Comments on: Microsoft Retail Stores: Hit or Miss? http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/10/20/microsoft-retail-stores-hit-or-miss/ Channel News, Reseller News and Channel Partner Programs Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:00:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: The VAR Guy http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/10/20/microsoft-retail-stores-hit-or-miss/comment-page-1/#comment-105542 The VAR Guy Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:37:22 +0000 http://www.thevarguy.com/?p=5310#comment-105542 Blah: The VAR Guy agrees that Microsoft runs the "risk" of alienating some hardware partners. But our resident blogger is taking a wait-and-see approach to the Microsoft Stores. Until The VAR Guy walks through the stores and sees them in action, it's premature for our blogger to say whether the stores will benefit or hurt certain hardware companies. Blah: The VAR Guy agrees that Microsoft runs the “risk” of alienating some hardware partners. But our resident blogger is taking a wait-and-see approach to the Microsoft Stores. Until The VAR Guy walks through the stores and sees them in action, it’s premature for our blogger to say whether the stores will benefit or hurt certain hardware companies.

]]> By: blah http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/10/20/microsoft-retail-stores-hit-or-miss/comment-page-1/#comment-105541 blah Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:16:24 +0000 http://www.thevarguy.com/?p=5310#comment-105541 Let's not forget the store will alienate hardware vendors. For those whose pc will make it into the store, good, for those deemed not worthy... Well, I imagine they will not be very happy at how MS treats them. They might get somewhat feisty with their offerings. Let’s not forget the store will alienate hardware vendors. For those whose pc will make it into the store, good, for those deemed not worthy… Well, I imagine they will not be very happy at how MS treats them. They might get somewhat feisty with their offerings.

]]> By: Lawrence D'Oliveiro http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/10/20/microsoft-retail-stores-hit-or-miss/comment-page-1/#comment-105530 Lawrence D'Oliveiro Wed, 21 Oct 2009 04:47:30 +0000 http://www.thevarguy.com/?p=5310#comment-105530 What Microsoft products do customers buy at retail? Apart from the XBox, everything else is software, that people get as part of a bundle with their machine. Hardly any customers buy retail Windows upgrades, for example. So really, these stores are just XBox stores. What Microsoft products do customers buy at retail? Apart from the XBox, everything else is software, that people get as part of a bundle with their machine. Hardly any customers buy retail Windows upgrades, for example.

So really, these stores are just XBox stores.

]]> By: Simplicius http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/10/20/microsoft-retail-stores-hit-or-miss/comment-page-1/#comment-105513 Simplicius Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:12:51 +0000 http://www.thevarguy.com/?p=5310#comment-105513 @Dave Yes, the XBOX 360 has sold a lot and it is part of a strong brand. But I'm given to understand that it has only been profitable during a couple of quarters of its entire existence and that otherwise it has bled money. The same applies, in even greater measure, to the PS3. Only the Wii has been consistently profitable. The XBOX 360's hardware is also famously unreliable. You know as well as I do about the Red Ring of Death and the widely discussed high failure rate. @Dave

Yes, the XBOX 360 has sold a lot and it is part of a strong brand.

But I’m given to understand that it has only been profitable during a couple of quarters of its entire existence and that otherwise it has bled money. The same applies, in even greater measure, to the PS3. Only the Wii has been consistently profitable.

The XBOX 360′s hardware is also famously unreliable. You know as well as I do about the Red Ring of Death and the widely discussed high failure rate.

]]> By: Dave Courbanou http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/10/20/microsoft-retail-stores-hit-or-miss/comment-page-1/#comment-105512 Dave Courbanou Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:40:29 +0000 http://www.thevarguy.com/?p=5310#comment-105512 Don't forget, the XBOX 360 is a pretty big commercial success, despite its faults. Don’t forget, the XBOX 360 is a pretty big commercial success, despite its faults.

]]> By: The VAR Guy http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/10/20/microsoft-retail-stores-hit-or-miss/comment-page-1/#comment-105510 The VAR Guy Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:28:55 +0000 http://www.thevarguy.com/?p=5310#comment-105510 Simplicius: You've just pointed out MSFT's biggest challenge. You need GREAT products for a dedicated retail store strategy to succeed. Windows 7 sounds like the real deal. But Zune? Ummm.... ... Simplicius: You’ve just pointed out MSFT’s biggest challenge. You need GREAT products for a dedicated retail store strategy to succeed. Windows 7 sounds like the real deal. But Zune? Ummm…. …

]]> By: Simplicius http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/10/20/microsoft-retail-stores-hit-or-miss/comment-page-1/#comment-105509 Simplicius Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:11:33 +0000 http://www.thevarguy.com/?p=5310#comment-105509 Yeah, I'm sure there will be people aplenty queuing up to buy Zunes.....it's such a hot item. All 3 of them will be flying off the shelves. Yeah, I’m sure there will be people aplenty queuing up to buy Zunes…..it’s such a hot item. All 3 of them will be flying off the shelves.

]]>