Microsoft is in talks to open a chain of retail stores in the UK, according to the Financial Times.
The paper says discussions are underway with landlords to lease premises.
It follows the worldwide success of Apple stores.
Microsoft already has a few dozen shops in North America, where they're run very much along Apple lines featuring in-store classes and "Answer Desks" for appointments with experts.
Earlier this year, CEO Steve Ballmer said more retail stores was high on the company's list of priorities.
But there's one major problem for Redmond: while Apple stores mainly only sell Apple products, Microsoft software is used by hundreds of manufacturers. That means complicated negotiations over which products to stock.
Microsoft's flagship US store - in Times Square, New York - only sells the company's own-branded new Surface tablet.
It's widely speculated the company is planning more Microsoft-branded hardware, including a smartphone loaded with its Windows Phone operating system.
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