Microsoft to spend more than $400 million on Windows marketing this holiday season

Shawn Knight

Posts: 15,253   +192
Staff member

microsoft windows tablet sales marketing

Microsoft ramped up its marketing budget last year to the tune of $241 million to advertise for Windows 8 and Surface but this year, they are planning to spend even more on retail Windows efforts. According to Winsupersite, Redmond is said to be shelling out over $400 million this year in an effort to persuade consumers to pick up a Windows machine or software this holiday season.

We’re told that $131 million will used for customer offers and incentives while the remaining $274 million will be spent on traditional marketing and related operating expenses. Either way you slice it, that’s a hefty marketing budget but it might be necessary if Microsoft is serious about meeting some lofty sales goals.

The publication claims Microsoft is aiming to sell around 16 million Windows tablets by the end of the year. That could very well happen when you consider the company recently inked a deal to install Windows Stores inside 600 Best Buy retail locations. Redmond is reportedly doing the same with other retail chains around the world, too.

Sales of Surface tablets didn’t go as well as Microsoft had hoped last year but with revised hardware and Windows 8.1, 2013 could be a different story. The small tablet market is certainly heating up as Bay Trail-powered Windows 8.1 devices from the likes of Acer, Dell and Lenovo are all expected to compete in the same price range.

Are you planning on purchasing a new tablet this holiday season? If so, what do you have in mind? A Windows 8.1 device like a Surface Pro 2, an Android tablet like the Nexus 10 or one of the new iPads?

Permalink to story.

 
No tablets for me thanks though I am due a new blower soon, I will keep my eyes open for a decent mid range Android.
 
You can spend $800 billion on advertising. Windows 8 is still a turd. Google Nexus 5 phone is sold out and they haven't even began a marketing ad campaign for the product.
 
^ I think the same way, they could use those 400 millions to do one of two things, to make every surface dirty cheap or to put an incredible hardware for the price on every surface. And them they will see everyone being sold and people using their mobile OS.

But no, they make a not ourstanding tablet to sell their not outstanding mobile OS and they think if we see a lot of ads we are going to jump at them with all the others, and better, options and all the info on the net.
 
I don't even know what Surface does, and I'm in the IT career field. Microsoft needs to do a better job of educating people on what this thing and getting it into our hands. I think the hardest challenge is to explain to Windows users who are sticking to Windows 7 how Windows 8 is better on a tablet.
 
They should spend it on finishing windows and better research on what customers what.
 
I jumped in a bought the Surface 2. It actually is very nice and I use it everyday. It is built well, and the software is actually good. They are definitely missing major apps which they must lobby for. I use IE if the app is not there, and it becomes a normal PC on a tablet.

I know the legacy applications don't work, but I don't game on it and I only need it for news, email, and office.
 
Surface 2 vs a netbook or laptop. Still everyone wants to do it on touch screen today. I have way to many Android tablets since 2010 to now and 1 Windows 7 tablet. I have place Windows 8 on the 7 tablet I didn't care for it and gone back to 7 U-64. My tablet I had to rebuild the hardware it now sports 19V / 20,000 mAh battery. Since the tablet has fan, real 320GB HDD, IPS, HD 720p, dual core Atom and very heavy.

All apps work with this tablet.
 
I am just waiting for Windows 7 SP2. I will not by anything with the Metro UI, I think it sucks.

Although, one user said he can't doesn't play games or legacy apps, it seems to be pretty pricey so you can pull up MS Office, when your at home. I would think a PC Anywhere type app might be better way to bring up your Office apps.

All the other things you want to do can be done on any hardware with any OS.
Browsing the web, Facebook... The app you need is called a browser.
 
Back