@valcron
I have no idea what Apple is paying their store managers, but as an example:
Say Apple pays 1.5 times the going industry rate for that level of position in a geographic area and has attracted the best talent in a given area.
Microsoft comes in and says we'll pay 2 times the going rate and pay your moving expenses if you need to relocate. Plus we'll offer a bonus for every Apple retail associate you get to switch teams.
There is nothing wrong with offering someone more money to come work for your company and they are targeting the right people to hire as the Apple staff will know their customers (people with software questions, in's and outs of upgrades, etc.) more than anyone they would hire away from the Best Buy or Walmart employee pool.
BUT, I am a little concerned that Microsoft is opening these stores, choosing locations and now this with the job offers as a way to derail the Apple retail business. They may be going down a road where they are willingly going to throw a bunch of money away and run the stores at a big loss if needed to to accomplish it. So I would be concerned for the future if I was an Apple employee, and wonder if this is meant to be a permanent thing or just Microsoft trying to strip the ranks of Apples retail business then dump them down the road.