You know one of the reasons Microsoft decided to get their Surface RT into other retail outlets like Best Buy and Staples is the reality that Microsoft Stores are not all over the country and therefore not accessible to a lot of people.
We wrote about that retail move and it has not been a smooth entry into those stores at all with poor presentation spaces, dead batteries, etc. So it is no surprise that Microsoft wants to continue expanding their own retail brick and mortar stores so that more people can have that unique Microsoft experience and really see the strengths of its devices and services.
Today Microsoft announced six new locations that will open in 2013 across the US and continue their own stores expansion:
- The Shops at La Cantera, San Antonio, Texas
- Dadeland Mall, Miami, Fla.
- Beachwood Place, Beachwood, Ohio
- Westfield San Francisco Centre, San Francisco
- City Creek Center, Salt Lake City
- St. Louis Galleria, St. Louis
Interestingly, this list of stores is preceded by the line announcing the locations of our first new store locations for 2013. That makes it pretty clear that these six new stores are just the beginning in 2013.
When you add to this the recent announcement that the holiday pop up stores will continue to be available into the new year and will either become permanent brick and mortar stores or be specialty stores.
If you have had the chance to go into a Microsoft Store you know how much better the retail experience is than the big box electronic retailers.
This continued expansion is good to see.
Source: The Official Microsoft Blog – Microsoft Rings in the New Year with More Retail Store Locations on the Way