The history of the Microsoft network of stores began in 2009 when the company decided to adopt the highly successful experience of the Apple Store chain. The experiment was unsuccessful, and in the summer of 2020, the company’s management decided to abandon this approach. All of its stores have been closed, except four flagman stores in London, New York, Sydney, and the University of Redmond campus. The company turned these places into experience centers, where visitors could better look at the company’s offerings and get background information.
Now, after nearly an entire year, Microsoft executives have decided to try their hand at retail sales again. Microsoft officially announced that visitors of experience centers will be able to get answers to their questions and buy the company’s equipment from now on.
As the company reported that starting July 1, retail sales will begin with three Experience Centers – in London, New York, and Sydney. All of the company’s offerings could go on sale for the foreseeable future. However, due to chip shortages and high demand for the latest Xbox Series X / S consoles, there could be supply disruptions and a need for offerings for some time to come.
According to Travis Walter, who led the development of Microsoft’s retail stores, the experimental spaces will be leveraged to enhance the consumer experience. The company continues to “develop experiences based on customer feedback.”
The corporation stated, however, that Microsoft has no plans to return to retail. Thus, products sold in “experience centers” cannot be ordered online; there will be no pickup centers. It is just an experiment designed to expand opportunities for visitors. If this proves successful, then perhaps we will be presented with new ideas for expansion in this area.
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