Microsoft has officially launched the Microsoft Store for the U.S. enabling shoppers to buy their favorite Microsoft software and products online this holiday season. Microsoft had previously launched such Stores internationally in the UK, Germany and Korea.
Microsoft Senior Program Manager Trevin Chow says the main advantage is that you can buy and download Microsoft products and this policy is referred to as Electronic Software Distribution (ESD). So once your payment is confirmed, you can immediately download the product to your computer and install it right away. This means zero shipping costs you might have paid otherwise, and you can use the software right now.
So what if you need to re-install the product later? Microsoft Store lets you re-download the product until mainstream support for the product ends, which is usually 5 years after the product is released.
There is a huge Microsoft software range listed there and you have the option to download or order a CD. There are many hardware products also ranging from the beautiful Microsoft Arc Mouse to the more rugged Xbox 360 Elite, which have to be shipped of course.