Microsoft Campus LogoIn what I can only describe as an obvious attempt to be cool and continue their “me too” saga, Microsoft has announced plans to open a “small number” of retail stores to sell their wares, and has even hired a 27-year Wal-Mart veteran to head up the operation. David Porter, who is joining Microsoft fresh off the boat from DreamWorks Animation SKG, after leading the entertainment company’s worldwide product distribution for seven years, will commence work on February 16, 2008. Microsoft has not released any specific details about their retail strategy other than to say they hope to “create a better PC and Microsoft retail purchase experience for consumers worldwide through the development and opening of the company’s own retail stores.”

Unfortunately for Microsoft, unlike Apple, the company does not sell complete PC-hardware and software solutions with the exception of the X-BOX, which is a gaming console and decidedly not a PC. One has to ask, what on God’s green Earth does Microsoft expect to sell at these stores other than plastic and cardboard boxes with round disks inside?

In the press release announcing the hiring, David Porter had the following to say:

“There are tremendous opportunities ahead for Microsoft to create a world-class shopping experience for our customers,” Porter said. “I am excited about helping consumers make more informed decisions about their PC and software purchases, and we’ll share learnings from our stores with our existing retail and OEM partners that are critical to our success.”

Is Microsoft of the belief that people want to go to a Microsoft Store to make informed decisions about Microsoft products? What does Microsoft sell that is so compelling that consumers require education by Microsoft? Their retail strategy sure seems flawed.

What makes Apple Stores so successful is that the hardware is front and center when you enter an Apple Store. The experience is centered around the various Apple hardware offerings. But other than the X-BOX and peripherals, Microsoft does not sell an all-in-one solution like Apple. This whole plan reeks of “me too,” just like the Zune, just like the forthcoming updates to Windows Mobile with the app store and just about every move Microsoft makes these days.

Microsoft has drained every last ounce of originality from their veins and is apparently operating after having received a blood transfusion from Apple. That is the only way to account for their copying every Apple step. Is it so difficult for Microsoft to do their own thing for a change?

Maybe Microsoft expects to take Apple’s Genius Bar to a new level. After all, that may be the only truly exciting aspect of a Microsoft Store. However, I really feel for whoever opts to work in that section – the exponential configuration options for a WinTel workstation may make this an almost impossible task.

I do not want to discount their plans right off the bat – maybe, just maybe, Microsoft has a solid plan that will turn to gold. But if recent history is to serve as an indicator, I think this brainchild is doomed to fail. Either way, over the course of the next few months, as more information is released on the Microsoft Store, things will surely be interesting.

Could you see yourself visiting a Microsoft Store? Imagine walking through the local mall, with the Apple Store on the right and the Microsoft Store on the left. Which one do you enter first? More importantly, which store do you expect you would be spending your hard earned money in?