaming market. If these pictures are any indication, then I'd say that Microsoft's first focus in the stores is obviously on computers, but that is quickly followed in suit with gaming and entertainment. I think that that alone will set it far enough apart from the Apple stores to avoid the gimmicky copycat appearance.

[go_vertical]

I can easily see it being something very similar to a Sony Style.

[101_ce]

On a side note, what is with this "exclusivity" thing? You can walk into a Best Buy in po-dunk-ville and find plenty of Macs, ipods, ipads, iphones, etc. it may not have a full array of accessories and the selection that the Apple Stores do, but it certainly is no longer exclusive ever since they branched out. Hell, it seems like every BBuy I walk into has its own little mini-Mac store. Plus, if you need an accessory, Mac or PC, the internet is cheaper 99.9% of the time (save when Circuit City and CompUSA liquidated.) I'm an impulse buyer, so the internet isn't really my dig; but the option is there.

The Microsoft stores will offer a much more diverse product than just phones, mp3, and computers. Remember they are also very strong in the gaming market. If these pictures are any indication, then I'd say that Microsoft's first focus in the stores is obviously on computers, but that is quickly followed in suit with gaming and entertainment. I think that that alone will set it far enough apart from the Apple stores to avoid the gimmicky copycat appearance.

No not really. The employees aren't as knowledgable, and they have less stuff. Actually, they aren't located in smaller Best Buy stores and in smaller cities. Plus you also have to think that Microsoft is a less premium brand, and is found at EVERY Walmart.