The Windows Store will fail…

I’m in Scottsdale, Arizona…and thought it might be interesting to visit the new Windows Store in Fashion Square Mall. Here’s the picture I took…with my iPhone…from the front of the store…

Notice anything? I’ll bet you do!

If the logo on the front was absent, you would think you were walking by an Apple Store!

Sure, there are some cosmetic differences…however, it is SO blatantly derivative of the competition, it’s absolutely ridiculous.

Look, I’m an Apple guy…in the interest of full disclosure…I’m typing this on my MacBook Pro from the Phoenix Airport.

However, what is SO discouraging about the Windows Store is that the attempt to copy the competitor is so painfully obvious, it makes you wonder who in the world is making these decisions in Redmond.

As I emphasize in “Collapse of Distinction,” the first destroyer of differentiation is Copycat Competition. When any organization believes their best strategy is to replicate an opponent, both the business model and the leadership should be questioned.

In case anyone from Microsoft reads this…here’s a message you really NEED to hear: Customers are not loyal…they never become true fans…of the copycat. We get passionate about those organizations that are wildly original, create compelling experiences, and connect with us in a dynamic manner. If all you are trying to do is be “another Apple Store,” the BEST you can hope for is second place. For goodness sake…BE DISTINCT!!

It’s beyond comprehension that one of the largest, most powerful companies on the planet can’t come up with an original idea or concept to advance their positioning and enhance their share of the market.