As most of us must already know, pop-up shops are physical or digital stores that can be set up anywhere, according to the needs of the industry, in order to reach a numerous audience and sell more products. This type of stores has been broadly implemented with the aim of improving the experience brands have to offer, but the strategy behind them has evolved with the years.
Nowadays, pop-up stores have become an important marketing tool for presenting new products and being more in contact with customers. Undoubtedly, this inviting format is reinventing physical spaces in order to give people a different and fresh experience, as this is what most customers look for when they think of a brand or a product they need —and retailers are becoming more and more aware of this fact. It is fundamental to understand that not only did our communication channels change, but also the customers’ needs and demands.
Together with the growth of online stores, customers have come to need an innovative product experience instead of the mere act of buying a product at a physical store. Thus, as a key to keep their place on the market, brands and companies should focus on the emotions. With this in mind, pop-up stores are the perfect fit: they can be found at the beach, a park, a shopping mall or even a truck or a train! Their versatility and adaptability make them a perfect marketing strategy that can convert a diverse number of customers into a brand.
As Ana Iglesias, Operations Director of Equipo Kapta mentioned, at the moment of implementing these stores, one needs to create an eye-catching design. We are living the technology era, when people enjoy sharing special and interesting moments on their social media, creating Instagram posts or stories to show what an amazing time they are having. Likewise, technology is a powerful tool on itself, giving retailers the chance to introduce a whole range of devices in order to generate an experience that includes all of the senses: from chatbots and touchscreens to augmented reality and sound systems. This way, they can make their customers feel comfortable and special. And there are even more options, we only need to leave behind the conventional way of thinking and be innovative. A good example is Birchbox, the brand that inaugurated a pop-up in London where clients could acquire boxes with beauty products samples and be part of different events and activities.
Another important aspect that retailers should keep in mind when working with pop-up stores is the new variety of communication channels that customers can access. Trying to improve engagement is crucial and, in consequence, it is important to use these channels according to the audience one wants to attract. For instance, working with a copywriter, designing a commercial strategy, trying to create a strong visual impact and providing exclusive products and services may lead your audience to be more receptive of your brand and being willing to receive a newsletter or promotion emails.
According to Garrick Brown, vice president, retail intelligence at Cushman & Wakefield, the cities with a greater demand of pop-up stores are London, New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo and San Francisco, but they have also spread beyond the big cities. They are a reason to keep positive towards the future of real estate, as they give place to a wide range of many different types of products and services and more tenants are implementing this way of getting to their audience.
To sum up, pop-ups are a good marketing strategy to present new products or services in an inviting environment created especially for customers and with the aim of making them feel unique and important for the brand. In order for a pop-up store to succeed, it should combine an interesting design and an unforgettable experience. This way, customers feel the desire of sharing it on their social media and talk about it with their contacts, apart from converting to the brand and knowing that it will always have something special to offer them.
