Pop-Up Shops! Why? What?

Embattled high streets keen to attract shoppers back into town centres along with shopping opportunities at countless festivals and events are proving a mecca for pop-up shops. Frequently mooted as the potential saviours of high street retailing, bringing new names and ideas, pop-up shops are undoubtedly one of the best ways a brand can gain instant visibility in crowed marketplaces.

So what exactly are pop-up shops? These are short term shops, which exist just for a specific period which might be a few days, a few weeks or a few months. Often found at Christmas markets, in vacant retail units on high streets and shopping centres, or as tents at special events, pop-up shops are the perfect way for product experimentation, product launches, boost brand visibility and gain some valuable sales. It can also be a great way to revive brand names. In Nottingham, a shop described as the ‘world’s oldest department store’ before its closure in 2019, is being revived as smaller pop up stores branded as Seasons by Bennetts.

Anyone can open and create a pop-up store, from a small independent greeting card supplier to a luxury fashion giant. Adidas ran a two day pop- up store in Barcelona which included an EQT gaming room, offering the opportunity to discover the latest designs and innovations from Adidas as well as trying out various games machines.

As Gabriella Peace, Communications Manager of UK Greetings, a greetings card publisher providing strategic display planning facilities points out, “Pop-up shops and displays aren’t just about selling products; it’s about creating an experience that reflects your brand and its values. Pop-up shops should always be tailored, allowing customers to recognise value not only in your products or services, but also in your presence in the world.”

Along with careful attention to concept, design and layout, companies planning pop-up shops need also to consider staffing requirements. It is not just a matter of having a few people at hand to serve customers. If you are to take full advantage of the brand opportunities presented by a pop-up shop, then other potential staffing needs should be considered. Will you need extra security? Do you want to try to capture names & addresses for your database and online marketing? What about setting up and taking down the shop? Who will undertake those tasks? Is your product or service self-explanatory or would it be better presented by demonstrators?

Bear in mind that selling food & drink is often more successful if people can sample it beforehand. After all, you are asking them to part with hard earned cash and they might well be hesitant about buying something they won’t like once they start eating or drinking it at home. Sampling is definitely the best way to encourage purchases – but you need someone around to organise the sampling, ensure that it is undertaken safely and professionally.

Hiring Staff to set up, manage and sell at your temporary shop!

Talking through staffing requirements with Envisage ensures that no potential opportunity to liaise and benefit from this sales opportunity is missed.