Brand Stores Will Be Near Apple

The first Microsoft branded stores will open in the US this fall (just in time for the release of Windows 7, scheduled for October 22), and they will be located next to the Apple branded stores. On the opening of stores yesterday was officially announced at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference affiliate conference (the same place where Steve Ballmer screaming the day before) - and some visitors to the conference immediately passed news on Twitter.

Management announced plans to open branded outlets back in February, but since then we have not had any information about this Microsoft initiative. It is clear that they borrowed the idea from Apple. However, the conference stated that stores would not clone Apple. To implement the project, they hired a top manager of the largest American supermarket chain Wal-mart.

According to Microsoft executives, the main goal of these stores is to increase brand loyalty , not just sales. Will it be possible to make Microsoft the same brand beloved by the people as Apple? This question is by no means rhetorical.

via All About Microsoft