CollinsIt’s been a long time coming, but an actual brick-and-mortar Google Store is finally coming to New York City. It will be housed at Google’s headquarters in the Chelsea neighborhood, which has long been a landmark with its prominent Google signage on both sides of the building.
Despite the fact that Google has previously experimented in the retail space with a pop-up store in New York City in 2018, this time it is looking to be a more substantial, permanent fixture. Google is also not wasting time, coming off the heels of Google I/O 2021.
When a tech behemoth like Google announces that it will open a physical store to showcase and sell its products, it raises a red flag because it only takes one look at another behemoth to see how it can fail. I’m referring to Microsoft, which once had thriving retail stores across the country but eventually closed all of them.
The future is unpredictable, but here are five reasons why Google’s venture has a brighter future ahead of it.
Google has more consumer technology to display.
Sure, Microsoft has Windows to get through any major crisis, but one advantage for Google in opening a physical store is the extensive presence Google has across various categories.
Google’s name can be found on a wide range of tech products, from Chromebooks to Pixel smartphones, Nest-branded security cameras to Fitbit wearables, smart displays to smart speakers.
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While I’m confident that we’ll have third-party gadgets and accessories available at the Google Store, the sheer number of Google-branded devices far outnumbers anything Microsoft had in its stores with its own homemade devices. With a broader reach thanks to its own product line, this store will be able to attract far more customers — especially when the company introduces or announces something new into the fold.
More interest is generated by larger events throughout the year.
When it comes to unveilings, there is no denying that Google attracts far more people than Microsoft. I’m not attempting to discredit Redmond. Microsoft’s Panos Panay wowing the media and crowd at the announcement of the first Microsoft Surface Book in New York City was one of the most iconic unveilings I’ve had the chance to witness firsthand. But that’s it; Microsoft’s time in the spotlight is limited to a single hardware event held in the fall.
Google’s events, on the other hand, go beyond the company’s standard product offerings, such as its Pixel smartphones. For example, Google I/O attracts both consumers eager for new technology and developers eager to unlock the true potential of these gadgets in our lives.
These events will undeniably help to draw visitors into the Google Store, so if the company decides to expand its footprint, it will be a great opportunity for people to experience devices firsthand as soon as they are announced — rather than having to wait a week or so before they are shipped, as is the current model
A substantially better marketing push
Finally, I can’t tell you how many people I know — not just media people and influencers, but friends and family members as well — who proudly share their support for all things Google through indirect marketing. I’m referring to tagging their social media posts with @madebygoogle or the #teampixel hashtag, which I see whenever someone shares a photo taken with a Pixel device.
This type of free marketing demonstrates how ingrained Google’s presence is in the consumer space. I’m not sure about you, but I can’t think of a single original Microsoft hashtag that has reached the same level of popularity as #teampixel. The Google Store will benefit greatly as a result of this because it can direct those who are unfamiliar with all of Google’s news toward the store after hearing or seeing something in a social media post.
If you want to go to the Google Store, it will be located in Chelsea at the intersection of 9th Avenue and West 15th Street. The massive Google signage out front makes it impossible to miss. Inside, you can expect to see Google-created products, as well as experts to assist customers with questions or recommendations. There will be health and safety precautions in place to ensure that all visitors have a pleasant shopping experience. It will be open to the public in the summer of 2021, but no official date has been set.
Collins