Lolz. It's unlikely they'll be able to staff any sort of hardware support in the store. Mostly because they don't make computer hardware, and won't bother to train staff for the relatively fewer numbers of Xbox repairs. It'll be a great place to drop off your Redringer and come back every two days to yell at someone while they send it out for 4-6 weeks. First Windows 7, now this. They really, really want to be Apple, don't they?

Unless they have some good deals or stock some kind of groovy exclusives I'd have absolutely no reason to shop there rather than anywhere already existing, like say Best Buy...

Wat?

No seriously, wtf are they going to sell here? Like, does Microsoft plan on selling their own brand of computers now too? Or are they going to be selling pre-built systems from a few companies? And then have a 360 section. So it'll be... a Microsoft only mini Best-Buy? Yeah I fail to see how this makes any sense.

lol@ walk-in repair shops

I hope it's overly pretentious and hip just like Apple Stores...

I would go in there just to mess with the cool ass Surface tables.

This might not turn out too bad. Hopefully it would be like the Nintendo World store, where they have contests, tournaments and giveaways.Hold on, just looked at the concept art and god that looks horrible. Why so many boring greys and boring office type desks. They need some more bright green up in that bitch.

They're going to lose a hell of a lot more than the 10% markup when it comes to expenses -- capital expenses, buildings, maintenance, employees, payroll, real estate taxes or leases, disgruntled employee lawsuits (you know they're inevitable in this pathetic "Sue Everyone" society), and so forth. They're probably better off giving the 10% to the middlemen.

But, yes, this economy is a really stupid time to be opening a chain store that only MS fanboys are going to go to anyway.

If they actually do this they will have to be like Walmart or Bestbuy and actually sell their competitors stuff. They won't make enough money just selling Microsoft products.

they just love to practice monopolising in almost every thing they do despite a government breakup of their company.

I didn't see a dedicated service desk, but if they had one of those (and tweaked the style a fair bit) I could see this actually not being the worst Microsoft idea all year.

The only big problems I can foresee are Microsoft trying to jump on the Lifestyle Product bandwagon with Apple, and doing the whole "rounded edges and glossy white EVERYWHERE" design thing. That will probably sound fantastic to the boardrooms and marketing people, but will only mean that now I hate Microsoft for everything I hate about Apple.

The face-to-face dedicated, earnest customer service effort is something to pick up, though. I really do think that sort of thing could do wonders for Microsoft's image.

Microsoft isn't a monopoly. There are other OSs and productivity software out there.

So are we talking biscuits like popeye's chicken-biscuits or biscuits as in american crackers/England biscuits?

Cuz Popeyes biscuits walls would be fucking win

That's wild. I hear the stores will mostly be focused on demonstrating the OS, and Windows Mobile.

All I know is, we have a Sony store here that rarely gets business because it is next door to an Apple store.

Best of luck Microsoft!

hey.. Last time I checked, Apple stock was stomping MS's stock into the ground. This will not make your stocks gain value. If your stores fail, your stock will decrease in value. Look at Circuit City. They opened a store here in the 90's They used an old vacant department store for their storefront. A few years later they left that building, leveled a forest, and built a new building less than a mile away... Now they're going out of business? LOL. making new outlets for consumers does not boost your business. It costs money to make a new store and storefront. I only own 3 disc games for my 360, and a few downloads. I see this being a huge mistake on Microsoft's part. There are already a ton of retail chains that sell these games.. we don't need another. Are they going to ask me for $59.99 if I come in with a question about Windows, like they do with their telephone support? Service is a good question everyone brought up.. Are these stores going to be a hub for Angry Video Game Nerds that have broken Xboxes? Honestly MS, people don't have the money for this.. and you as a large company should work on something that will help the economy, and not divide more of it amongst yourselves... What am I talking about? They LOVE seeing people squirm for cash.
Then again, a place like that means newer jobs... >thinks<

Well it's not the first...or even the second time M$ has ripped Apple off. I mean...look at WINDOWS!
If there is one thing Bill Gates is good at, it's ripping people off. He's the most successful, and accepted thief in all of history.

The store needs to set up Tournaments, and other community events. Parties, tournaments, meetups, etc. I don't want to say that its a bad idea, because these stores could actually do some good w/ the MS brand. But it all comes down to prodcuts offered, and the deals available for them.