Microsoft will open Windows Stores in Indian multi-brand retail stores according to Microsoft Official. These store-within-a-store will feature Windows Phone running smartphones and Windows 8 / RT running desktops, laptops and tablets. These work as experience zones to the customers where consumers see and interact with the devices.
Chakrapani Gollapali, general manager – consumer channels group, Microsoft India said to The Mobile Indian, “We are planning to open Windows Stores in India in coming days. They will be experience zones that will be setup within existing stores of multiband retailers or malls to provide customers hands on experience of our complete line up of products right from devices to software.”
The experience zones will have dedicated staff to help consumers with the Windows device portfolio. Similarly Microsoft and Best Buy entered into an agreement to open Windows stores inside 600 Best Buy locations in US and Canada. These Windows stores are aimed at offering hands-on experience to customers interested in Windows devices.
The new experience zones in India will come up in multi-brand retail stores (Croma, Reliance Digital) and also in malls. But Microsoft has no plan to open standalone Windows Stores in India. Recently news came that Spice is willing to setup Android Nation stores in India for consumers to experience and buy the Android device portfolio at one place. Spice is partnering with Google to open these stores, as part of the deal 50 Spice Mobile stores will be converted to Android Nation stores.
