Microsoft will be selling the Surface Book exclusively in a move to support its first retail store in Australia.
The release of the Surface Book will coincide with the opening of the Microsoft Store on 12 November. The 6000 square metre store located in Sydney’s Westfield mall acts as Microsoft’s flagship store in the Asia Pacific.
Not partnering with retailers at launch is a strategic move intended to balance stock levels with the customer experience, said Tina Flammer, Surface Product Marketing Lead at Microsoft.
“Beginning at launch, [the Surface Book] will be sold at the Microsoft brick-and-mortar store and the Microsoft online store.
“The response to Book was so strong. Rather than try to spread it so thin and have a terrible experience around the globe, it was best to really concentrate [its release] in a limited way.”
A wait of six-to-seven weeks is listed when placing a pre-order for the Surface Book. Demand for the notebook has been ‘strong’.
Pre-orders were temporarily exhausted in the US one week after the notebook was globally unveiled.
Keen Surface Book owners have been invited to line up outside the Sydney flagship store from 10pm on Wednesday night, 11 November.
“We intend to meet orders. We are amply stocked," said Flammer.
“I don’t mean that lightly. The decision to launch in Australia, when [the Surface Book] is right now only in the US and Canada, is a very big commitment, because if we don’t have enough stock to fulfil demand, then that’s a fail."
Plans on whether the Surface Book will be made available to other retail partners, or the channel, could not be discussed.
“We’re not shifting models. We are absolutely committed to our channels. We are absolutely committed to our partners. That has not and will not change.
“As time goes on, I’m sure everything will catch up and we’ll be able to expand.”
Launching on the same day is the Surface Pro 4. The tablet-notebook hybrid will be sold at Microsoft’s Store, as well as existing retail partners JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman.
