03 October 2011 | Author: R Wood Media Intern

Google Chromezone opens in London

Google has opened its first retail store inside PC World on London's Tottenham Court Road, hot on the heels of news that its popular browser has increased its market share.

The 285-square-foot pop-up promotes Google's Chromebook - a laptop made by Samsung and Acer optimised for web use - and has trained staff on hand to help people become more familiar with the cloud-based netbook.

This is the first time Google has ever broached this traditional method of retail.

Google said in a statement: "The Chrome Zone is designed to be as open, colourful and user-friendly as possible, and there are seating areas for shoppers to enable them to try out Chromebooks in comfort."

However, unlike the shops of its rival Apple, the store opened to relatively little fanfare.

Arvind Desikan - head of consumer marketing at Google UK - told the Evening Standard: "It is our first foray into physical retail. This is a new channel for us and it's still very, very early days. It's something Google is going to play with and see where it leads."

"We found anecdotally that when people tried the device and played with it, that made a huge difference to their understanding of what the Chromebook is all about.

"People will be able to go in and have a play with the devices. We want to see whether people understand what this device is all about and monitor their reaction when they try it out."

The news comes as Google Chrome - the browser optimised in the Chromebook and promoted in Chromezone - increased its market share to above 20 per cent, on track to surpass No 2 browser Firefox in early 2012, according to ZDNet.

A second Chromezone is expected to open in Essex on 7 October, and both stores will remain open in trial until Christmas.