Microsoft Store

Came in on August 6^th during their grand opening promotion.
I was attracted by their flyer which advertised some great deals, namely on a slick laptop. My laptop had gone belly up a month or two prior, so I was somewhat in the market for a replacement.
Their store is in Pacific Centre inside the extension close by the Robson St. Nordstrom exit. They have a large Xbox One display including a big screen at one entrance to the store with the rest of the store cleanly laid out by type of product. Nice large wood tables hold the display merchandise.
I visited the store around 3:25 that afternoon and to my amazement was out the door within about twenty minutes. Initially I just made a bee-​line for the laptops and perused the section before one of the employees approached me. Luckily the store was not overly busy at that time.
Ricki, the associate who helped me, answered all my questions in a clear and straightforward manner, and was quick to ask a coworker when he didn’t know the answer. I asked a few questions about the laptop’s specs, how many had sold that day (A LOT!) and Microsoft’s return policy (30 days with receipt — pretty good if you ask me). I did not feel hurried or pressured at all during the exchange and ultimately this was one of the reasons I decided to buy it.
When I made my decision, Ricki retrieved one of the products from the back of the store and brought it over. He offered me an add-​on software package that included Microsoft Word, Excel etc which I declined and thenproceeded to ring the purchase through. The whole process was painless. The laptop came neatly in a box and I was given a nice reusable bag to take with. He issued me a paper receipt and entered my email to receive an emailed duplicate receipt which oddly took a few days to arrive.
In comparison, most times I have set foot in a Future Shop or Best Buy looking for something specific, I’ve been dissatisfied with the experience. It’s usually gone one of a few ways — either there’s absolutely no one around to help, or the employees that are present are talking amongst themselves oblivious to customers waiting to be assisted. I’ve got a few horror stories that I won’t bore you with, but suffice to say that I’d rather visit the dentist than support one these stores.
I’ve been thrilled with my laptop and have every reason to believe that if I returned to the store with a question or a problem that I’d get the same great service.

The store was clean, the agents were super helpful, and I love how Microsoft doesn’t tie these devices to the tables. You can pick anything up, unplug it, and actually use it! Microsoft is finally doing things right. I was just there to look and the environment was ZERO pressure. Cool. They just seem happy to be there. Overall, it was a great experience.