Retailers Ready For Windows 7 Launch

No one is expecting lineups around the block or crashed e-commerce servers, but major retailers—both online and off—are preparing for Thursday's launch of Windows 7 with a range of promotions and special offers.


Their hope is that the release of Microsoft's newest operating system will jumpstart flagging PC sales.

Big box retailer Best Buy (NYSE: BBY) has placed Windows 7 front and center on its home page, and is offering free Express Shipping on all PCs with the OS pre-installed. The chain promises that consumers who order a Windows 7 machine by 11 a.m. Wednesday will receive delivery on launch day.

Best Buy also is touting an HP "PC Home Makeover" centered around Windows 7. Shoppers can purchase a bundle that includes a Windows 7-based desktop, laptop, netbook, monitor, and wireless router for $1199.

Not to be outdone, Web merchant Amazon (NSDQ: AMZN) is promoting Windows 7 heavily, and is offering free Express Shipping. Early adopters, however, will have to pay $5.98 to receive the OS by Thursday, unless they are Amazon Prime members. Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade, Family Pack, is currently Amazon's best seller in the software category, based on pre-orders.

Not all retailers are up to date. J&R, a New York City-based chain that serves the Northeast, was still promoting Windows Vista on its Web site as of Tuesday morning—likely to Redmond's chagrin. It even offered an online product tour of Windows 7's widely maligned predecessor.

Users knocked Vista for its heavy hardware requirements, intrusive security measures, and incompatibility with older software. Its unpopularity contributed to a dismal year for Microsoft and a number of PC makers.

Windows sales were off 13% in Microsoft's fiscal year ended June 30, and plunged a whopping 29% in the company's fourth quarter. Those numbers should get a boost from Windows 7's launch, but whether it's a lasting one will depend on the ability of Microsoft and its retail partners to convince consumers that the new OS is much improved over Vista. Early reviews have been largely positive.

The full version of Windows 7 Home Premium is priced at $199, with an upgrade from Vista or XP costing $119. The full version of Windows 7 Professional is $299, with upgrades going for $199. Windows 7 Ultimate is priced at $319, with the upgrade version at $219.