96 The high street is going through a restructure, as the previous model of long commercial contracts is no longer fit for purpose. An interesting proposition is to open a pop-up shop for a limited period of time in a popular location, to test the market and drive brand awareness. 1. When did pop-up shops start? Pop Up Shops in concept form have been around for hundreds of years, if you consider Christmas Markets and other festival market days, when local businesses would gather to show their products. In the current form, pop up shops, or ‘guerilla stores’ became common in Los Angeles in the 1990’s. By the early 2000’s brands were using pop ups to create a memorable experience for their customers. A great example is Comme de Garcons, who opened a pop up in Berlin in 2004. 2. How do pop-up shops work? And what do you need to consider before opening one? A pop up shop is a shortterm experience for the customer, and goal-setting is important. They can be great for launching new brands to market, revitalising older ones, showcasing not only products but also business to business, as we see a current top heavy demand for shared retails spaces on our high streets. Before opening your own pop-up shop, you need to study your market, your location, set your goals and be prepared for a lot of promotion. Are you getting attention, selling heavily at a discount, running a glitzy event, or dipping a toe in high street shopping? For instance, I also write books (as D. E. White), so a new book launch is a perfect starting point for a pop up. From your initial idea, you build upwards until you have created your perfect pop-up scenario and also your worst. 3. What are pop-up shops used for? Pop-up shops are ideal for larger brands to create a buzz, and smaller ones to widen their customer base. In a world where we rely heavily on online sales, a place where customers can shop and touch, smell, or indeed taste products, is still a very satisfying experience, and potentially, one we as customers crave more post Covid. 4. Are pop-up shops successful? Not every pop up will meet its intended financial goals. Larger brands will be able 10 questions about pop-up retail Charley Crocker, Founder and Lead Agent of The Pop Up Shop Agents, answers the most common questions about pop-up retail.
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