The new Microsoft flagship store is located on Fifth Avenue in New York City, just a few blocks from Apple's famous cube-shaped store.
This Microsoft store is unique in a number of ways. It is the first Microsoft store to feature more than one floor, and it in fact features five. The store is populated with 'Answer Desks' that allow you to request help and assistance with any piece of Windows hardware, regardless of where you bought it.
The second floor of the Microsoft flagship store features a large community theater, where store employees will hold training sessions and interactive events. The third floor is dedicated to showcasing all things Dell, and that includes both personal and business offerings.
Ultimately, this store is an attempt by Microsoft to enrich the retail experience for consumers, and it is doing so successfully.
Flagship Computing Stores
The Microsoft Flagship Store in New York City Covers Five Floors
Trend Themes
1. Flexible Flagship Stores - With the rise of multi-storey flagship stores for tech giants like Microsoft, a trend toward flexible retail spaces emerges, providing consumers with customized shopping experiences and brands with improved engagement opportunities.
2. In-store Multi-sensory Displays - Microsoft's innovative use of a five-story building as a flagship store signals an emerging trend towards experiential retail, with in-store multi-sensory displays becoming key to building stronger connections between brands and consumers.
3. Omnichannel Support Services - The opening of a flagship store with 'Answer Desks' that offer omnichannel support services exemplifies an emerging trend in the provision of frictionless customer journeys, where consumers can get help with any hardware, regardless of where it was purchased.
Industry Implications
1. Entertainment and Events - The presence of a community theater and interactive event space indicates the growing importance of entertainment and events in flagship stores, providing additional value to consumers and creating opportunities for brands to engage with their customers.
2. Technology Retail - The opening of this unique Microsoft store with its five stories dedicated to showcasing personal and business offerings from Dell highlights the disruptive innovation opportunities within the technology retail industry where multi-brand spaces that help cultivate a tech ecosystem can enhance customer experiences.
3. Customer Support and Services - The prominence of 'Answer Desks' in the Microsoft flagship store demonstrates the growing importance of customer support and services in the electronics industry as brands try to differentiate themselves through uninterrupted assistance for their customers.