Apple vs. Microsoft: Is it Really A Competition?
Most people are aware of the battle between Microsoft and Apple. Even here at Ilfusion, we have a pretty diverse range of Apple and Microsoft products. Both companies are not only fighting for shelf space, but for space in the thoughts of potential customers.
In the last few years, Microsoft has launched physical stores all around the country. From California to Canada, they are popping up all over. There’s something strangely familiar about them, though. Perhaps it is the fact that they look like exact copies of the iconic Apple Stores. Glass windows, long tables with various devices on them, “Answer Techs” in colored T-shirts walking around with badges around their necks…it is as if they took the Apple logo off the front of the store and replaced it with a Microsoft logo. They say the purest form of flattery is imitation, right?
For you Microsoft fans out there, this could be a positive idea. If you prefer Microsoft software and operating systems, but miss the experience Apple brings, the Microsoft store is the perfect marriage of both worlds. They have customer service, a place to test and purchase everything Microsoft, and are gathering places for Microsoft followers. The biggest benefit to the company, however, will be cash flow. There’s a reason Apple has these stores: to bring in money. While it may seem like a strange move to create stores that look so similar, it is actually a great way to build business. It’s a new business model and direction for Microsoft to try to level out the playing field with its number one competitor.
The Microsoft store is a great idea and a company to watch. Even if they end up being more like show rooms instead of main points of purchase, Microsoft seems to be benefiting from “copying” the Apple Store. How do you feel about the Microsoft store?
Tags: apple, apple store, marketing, microsoft, microsoft store, surface, websites, windowsCategorized in: Articles