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Analyst: Microsoft's retail strategy 'absolutely stinks'

December 17, 2012

Over at The Street, Rocco Pendola isn't pulling punches when he talks about visiting a pop-up Microsoft Store in Times Square this weekend, which he said was "void of bodies" and that there was nothing good about the experience.

That particular shopping encounter aside, the analyst doesn't think Microsoft's retail strategy makes any sense, with stores that look like "competitive spoofs designed by Apple itself."

Walk into one of its stores. The only thing that looks like it makes any actual sense (or money) is Xbox. Microsoft really doesn't feature its other success story, Office, much at all. So you're stuck with a bunch of these Surface tablets and random laptops.

Microsoft's mounting of a copycat of Apple's retail blueprint is embarrassing enough; it's even worse that it does so with a wholly unprepared product line.

When you're in a Microsoft store, read the expressions on the faces of people who stumble upon a Surface tablet. They're really not sure what the darn thing is. That's Microsoft's fault. The company has done a horrendous job marketing the product.

Creepy commercials featuring young ladies in schoolgirl outfits with this half tablet/half laptop thing flopping across the screen doesn't cut it. What's it for? Why does it matter? Why should I spend my money on this thing instead of an iPad?

Read more about store design and layout.