A pop up shop is a temporary physical store set up in a high-traffic location. Unlike traditional stores, pop-up shops exist indefinitely; some of them entice customers with a 24-hour existence while others set up shop for months before moving to another location.
Pop up shops can be used to introduce your brand to a new market or test out a new location. It’s a great way to understand what your customers want through face-to-face field work, minus the usual hassle that comes with traditional retail.
Why Consider Opening a Pop up Shop or Store?
Two words: it works. A Forbes report noted that pop-up stores can result to a significant increase in sales by up to 35%. Because of the additional publicity, pop-up stores lead to an average increase of 30% on social media engagement throughout the store’s existence.
What Kinds Of Businesses Should Do a Pop up Shop?
The short answer: anyone! The long answer: Anyone who has a clear set of goals in mind. It doesn’t matter if you’re a small indie makeup brand or a well-known retailer like Nike – the point is that dozens of merchants are setting up camp and embracing the entire trend, and there’s no reason why you can’t too.
Pop up stores can be driven by a whole variety of reasons but like any other venture, they are most effective when you know exactly why you’re there. These goals should revolve around these three main points:
Creating A Revenue Stream
Pop-up stores are a form of migration. Whether you’re coming from an online platform or another location, pop up stores are a great way to generate a new stream of income. There are many locations where you can set up shop and what you choose will always be a fraction of the cost.
It’s a way to test the waters in a specific location or with a specific demographic. Pop up stores allow you to tap into a market that would otherwise be unknown to you. It’s a great way to understand market demands and the data you gather here can help you formulate better services and products in the future.
Promoting Your Brand
This is especially true for online businesses. The physicality of pop up shops allow your customers to feel your vibe and actually see what you stand for. The online market is saturated with thousands of stores selling everything imaginable, making it difficult for new stores to make waves when they enter the scene.
What better way to rise above the competition than by actually being where your customers are?
There’s something intimate about walking into a shop as opposed to browsing a website. Pop-up shops make you visible and tangible, which in turn makes you discoverable. One of the simplest marketing techniques is to just exist, and pop-up shops help you do that, but without the ludicrous rental obligations.
Engaging and Acquiring Customers
With pop-up shops, you can worry less about acquiring customers and focus on bringing the business to them. Choosing a gallery space or a mall kiosk or a street-side shop gives you maximum visibility, and will open your brand to all sorts of potential customers.
Because of the influx of retailers and providers, it has become increasingly harder to rise above the competition and stand out. But with a physical store, you can communicate with your clients face-to-face, educate them about the brand, and create demand and interest on-the-spot for your products and services.
Things To Consider Before Opening Your Pop Up Store
While temporary in nature, pop-up shops still require the same dedication as traditional storefronts. Having a clear game plan will help you determine your budget for the store, which will inform you how to design and market your new location. Here are a few things you should take in consideration when deciding your budget:
- Location and rent
- Utilities and internet services
- POS
- Furniture and other decor
- Interiors like paint, flooring
- Shelving units, racks
- Display props
- Duration of the pop-up store
- Marketing techniques
- Window Posters
- Signage
- Window Decals
Factors To Consider When Styling Your Pop Up Shop
Pop Up Shop Location
Location. Location. Location. It’s the most important element of pop-up stores. The best part is that you have full control over your location. You don’t have to worry about long-term gains and future obligations; you can focus on setting up camp that will immediately benefit your brand.
Naturally, you should choose a location that goes with the brand identity. Do you want something more laid-back? Maybe a simple mall kiosk will provide the most benefits to your shop. Do you need more room to showcase your style? Getting a storefront might be the best option. If you’re an up-and-coming shop, it’s always a good idea to launch your brand through a weekend bazaar, which already gives you good publicity and leaves your audience coming back for more.
Don’t forget that pop-up stores can exist inside an existing store There are no rules defining where you need to be exactly but just make sure that it’s the right place for you.
This includes scrutinising every last detail, from the neighbourhood to the street location. For example, being a vintage shop and setting up camp in the business district of the city may not do your brand any good. While you have an unlimited range of options, don’t forget to choose wisely.
Pop Up Shop Interiors
What sort of vibe are you going for? Are you going for something chic and classy? Something bohemian and relaxed? Or industrial and modern? Pop-up stores are all about brand education and how your store looks will help cement your brand identity.
How do you do this? Make sure the floorings and the paint you choose amplify what your brand is. Think of it in terms of clothing. Imagine that your brand is a person and the interiors its clothes; what would you like it to wear?
There are different ways to style a pop up shop. You can go for a more modern all-glass design and have a minimalist window decal of your logo on one of the panels. You can use reusable wallpaper to add some personality to your pop-up store.
Decor, Shelving & Furniture
Do you need to install some funky furniture? What sort of shelving is called for? Everything from light fixtures to mirrors to the checkout counter should have your brand’s identity stamped on it. How else are you going to make a lasting impression if you have an incoherent sense of style?
Season
Pop-up shops are about two things: creating a demand or meeting one. Scheduling your pop-up around the holiday season is one of the easiest ways to get customers fast. With everyone looking for gifts for their friends and family, having a store around the corner can definitely provide a steady stream of revenue for you.
The key is to let people know that you’re marketing according to the season. Telling your story as a brand is still important, of course, but if seasons are a big factor to your pop-up shop, ensure that it is clearly reflected in the design.
If you’re setting up camp around the holidays, don’t forget incorporate Christmas colors in your shop. If you’re planning your store around summertime, remember to incorporate summer vibes to draw more attention to your store.
What Makes A Good Pop-Up Store?
In 2014, Coca Cola launched the mini 150 ml Cola with their campaign “It’s the little things in life that make us happy.” True to the tagline, Coca Cola launched mini kiosks to peddle their new product.
The stores were simple: they looked exactly like any kiosk, only much smaller in nature. It was lined with the signature white and red banners of Coca Cola, along with a functioning vending machine that dispensed the mini Colas.
To say the gimmick was a success would be an understatement. With this campaign, Coca Cola reportedly sold 380 cans a day on average, which is 270% more than what their normal vending machines sell.
The takeaway? The devil is really in the details and that brand storytelling should be at the core of any pop-up store. It doesn’t matter what you’re selling – it could be anything from soda cans to crochet pillows to high jewellery. The end game is to get creative and innovative. It’s a unique opportunity to market your brand under a different light and capture people’s attention.
Styling In A Nutshell
Pop-up stores come in all shapes and sizes. You don’t have to do what everyone else is doing, and that’s the beauty of these temporary retail sites. Some people rent existing storefronts while others create their own – the choice is entirely up to you. At the end of the day, it’s not so much how it looks that matters but how well the design works.
