MacRumors.com

The Loop reports that Microsoft, which is preparing to open the first of its retail stores, has been contacting Apple retail store managers and attempting to lure them away with increased salaries to run its own stores.

People that have spoken to The Loop on condition of anonymity confirm that Microsoft has contacted a number of Apple's retail store managers to work in their stores. In addition to "significant raises," the managers have also been offered moving expenses in some cases.

Apple managers who have accepted Microsoft's offers have reportedly then been tasked with attempting to hire Apple retail store staff, similarly dangling increased compensation as an incentive for employees to make the switch.

Microsoft's retail store initiative has been designed to directly compete with Apple retail stores, with the company looking to open its new stores in close proximity to Apple's existing stores. Microsoft has also hired former Apple real estate executive George Blankenship as a consultant to assist with its retail store initiative.

The company's retail stores are not the only arena where the Microsoft has attempted to gain a running start by tapping into the Apple ecosystem. Microsoft has also been reported to have offered significant sums of money to certain iPhone developers in order to entice them to port their applications to the new Zune HD platform.