Microsoft will open its first flagship retail store outside the United States in Sydney in an attempt to take on Apple and Samsung. Devices from Apple and Samsung are always at the focus of the gadget enthusiasts, therefore, in a bid to secure its place and a good number of fans of its devices, Microsoft is trying to seek the attention of customers with a physical store.
Flagship Microsoft store at Sydney
The new store will be located at Westfield Sydney on Pitt Street Mall, spreading over an area of 581 square meters. The store will be located next to a Sephora cosmetics store that opened recently according to a report from the Sydney Morning Herald.
Rumors of a Microsoft store in Australia were first reported by Fairfax Media last week. In shopping malls in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, the company already has over 110 smaller retail stores. Last year, Microsoft announced its first flagship store with the proposed location being New York’s Fifth Avenue. Microsoft has not yet announced any specific dates for the opening of the two stores, but it has assured consumers that by the time Christmas rolls around, both stores will be ready to serve them.
“We are going to bring a premium experience for Australian consumers to the best retail location in the country, for us to showcase experiences and create connections with Australian consumers in ways we haven’t been able to before,” Microsoft Australia managing director Pip Marlow said.
Challenging Apple, Samsung
Microsoft stores will give visibility to the company’s two most prominent products to compete with those from rivals Apple and Samsung: Surface tablets and the Lumia range of smartphones. The smartphone and tablet industry is having a duopolistic competition with Apple and Samsung acquiring a big chunk of the market. By opening stores, Microsoft is taking up the challenging task of breaking this duopoly and making space for itself as one of the equally competent smartphone brands.
The company’s mobile devices, tablets, gaming consoles, PCs and Office applications all will get a high-profile showcase in the new store to be set up in Sydney. The company will make use of the store as an efficient platform for promoting, selling and providing support for all its devices.
