After expanding to the UK in June, the Microsoft Store, which is already available in Germany and in Korea, has now hit the US. My first impression is that it has a very clean look, and is surprisingly quick to load despite all the images. It is expected that more countries will be added very soon.
The development means that US customers can now purchase first-party software, hardware, and video games directly from Microsoft. Purchases can either be shipped or downloaded. The latter means no shipping costs, and a wait time dependent solely on the speed of your Internet connection, rather than how fast the delivery guy can get to you. Furthermore, Microsoft plays the environmental card and notes the savings on gas to ship products or drive to a retail store, as well as the savings in materials for CD jewel cases and software boxes. It looks like the company isn't limiting its push of Electronic Software Distribution (ESD), as Microsoft calls it, to just video games.
Full Story: The official Microsoft Store finally comes to the US
The development means that US customers can now purchase first-party software, hardware, and video games directly from Microsoft. Purchases can either be shipped or downloaded. The latter means no shipping costs, and a wait time dependent solely on the speed of your Internet connection, rather than how fast the delivery guy can get to you. Furthermore, Microsoft plays the environmental card and notes the savings on gas to ship products or drive to a retail store, as well as the savings in materials for CD jewel cases and software boxes. It looks like the company isn't limiting its push of Electronic Software Distribution (ESD), as Microsoft calls it, to just video games.
Full Story: The official Microsoft Store finally comes to the US