When I heard that Microsoft will be opening retail stores a-la Apple, my first reaction was, what are they going to sell in there? Windows? Zunes? Xboxes?

In a statement, Microsoft said  it hired David Porter as its corporate vice president of retail stores. The former Wal-Mart Stores executive’s first mission will be to define where and when to open the Microsoft stores.

“The purpose of opening these stores is to create deeper engagement with consumers and continue to learn firsthand about what they want and how they buy,” Microsoft said.

But in this economy, these stores will have to do more than just showcase Microsoft technologies and products; they will have to make money selling Microsoft products and even perhaps competitors!

Microsoft could be competing with existing retailers, partners

However, Microsoft’s main problem will be not to irk existing retail partners like Best Buy or Wal-Mart, and OEMs such H-P, Dell, by favouring some and leaving others out of its stores.

A  dilemma that Apple did not have as it makes both the hardware and the software (operating system and applications) for its computers; although affecting some smaller Apple retailers that eventually closed shop.

At the same time, large electronic retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Fry’s and others are still important distributors of Apple computers. And large mainstream stores such as Wal-Mart or Target are selling truck loads of iPods.

But Microsoft is no Apple!