Are you ready to do some in-person shopping at a Google store?
A new report says Google is going to build its own, brick-and-mortar retail stores in several major U.S. cities, and have them up and running in time for the 2013 holiday season; to compete against Apple and Microsoft stores. (Microsoft owns and publishes moneyNOW, an MSN Money site.)
According to SethWeintraub at 9to5google.com, an “extremely reliable source” says the company wants to get its new Glass, Nexus and Chrome products – as well as other upcoming devices – directly to its consumers.
“Google feels right now that many potential customers need to get hands-on experience with its products before they are willing to purchase,” he wrote.
Google already has Chromebook displays in Best Buy (BBY) stores – as well as with some retailers in the U.K. And the head of Google UK's consumer marketing told the London Evening Standard that having consumers get hands-on experience can make a huge difference in their understanding of the device.
Weintraub says the new Google stores will operate independently and will “make direct sales to customers from Google like the Nexus online store does currently.”
He also points out the company has advertised for people to help it develop, test and deploy retail Point of Sale systems.
Industry analysts appear to have mixed reactions to Google's possible venture into shopping mall retail.
"Google does not have as many products as Apple, but it has enough to justify a physical retail presence," Greg Sterling, senior analyst with Opus Research, told PC World.
Read more: http://money.msn.com/now/post.aspx?post=8ffbdeca-88e5-403d-876e-215d63503c74