Microsoft Escalates Vertical Integration Wars

The WSJ reported today that Microsoft has decided to enter the rapidly escalating battle over how the consumer electronics market space is being fundamentally restructured (Microsoft Seeks to Take a Bite Out of Apple With New Stores).

Unlike Gateway's anemic efforts at forward integration into retail (1997-2004), I anticipate Microsoft's moves, along with those of other leading players, will dramatically reshape the landscape. Those moves include Best Buy's backward integration in private label (see: In Hard Times, Is Best Buy’s Best Good Enough? ), Wal-Mart's and wireless service reseller Tracfone's entry into mass market electronics (see: Wal-Mart Wireless Expands), Samsung's designs on the content and apps end of digital retail (see: Samsung Seeks Some iPhone Magic ) and Amazon's rabid appetite to dominate the conventional 'click and buy' internet merchant space (see: Can Amazon Be the Wal-Mart of the Web?).

But back to Microsoft's forward integration into consumer electronics retailing: here's the bottom line perspective from the company:

"Our customers have told us they want more choice, more value and better service, and that's what we'll deliver through our Microsoft Stores" David Porter, corporate vice president . Microsoft retail stores, WSJ, 10/15/09

This is only the latest entry of another major player in what is shaping up to be a battle of the titans. Noisy dithering by wall street analysts, journalists, and other pundits over who's making the most aggressive price reductions, who's sourcing smartest, who's ramping up their M&A engines for greater scale and efficiency, and who's "getting the value message from consumer" is simply obscuring a more fundamental and ultimately dramatic business model restructuting hidden in plain sight.

So, buckle up - it's going to become a (much) bumpier ride competing in the consumer electronics space! (due credit to Bette)