Microsoft just opened their first online store. It’s boring. It just sells software.
The irony is that Microsoft is in the middle if a gigantic ad campaign to rally their fans: I’m A PC. I think it’s a fantastic campaign. It makes customers feel great. It’s the perfect response to Apple’s negative campaign ads.
I was in Redmond last week and went to the employee store where there were crowds of people buying "I’m a PC" gear. Kids were asking their parents for it. It was fun. They had shirts and mugs and hats and stickers.
A slick ad campaign is only the start of winning hearts and minds. You need to give people a way to participate. You need to give them the tools to show their support.
Microsoft: Get rid of the software store and create a fan store, where we can buy shirts and stickers and all that stuff that lets us be a part of the fun.
Lesson: If you don’t make it easy for customers to show their support, they won’t.
