Photo of the day: the difference in the retail Apple and Microsoft

Steve Ballmer, the outgoing Microsoft CEO, sincerely believes that did an excellent job in his post. However, the circumstances of his dismissal hinted that Microsoft understands, on the edge of a precipice they were. This is still a profitable company, thanks to its incredible power in the market for business products. But business people do. And if you lose track of people, the next will be lost and the road to the business market.

As an illustration of the fact that things have a giant from Redmond in retail are not very present in all 2 photos taken in Last Sunday, during the start of the season of holiday sales in one of the shopping centers of the city of Arlington, Virginia. Thus, a large shopping center ordinary American city, the Microsoft Store:

This is not some trick. The store is really no one, apart from the sellers. buyers zero. At noon. On Sunday. In a large shopping center.

For comparison - Apple Store:

Crowd.

The problem is that Microsoft retail stores themselves are great places to visit. Many argue that in many ways they are even better Apple Store (if only because there are no crowds of buyers, queues and noise :) Consultants in Microsoft Store friendly and well trained. Just no one wants to buy Microsoft products.