Microsoft closing all its retail stores — permanently

CSA

Microsoft Corp. is getting out of the retail brick-and-mortar business.

The software and cloud giant announced that, as part of a “new approach to retail,” it will permanently shutter all its Microsoft Store physical locations.  Four high-profile stores — Manhattan (Fifth Ave.), London (Oxford Circus), Sydney, Australia (Westfield Sydney) and Redmond, Washington — will be turned into "Microsoft Experience Centers" where  customers will be able to experience  product, see demos, explore device bars and learn about technology.  (All purchasing will be fulfilled via the company's digital storefronts, including Microsoft.com.) . . . more