Microsoft does something unoriginal

Blatantly stolen from TUAW.

“Microsoft's announcement that the company will open stores near the locations of existing Apple retail outlets came as no surprise to many people. After all, why not try to get a little overflow traffic from Apple Stores and sell a few Zunes in the process? Perhaps they'll have charming and pleasant retail employees like Lauren or Sheila from the "laptop hunter" ads...

TechFlash is reporting that the company has hired George Blankenship, former Apple real estate chief, to consult on securing prime locations for the Microsoft stores. Blankenship moved to Apple from The Gap, and he joins former Wal-Mart executive David Porter, who is now Microsoft's corporate VP of retail stores.

By consulting for Microsoft rather than being a direct hire, Blankenship can skirt many of the issues brought on by the NCA (non-competitive agreement) that all Apple executives sign. The demographic information that Blankenship might use to pinpoint Microsoft store locations is available publicly, and the techniques used by Apple to successfully open retail locations have been widely discussed since the first Apple Store opened in 2001.

While the locations, products carried, and general look and feel of the Microsoft retail outlets are still under wraps, the first stores are expected to open prior to the October 22nd launch date for Windows 7.”

Commentary:

Okay, Microsoft, seriously? Can you honestly think of absolutely nothing original in your strategy? Ever? You hire Apple’s guy to set up your stores. Oh, and from the slides that have been leaked your stores are going to be exactly laid out just like an Apple Store, in fact, you use pictures from an Apple Store for reference on how you are going to do it. Genius Bar = Guru Bar? Come on!!

Seriously? I am highly disappointed in you, and so will everyone that comes in your store. Especially if you put them close to Apple Stores. The public is not that stupid. You can try and trick them into thinking that you invented the GUI, or Spotlight, or this that and the other thing that you copied from Apple, but let me tell you what. When a consumer is standing in a Mall, and the Mall has an Apple store and a Windows store near each other, and they look exactly the same, they are going to know you are a bunch of cheap rip off douchebags.

Please, just do SOMETHING original? You know, like push Office 2010 to the web! You know, like no one has ever done that before!