Google Retail Stores Opening By End Of 2013

Google is joining Apple and Microsoft in the brick and mortar tech retail space. The search giant is planning to open several Google Stores before the 2013 holiday shopping season.

The new stores will allow Google employees to educate customers about the benefits of Google Android smartphones and tablets. The stores will also provide Google Chrome OS systems and information about the Google Glass project.

According to a report by 9To5Google, the first Google retail stores will open in “major metropolitan areas.”

Also according to the report, Google believes its customers and potential customers “need to get hands-on experience with its products before they are willing to purchase.”

Apple served more than 315 million customers at its various worldwide outlets in 2012, proving that the niche retail model can work to a tech firms benefit. Microsoft is already working at a frenzied pace to catch up with Apple in the direct from tech producer retail sector.

Google has been testing its Google Store model with a few “store-within-a-store” locations as several Best Buy locations in the United States and PC World in the UK.

With Google innovating new products such as the Google Glass project, retail stores of its own could help educate customers in regards to new products that are more cutting edge and often more expensive.

Google’s Android OS is the best selling mobile OS on the planet, and Acer recently announced that its Google Chrome OS notebook business already accounts for five percent of sales despite just launching in 2013.

Will you be visiting a new Google Store near you?