Marking a critically significant move for Microsoft, the sales of the software company's Surface RT tablet have now been expanded to the first retailer - Staples. Till now, the device was available only at the Microsoft Stores and via the Microsoft website.

With Staples - the world's biggest office products company and second-ranking Internet retailer - operating around 1,900 retail stores all across the US and Canada, the expansion of the Surface RT tablet's sales to the retailer will comprehensively broaden the availability of the device, which could thus far be purchased only at 31 Microsoft Stores, and the company's 34 special holiday "pop up" stores.

According to a Business Insider report, citing unidentified sources `in the know' of the proceedings at Microsoft, the company will soon make an announcement about the Surface RT tablet's availability at other retailers also.

The official expansion of the Surface RT tablet's availability to retailers, beginning with Staples on December 12, will apparently prevent unscrupulous retailers to procure the device from Microsoft and attempt to sell it to the consumers at an inflated price.

The price-tag of the Surface RT tablet from Staples will be the same as the cost at which Microsoft sells the device. The retailer will sell the entry-level 32GB version of the tablet for $499; while the 32GB and the 64GB models with Black Touch Cover will be sold for $599 and $699 respectively.