Microsoft knows that getting its product into the hands of the consumer is the only way to sustain the Windows Phone platform. It also knows that retail workers stand in the way of getting those device into the consumers hands, so what is Microsoft to do? According to Paul Thurrott, Microsoft will begin paying incentives to retail workers for selling Windows Phone devices.

Paul states that Microsoft will pay between $10-$15 per handset sold to retail workers who sell a Windows Phone device; Microsoft is making an attractive offer to sales associates to push its products.

The idea of paying retail workers to push your products does remove the line of objectivity but for Microsoft, they know that they must overcome the sales associates own preferences for them to be able to market their products on an even playing field.

Think of it this way, if a sales associate is an Android user, typically they will push you towards an Android product as that is their preference. The same can be said with iOS, Blackberry and the like. But, Microsoft is late to the game and it needs that inroad into the sales associate hearts, or wallet in this case.