Microsoft has 75 stores currently, including its temporary speciality stores, but the company is planning to continue its expansion over the course of 2013 and beyond. Speaking at Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference on Wednesday, chief operating officer Kevin Turner revealed Microsoft will have 101 stores in total "this time next year." Along with the expansion, Microsoft is also moving into China, with a planned retail store soon. Turner described the move as "very very strategic to us, big time."

The software maker currently uses its range of retail stores, which are primarily located in the US, to push Windows 8 PCs, its own Surface tablet, Xbox, and Windows Phones. Microsoft originally opened its first retail store in late 2009 just ahead of the Windows 7 release, and the company launched as many as seven stores in June alone.