Breaking:Microsoft permanently closes its physical stores,and thousands of domain names help support online operations!

On Friday, Microsoft announced the permanent closure of its 83 Microsoft Store physical retail locations in the United States. In the future, Microsoft will focus on its online store, Microsoft.com, and will maintain only four locations. This news immediately garnered widespread attention from internet users.

David Porter, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft, stated that the company's product portfolio has largely evolved into digital products, with online sales continuously growing. This allows the company's teams to provide services to global customers without geographical limitations.

In recent years, physical retail stores have faced challenges from online sales due to the widespread adoption of mobile internet. Microsoft's decision to close its physical stores is not solely a result of the pandemic but rather a response to the changing retail landscape driven by new retail technologies and market dynamics in recent years. The pandemic only accelerated this transformation.

When it comes to online operations, domain names play a crucial role. As a trillion-dollar global tech giant, Microsoft's decision to close 83 physical stores and shift to online sales is supported by its ownership of over 10,373 domain names, showcasing its decisive stance in this endeavor.

Here are some of Microsoft's notable domain names:

1. Office.com: Microsoft acquired the brand domain name in 2009, years after the launch of its Office products.

2. Msn.com: MSN, short for Microsoft Service Network, is Microsoft's portal website and also had an instant messaging app similar to QQ.

3. Bing.com: Bing is Microsoft's search engine, replacing Live Search, and the domain name is highly symbolic with its "must respond" meaning.

4. Live.com: Live.com is a widely recognized domain associated with Microsoft's Outlook email service.

5. Zone.com: This domain was acquired by Microsoft and used for MSN Gaming Zone.

6. GPS.com: A valuable three-letter domain in the field of Global Positioning System (GPS), which Microsoft acquired from a company called Great Plains Software.

7. Start.com: Start.com is associated with Microsoft's Windows operating system's "Start" button or menu.

8. Passport.com: Passport.com redirects to Microsoft's Bing search page.

9. Sites.com: This domain was acquired by Microsoft in recent years and is linked to various Microsoft services.

10. Surface.com: Surface.com corresponds to Microsoft's Surface Pro lineup.

In addition to these, Microsoft owns over 10,000 domain names, many of which are highly generic and versatile, making them valuable assets in their online operations.

Wedbush analyst Dan Ives noted that physical stores contributed insignificantly to Microsoft's retail revenue, and the company has been moving towards digital channels over the past few years. Microsoft's decision to transition to online sales aligns with the current trends in e-commerce and livestream shopping. Traditional brick-and-mortar stores have faced challenges, and Microsoft's extensive domain portfolio is poised to support its success in online operations.