Microsoft is doubling down on retail, with the launch of a second online store at the start of this year's especially critical holiday shopping season. The Microsoft Store, which opened for business Thursday, is designed to carry the largest and most up-to-date selection of the software giant's product lines, such as Office, Windows, Xbox, and Zune. The one-stop shop will carry Microsoft hardware too. Microsoft currently operates its Windows Marketplace e-commerce site, which it began testing in 2004.

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