I've personally been to a few Microsoft stores and they all have that distinct cargo cult feel. They feel like a designer walked through an Apple Store once and

I've personally been to a few Microsoft stores and they all have that distinct cargo cult feel. They feel like a designer walked through an Apple Store once and then designed the rest from memory. The biggest difference I noticed was layout. Some things were organized by brand, some by type, and then the Xbox stations were just sort of thrown in-between things. In an Apple Store there is enough room between each table for 3 people to stand comfortably: 2 to check out stuff and 1 to walk through in the middle. The Microsoft store was much more cramped meaning you always had to be pushing through a crowd. It certainly gave the illusion of a packed store. However, even when an Apple Store is absolutely packed, you never find yourself pushing through a crowd. Shrug I don't think this is some blight on Microsoft though. It is there first attempt at a solid retail presence. Apple stores weren't always as great as they are now and I'm sure that Microsoft will iterate their store design to improve it.