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Microsoft is planning on entering the retail realm, apparently taking a page from Apple’s book. The company has hired David Porter to be VP of retail stores. Porter spent 25 years at Wal-Mart and most recently head of world-wide product distribution at DeamWorks.

"The purpose of opening these stores is to create deeper engagement with consumers and continue to learn firsthand about what they want and how they buy," Microsoft said in a statement.

The company’s plans beyond these details are yet unknown. The WSJ reports Microsoft has been testing different retail plans in a 20,000 square-foot warehouse. The company is expected to showcase and sell its software and devices, specifically X-Box.

Microsoft plans, however, may miff existing partners. The company depends on Best Buy for retail sales, and there’s the question if it will only show producing using its software, actually sell it. If it decides to sell computers, cell phones, mobile devices, etc, the company will have to pick winners and losers among its many partners. Lastly, the model of technology stores is not without risk. See Gateway, CompUSA, and Circuit City.