Microsoft extends retail footprint with official store on eBay

By Abhishek Baxi
last updated

It’s a large bouquet of gadgets this season from Microsoft. We have the likes of new Nokia Lumia devices, the second generation Surface, and the Xbox One. Just in time for your holiday shopping, Microsoft has opened their official Microsoft Store on eBay in the US.

However, ironically, none of these are listed on the Store as yet, not even the already available Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2. At the moment, the Store features following products:

  • Surface RT and Surface Pro
  • Xbox 360 and Kinect sensor
  • Surface and Xbox accessories
  • Select Microsoft keyboards and mice

Microsoft promises the same return policy and free ground shipping from the Microsoft Store on eBay as on http://microsoftstore.com. The Store accepts PayPal and major credit cards via the PayPal system. The Store also lists select refurbished products, tested and certified by Microsoft, with a 1-year warranty.

I’m hoping the missing products would soon arrive on Microsoft Store on eBay. At this moment, most online retailers too have limited stocks of Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2. Also, it’s not yet clear if the Store would offer Windows Phone devices and accessories from different OEMs/carriers like they do at http://microsoftstore.com.

While Microsoft has been progressively increasing their retail footprint with specialty retail stores – 81 as of now – the global online shopping destination will offer a great alternative to http://microsoftstore.com.

Microsoft Store on eBay (opens in new tab) | Via: The Official Microsoft Blog (opens in new tab)

Abhishek Baxi
Abhishek Baxi
18 Comments
  • Sounds like they just want to rid their leftovers
  • I was thinking the same thing.
  • Nothing really available yet
  • I am really do not understand why are this kind of offers available only for folks in US. This in not good sales moves for MS. Someone need to make poll or referendum question thru which we would be able to force MS to extend their offer around the world. I am able to export goods from Chine and to USA, same thing is with Amazon, they are not sending electronics device to my country and sending books, funny.
  • That is not how a business works. A poll does not force a company to sell stuff in regions that are going to cost them more than earn them unless of course you own shares in the company and everyone who participates in the poll own shares too.
  • This. Also, a company shipping something internationally is a completely different beast than an individual doing so. They have to think about things like: enlisting a brokerage; figuring out what to do about duty and other import fees (the buyer won't be happy to receive a hefty duty bill, but duty can be so much that if the seller assumed the cost, then the sale wouldn't be profitable); and whether or not the warranty would be valid in the country of origin (and how to honour it if it is valid).
  • They are not offering anything. They just setup an ebay store. They wouldn't sell in other countries becasue they have to deal with different shipping cost, taxes, customs, etc. It probably would get too complex to use ebay for this. I'm sure they have local distributors in each country and use them because they are familiar with the local rules and know how to promote and sell the products better in the country. Does your country charge import duties on electronic goods?
  • Correct, the reason they won't sell internationally is so not to undermine local operations. To use my country, New Zealand, as an example, prices here are generally higher as we have small population which limits demand and we are a long way from anywhere so air freight is the only viable shipping option. Therefore especially when the exchange rate is good it is tempting to purchase from a US website and even with the shipping costs you generally still come out ahead. Probably 80-90% of the time you will also dodge paying taxes unless you are unlucky enough to have customs take a look at your order when it hits the country. If we all did this then local retailers would be done so Microsoft and other "name" manufacturers can't be seen to be making this any easier than it already is.
  • In the first comment I am mean import instead of export, I am able to import electronic devices from Chine and not for USA, and if I need to pay Customs taxes I am pay which is very rare, also post expenses we are pay, so I am really do not see reasons why I am not able to buy via Microsoft Store goods from them. When I need to pay them some exam for certification or yearly fee for MCT status, than it is not problem. Really thinking to move on another ecosystem.
  • K bye lol but seriously everyone already explained it pretty well.
  • How convenient they *still* do not accept their own gift cards on their site. Every time I read something like this I start talking like Billy Madison at the dinner table.
  • lol MS turned ebay into their waste dump for junk like RT that no one will buy hahaha :) hilarious
  • I love my Surface RT.  So apparently people do buy them.
  • they bought so many that MS has posted $900 million loss on them lol :)))
  • +1
  • I hope they bring back Bing rewards for eBay again. That was one of the best things that happened on the internet.
  • Hmm... wonder how long it will take before manufacturer refurb'd devices start appearing.   Back when the Nook Color was the best model Nook and selling for $200+ new, I bought a refurb'd one from B&N's official eBay store for $120 (w/ shipping).  Absolutely nothing wrong with it... I forget most of the time that it was a refurb'd unit and not brand new when I bought it.  Of course I rooted and installed Android on it and use it only for reading comics and books, it was the only reason I bought it in the first place.   But just saying.... would be curious to see if MS finds an outlet for highly discounted refurbished devices.
  • Microsoft we need EU ebay store as well. Actually we need it more since you cant find Microsoft stores in most European Union countries