Interesting article. This is the primary reason the Microsoft Kin phone failed - lack of retail stores promoting sales to consumers.

Are the Carriers Strangling Windows Phone 7 at Retail?
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2386647,00.asp

Note this quote by a Verizon employee:

"Honestly, only 1 out of 500 customers comes in here asking for a Windows phone," he said. "Verizon won't roll them out to kiosks until it performs better on the market."