Windows 10: Microsoft closing retail Microsoft Store physical locations

Read more: https://news.microsoft.com/2020/06/2...ach-to-retail/

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Microsoft Surface Now Available at Microsoft Retail Stores

Microsoft Corp. today announced that its new PC, Microsoft Surface, is now available for purchase at all Microsoft retail, holiday and online stores in the United States and Canada. Designed to be the ultimate stage for Windows RT, Surface is unique and represents exceptional value, providing an immersive entertainment experience and a foundation for getting things done. With a starting price of US$499,1 Surface will be available online at http://www.microsoftstore.com in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. In China and Hong Kong, Surface will be available online at Suning. More details are available here.

A variety of Surface accessories are also available for purchase, including Touch Covers in five vibrant colors — black, white, magenta, cyan and red — priced at US$119.99, so customers can express their personal style.2 Customers also have the option to purchase a Type Cover in black for US$129.99, which adds moving keys for a more traditional typing feel.





At all Microsoft retail and holiday store locations, knowledgeable staff are on hand to answer questions and help with Windows RT and Surface setup, so customers can have a great out-of-the-box experience and walk out the door with a product that is personalized for them. Customers can visit http://www.microsoftstore.com to find a Microsoft retail store nearest them.

First unveiled in June, Surface represents an extension of the Windows experience, letting customers work, play and connect with others. From its ultralight durable casing, integrated kickstand and Touch Cover, which allow customers to be productive anywhere, to a full-sized USB port, 16:9 widescreen, high-definition display and 22-degree angle that make it optimal for viewing and sharing content easily, Surface lets customers seamlessly transition between entertainment and creation.

A complete list of Microsoft retail store and holiday store locations is available at Find a Microsoft Store Near Me - Microsoft Store.

 

AT&T First to Introduce Microsoft Surface in Retail Stores

AT&T and Microsoft Corp. today announced a collaborative alliance that will transform the way consumers shop for mobile devices. AT&T will become the first company in the world to bring Microsoft Surface to life in a retail environment, giving customers the ability to explore their mobile worlds using touch and device recognition technology. Microsoft Surface is the first commercially available surface computer from Microsoft. Beginning April 17, customers can experience Microsoft Surface in select AT&T retail locations, including stores in New York City, Atlanta, San Antonio and San Francisco. Based on the success and learning from these initial pilot deployments, plans for further expansion across AT&T’s 2,200 U.S. retail stores will be determined.










Microsoft Surface is a 30-inch table-like display that gives individuals or multiple people the opportunity to interact with devices and content in a way that feels familiar — by using touch, gestures and placement of devices on the display. In essence, it’s a surface come to life for exploring, learning, sharing, creating, buying and much more.

AT&T plans to harness the power of Surface to provide its retail store visitors with unique opportunities to learn about the growing universe of mobile applications and devices. The interactive touch displays, which will work without a traditional mouse or keyboard, will allow customers to do the following:

• Learn. Customers can review features of a particular mobile device by simply placing it on the display. Surface will recognize the device and provide a graphical overview of its capabilities. Customers will be able to place two devices side by side on the unit and easily compare their features.
• Explore. Customers view interactive coverage maps at the national, state, local or street level, using simple touch and hand movement to scale and move the maps, determining their coverage area.
• Customize. In the future, customers will be able to drag and drop ring tones, graphics, video and more by “grabbing” content with their hands from a menu on the display and “dropping” it into the phone.

In addition to these exciting features, AT&T and Microsoft will continue to collaborate on new and innovative ways to expand Surface capabilities in AT&T stores.

“We are thrilled to bring this groundbreaking new technology to our stores so we can introduce customers to their mobile worlds in a very personal and easy way,” said Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO, AT&T Mobility. “We look forward to working with Microsoft to continue developing new ways for our customers to learn about the ever-growing lineup of mobile devices and applications.”

“Microsoft Surface transforms the retail environment from a transaction destination to a customer engagement destination,” said Robbie Bach, president, Entertainment & Devices Division, Microsoft. “With innovative and intuitive ways of accessing information and digital content on Microsoft Surface, consumers now have an entirely new, unique and personalized shopping experience. We’re excited to have AT&T bring this to life and be the first company showcasing Surface in its retail locations.”

AT&T plans to unveil the new displays in stores located in New York City, Atlanta, San Antonio and the San Francisco area on April 17, followed by additional stores in other markets based on the success of the first phase of deployments. Additional information on the launch is available online at http://www.att.com/surface.

Source: Microsoft

 

Microsoft Opens Retail Experience Center

Showcasing new and emerging technologies that create connected and differentiated experiences for consumers throughout the retail environment, Microsoft Corp. today announced its new Retail Experience Center, which serves as a center of innovation for how Microsoft and the retail industry can address rising consumer expectations and competitive pressures during today’s challenging economic conditions.

Located at Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond, Wash., the Retail Experience Center is a private, 20,000-square-foot facility housing a fully functioning, interactive store environment, from point of service to receiving dock. Representing a blend of Microsoft’s merchandising efforts as a consumer goods company and its solution capabilities as a technology provider for the retail industry, the center is part of Microsoft’s ongoing investments in exploring how technology-driven innovations can enhance consumers’ lives and shopping experiences.

The Retail Experience Center features in-store displays of Microsoft consumer products and showcases powerful ways to cut costs, create efficiencies, streamline operations, and promote and sell goods — within the aisles, in the employee break room, at receiving and shipping, at checkout, across the Web, and even at home or on the go.

“With changing consumer demands and slowed spending, increasing shopper loyalty and frequency while managing costs is critical for retailers’ success,” said Bill Gonzalez, general manager, Worldwide Distribution and Services Sector at Microsoft. “Through the immersive setting of the Retail Experience Center, our retail customers can emerge with an in-depth sense of how software and innovations can help them rise above competitive pressures and industry regulations to create a consumer-driven operation — one that consistently delivers a differentiated customer experience across multiple channels while empowering employees to make every square foot of retail space as profitable and productive as possible.”

Visitors to the center can experience more than 25 technology innovations and partner solutions in action. These showcase how Microsoft and its industry partners are directly benefiting consumers and the retail industry in the following ways:

• Build connected shopping experiences and customer loyalty. A hands-on environment with seamless, multichannel integration, the Retail Experience Center encourages visitors to try easy, more natural ways to interact with and access digital content. Interactive technologies include digital signage and kiosks plus applications that deliver targeted, real-time information to a shopping cart or on a consumer’s mobile phone to help influence buying decisions, sales and customer loyalty. Innovations include Microsoft Surface, Microsoft Advertising solutions, Microsoft radio frequency identification infrastructure, Microsoft Tag, Microsoft Commerce Server 2009 and the multitouch features in Windows 7.
• Improve business insights and decision-making. From the employee break room to assisted selling devices on the sales floor to a store manager’s workbench, the center showcases innovations across the entire retail environment. Visitors can experience how technology can empower retail employees with better visibility, support collaboration for increased productivity, and enable a seamless consumer experience. Innovations include Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009, Microsoft unified communications offerings, Microsoft business intelligence solutions, Windows Mobile and Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007.
• Create operational efficiencies. Retailers can cut costs, lower expenses and increase operational efficiencies with technologies for store systems integration, performance management, proactive remote monitoring of a store’s environment, virtualization and enhanced data security capabilities. Environmental sustainability is also demonstrated throughout the center from the design of the building to the management of in-store technology and the eco-friendly packaging for products on its shelves. Technologies include Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2007 and Windows Server 2008 with Hyper-V technology.

Center Serves as Test Facility to Influence New Products, Consumer Programs

The Retail Experience Center is also part of Microsoft’s larger effort to establish a research facility to better understand and address how consumers are experiencing the Windows brand at retail as they select and purchase PCs. Acting as a test facility, it will give the retail industry a unique opportunity to provide feedback that can directly influence future Microsoft products and how it sells to consumers.

“Customers have told us they want Microsoft to play a more active role in their technology experiences, by helping direct them to the specific products, services and technologies that will most benefit their unique needs,” said Brad Brooks, corporate vice president for Windows Consumer Product Marketing at Microsoft.

As a result of consumer feedback, early pilots with retailers have included branded store-within-a-store displays, with some featuring trained Microsoft Gurus to assist PC buyers.

Source: Microsoft