They’re typically employed to test the market, offload limited editions or end-of-the-line products and sometimes to drum up interest in a particular brand, product or service. But it seems pop up shops may have a firmer place in the future of retail than initially thought.
The first pop up shops were born from the back of a savvy retail design company noticing that some consumers would queue for hours to get their hands on limited edition merchandise. When the product ran out, the store would close until new/different stock arrived. Pop up retail is about minimising costs and maximising the consumer lust for the product. The end result being low cost temporary retail experiences that work on-brand to add credible, effective marketing and retail results.
Novelty to New Retail Platform
Initially a quirky way to drive marketing, pop up stores have filled a clever niche in the post-recessions retail market. They offer temporary, cheap alternatives for struggling companies, fledgling brands and space rental agents looking to maximise the profits of renting retail space (i.e. it’s better to have a series of short-term, low cost rentals than none at all!)
Pop up spaces have become a serious strategy for established brands too, with the likes of Nike, Topshop and Net-a-Porter opting to promote new lines via pop up spaces.
The low risk of investing in a pop up environment has to be it’s greatest selling point. And in a retail industry where even giants like JJB, M&S and John Lewis aren’t safe from poor retail sales, the transient nature of pop up stores is a real shot in the arm.
