From the “I didn’t see this coming” file comes this announcement from Microsoft titled “Microsoft Store announces new approach to retail”. Which if you read it comes down to this: All their stores are closing. Here’s the details:
The company’s retail team members will continue to serve customers from Microsoft corporate facilities and remotely providing sales, training, and support. Microsoft will continue to invest in its digital storefronts on Microsoft.com, and stores in Xbox and Windows, reaching more than 1.2 billion people every month in 190 markets. The company will also reimagine spaces that serve all customers, including operating Microsoft Experience Centers in London, NYC, Sydney, and Redmond campus locations.
If I had to take a guess, I don’t think that Microsoft stores yielded the results that Microsoft wanted them to hit. I visited the one in Toronto’s Yorkdale Mall a few years ago, which ironically was down the hall from an Apple Store. My wife and I walked away with the impression that it was a slightly improved Apple Store that didn’t sell anywhere near the volume of what an Apple Store sells. There’s also the fact that with COVID-19 being a real threat, online sales and support are likely better options for customers. This was mentioned in the announcement as well.
In any case, RIP Microsoft Stores. We hardly knew ye.