Inspired or irritated by Apple’s success with its retail stores, Microsoft announced its plans to open its own retail stores in order to increase its visibility.

Although it comes at a time when many retailers are struggling to survive the economic downturn, Microsoft’s decision to enter the retail market went well with the software giant’s partners, which will lose a part of its customers.

Microsoft plans to sell computers installed with its own software and other industry products. The new Microsoft operating systems - Windows 7 and updates of Windows Live and Windows Mobile – will also be promoted via retail stores.

Microsoft’s retail division will be headed by ex-Wal-Mart executive David Porter.

Although this move means that most Microsoft partners will lose some of their customers, the company is positive that the business will remain unaffected and, overall, the move will have a very big impact on the Microsoft’s sales.

Microsoft gave no further details about its retail plans and has yet to develop a retail strategy.

"This is an exciting time with our strong line-up of upcoming product releases," Microsoft chief operating officer Kevin Turner said in a statement.

This is Microsoft’s latest move after it launched a $300 million advertising campaign last autumn in a desperate attempt to revive the image of Windows Vista, an operating system which has been heavily criticized.

However, one thing is certain. This move couldn’t have come at a worst time for Microsoft. The economic climate makes all retailers forget about expansion and think more about surviving. Nevertheless, Microsoft bets it can succeed where other computer retail stores have failed (except Apple of course) and it can do it amid tougher-than-ever economic times.