Application Inspiration: Trending: Pop-up Stores

So I have noticed that pop-up stores are becoming increasingly popular. I think this will be a huge trend in 2014, and I just love it! Customers are demanding more memorable, innovative and quality experiences. Contemporary pop-up stores are the perfect solution, especially for online brands.

What exactly is a pop-up store?

A pop-up store appears for a short period, typically 1 day to 3 months, and then disappears again. Mostly in high foot traffic areas as city centers, busy streets, malls, the airport,… The price is much lower than traditional stores. It is a perfect way to do some market research, get to know your customers and test products, concepts and locations. And of course for selling products, generating awareness and increasing your ‘coolness’ factor. It even can be used for launching limited-edition products and for seasonal business/ during holidays: Valentine & Christmas stores,… It’s ideal for most retail stores.

Pop-up stores are great for building a relationship with existing customers, as well as attracting new customers.

Perfect for online brands

Popping up a store is a great idea for online brands. It allows them to gain consumer interest and get their brand out in the public physical sphere. In that way, companies can tell the story of a brand and make it more tangible to consumers. This is the real challenge for e-commerce retailers. People have now the opportunity to touch and feel the product, and this will lead to more online sales cause they will be more likely to shop online now. These shops provide a way to interact with customers face-to-face and also educate them about new products, services and features. It’s all about brand acquisition.

For example, Google launched a pop-up store in Australia, called Androidland, to introduce and educate customers on the Google Android mobile operating system.

Even ebay opened a social media pop-up store during Christmas. The shop features no products but a range of QR codes and augmented reality features for shoppers to see and buy products using mobile devices.

Social Media Pop-up store ebay

Benefits

It is a valuable tool for experimentation, storytelling, branding, advertising, generating buzz and attracting new customers, but it demands the right strategies of course.
Because pop-up stores are temporary and small, the cost of rent is lower.
Consumers will be curious and satisfied.
It is a perfect marketing tool to draw the attention from crowds cause it is something unique.
A brand can open a pop-up store when traffic and sales are expected to be high, and close again during slower months.