Microsoft to Expand Retail Presence with 75 New Stores
By Rob Scott
July 18, 2011
July 18, 2011
- Microsoft plans to add at least 75 new stores in the next two-three years, part of an aggressive strategy to beef up its competition with Apple.
- At the company’s Worldwide Partner Conference in Los Angeles on July 13, COO Kevin Turner said the plans also include international locations.
- Microsoft currently operates 11 brick-and-mortar stores in the U.S., while Apple has more than 320 worldwide.
- Executives at Microsoft have reportedly been debating the bold and potentially risky move, since most of the company’s stores are not making money and most of their products are also available at traditional retailers such as Best Buy.
- The seattlepi.com post includes a U.S. map of planned store locations.