Microsoft launches online store, sells downloadable software

by Brad Linder Nov 14th 2008

Microsoft has launched a new online store, cleverly titled the Microsoft Store. I know, who woulda thunk? The fact that Microsoft is selling software like Windows Vista and Office 2007 as well as hardware like the Xbox 360 isn't particularly surprising. But what is new is the fact that Microsoft is offering customers the option of purchasing physical media like CDs and DVDs or downloadable software. And that covers all Microsoft software that's available on the site, including Windows upgrades, full versions of Windows, and Office.

Microsoft charges the same price for downloads as it does for softwar that comes on a disc and stuffed in a box. I would have expected Microsoft to charge a few bucks less for the downloadable version since there are no shipping or packaging costs. But the company apparently decided to go another way.

The other surprising thing? The fact that it's 2008 and this is the first time Microsoft has sold these products as digital downloads.

[via Profy]

Tags: digital-downloads, microsoft, microsoft-store, office, windows

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Jakob said 2:50PM on 11-14-2008

Better.

David said 2:54PM on 11-14-2008

man, you just don't miss an opportunity to bash ms. not that that's a bad thing...but i mean, if adobe came out with "Adobe Store," (yes, i realize they already have), you would not make a sarcastic comment about the name. But I don't like MS either so its all good.

Joel Lindstrom said 4:36PM on 11-14-2008

>>The other surprising thing? The fact that it's 2008 and this is the first time Microsoft has sold these products as digital downloads.

This is not correct, I bought electronic versions of Windows Vista upgrade, Office 2007, and Microsoft Money from the Windows marketplace nearly 2 years ago

Quikboy said 11:07PM on 11-14-2008

Is this actually new? I thought Microsoft has sold some of their software straight through their website for at least a year already.

http://blogs.technet.com/james/archive/2008/06/02/introducing-the-microsoft-store.aspx

This guy wrote about the new Microsoft Store more than 1/2 a year ago. I also recall that at the time around Windows Vista's launch, you could also go to Windows Marketplace and download from there. Actually, you can still download Microsoft (and third party) software from that site. I think the "Microsoft Store" is Microsoft's new online store service that will replace Windows Marketplace as the go-to place to buy/download Microsoft software and hardware.

I do agree that the download version should cost less than the physical disc version, and I think Microsoft will realize this if people if people complain or comment enough.

There's nothing wrong with calling it the "Microsoft Store". It's simple and it works. Do you expect them to call it the Microsoft Online Retail Store? iStore? I don't hear complaints about Apple having an Apple Store. It just makes sense.

Mtnplay said 12:51AM on 11-15-2008

Wow, its about time, it is 2008! Are you kidding me? Microstupid should have had this for ten years. How do they think Adobe, Intuit, etc have done it? Wow, buy something online and download, its a really novel concept.

Someone said 11:32PM on 12-23-2008

So I still haven't "activated" my copy of Vista Home Premium, and I think I'll wait and see what the "special online price" is to get a key directly from Microsoft. If it's cheaper than most of the boxed retail versions than it would seem to disenfranchise people who actually chose to buy it. Not that I'd know much about that yet...

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