What is a pop-up shop?

Whether you hear temporary retail, flash retailing, or pop-up shop: it is a short-term venture that makes temporary use of a physical space in order to create a long term, lasting impression with potential customers. It is venture that is taking over the retail world and remodelling ways of shopping: from shopping in fashion to shopping in tech and shopping for food. They come in all shapes and sizes, in all number of places, are just about as creative as a business can get right now.

The Beatles Double-Decker Pop Up Shop

Where are they found?

They are typically located in busy shopping areas such as: city centres, high streets and shopping centres (malls). There are located as such in order to take full advantage of the high foot traffic in these areas and cut out the middle-man by the handing of the business’s information out personally. This is a strategy that is most effective for businesses that are heavily involved with the local area and are oriented around it.

How long do they ‘pop-up’ for?

Usually the term allocated to a pop-up venture lasts anywhere between one day and three months. Short ventures, such as a one day pop-up shop, may only be done to promote and market a business, and to drive potential customers to its products. To spot a venture like this, look out for signs such as the business owner, or those that they have employed to do so, trying to engage with as many people as possible through approaching them. Visual stimuli may also be used to catch the eye of those of the general public who are determined not to speak to anybody who approaches them. Custom banner printing can be sought for any budding business owners who wish to utilise the pop-up shop technique, but either aren't confident enough to approach people or just don’t have the patience for being constantly ignored, so just want to use banners instead. The important thing is that your banner is placed so it attracts attention, the best place for it would be on the side of your pop-up shop or on the countertop of your store in a nice acrylic sign holder.

What are their benefits to businesses?

As previously mentioned: businesses use the pop-up system to promote and market themselves. They allow them to connect with a wide range of customers that they have never had the chance to connect with before. For those with a longer pitch term, especially, it offers those working for the business to personally get to know customers and build strong relationships with them, thus making the customers more likely to give them their custom. It also gives businesses the chance to test new ventures and markets in a real shopping environment without having to pay the hefty prices of launching a traditional retail store.

Are they better than online ventures?

Granted, the modern world is dominated by modern technology. Shopping from smartphones and tablets, otherwise known as mobile commerce, will hit $114 billion in 2017. However, with other businesses focusing so heavily on their online marketing, it may be prudent for business owners to try the pop-up angle of the retail channel in order to show consumers that the business is different and willing to go the extra mile, rather than sit in front of a screen all day.