Open Letter to Microsoft on why Microsoft Store should run on Sitecore

Interesting story, I went to the Microsoft Store in the United States to buy a Windows 8.1 Pack to upgrade my standard edition of Windows to Support installing Coveo.  As a Canadian, it would not let me purchase.  I spoke to a rep on the site and they said the easiest way was to purchase right through Windows and it would update the product key and install and everything.

I followed these instruction and got the product installed.  4 hours later Microsoft detects my abandoned cart on the site and having my email address from login email me offering me free shipping if I buy it.  How many ways did they get it wrong?

1) When I first arrived on the US site it should have detected my location and opted to switch me to the Canadian store.
2) When they sent the email I already bought the product.
3) I could not buy it from the Microsoft Store in the United States so sending me an email with the link to the United States cart would have frustrated me if I had not already bought.
4) It was 4 hours later after I had already attempted other means.

So what if Microsoft had Sitecore:

1) Sitecore supports IP detection that could then be used to redirect them to the proper site or provide them with an option of going to the Canadian store.
2) As the user is in an engagement plan, when I bought the product it could have bumped the engagement plan to show that state.
3) Using the engagement plan it would have detected the state change from buying it and would NOT have sent me the email offering me a better deal it would have thanked me for purchasing.
4) I guess in this case the Microsoft Marketing people set the delay on it so they could still mess it up.

Ironically, even though it had entered the key and installed the features, almost exactly after I got the email from Microsoft, Windows decided I needed to activate the key.  Not during my install but 4 hours later.  It provided no option to ignore and all I had to do was click the activate link as the product key was already automatically entered during install.

So if Microsoft is interested, Sitecore can do wonders for your store.  Simply implement Sitecore 7.5 with ActiveCommerce or Commerce Server and you are good to go.  Email us at chris.williams@readwatchcreate.com if interested in discussing more.