Pop-up shop: 4 cose da sapere prima di aprirne uno

The design and manufacturing of goods has been revolutionized in recent years and distribution has to keep up with it. Those who manage to create a product thanks to crowdfunding, for example, could have problems accessing the large-scale distribution circuit and probably would not benefit from it even if they would eventually have access. This is just one of the many circumstances that make the choice of a pop-up shop useful and advantageous or, as we call it only in Italy for mysterious reasons, a temporary shop. Curiously, the original definition places the accent on the beginning of the experience, while the one that is most popular in Italy puts it on the temporal limit that encloses it. In every way you want to consider it, the hype of pop-up shops has spread from small businesses to big brands, which have recognised their potential. Who should open a pop-up shop and why? What are the most important things to know before opening one? Here is a small guide to navigate yourself in the world of “hit and run” shops.

1. Do you have a prototype to test? The pop-up shop will be your market research

Have you finally managed to put into production the first two hundred units of your new backpack with a revolutionary design, your sports bicycle made of pressed cardboard, your revolutionary edible cutlery? Very well, this means that a few hundred people have been involved enough with your crowdfunding campaign therefore wanting to invest in an original gadget. How to understand if this initial good luck will translate into an interest that justifies mass production? Producing a good in such quantities as to justify large-scale distribution is extremely expensive and, even once you have brought your product on the shelves, it will be necessary to invest substantial sums to promote it, in order to prevent it from being swallowed up in the sea of competition. The solution? A real road test of your product. A pop-up shop has very low costs compared to a traditional shop and, due to the very nature of the format, foresees having to sell – and therefore produce – for a limited time. This will allow you to test the audience’s reaction, but also to build brand identity in a context where there is no risk that competitors with a longer commercial tradition will have the chance to steal your show.

2. Do you want to expand your target into a new geographic area?

There are products whose success, for reasons that are more or less easy to understand, is strongly linked to their geographical location. From the food sector to fashion, what unreservedly conquers a transversal audience in a big city can be a fiasco in a small town and vice versa. Experimenting with a pop-up shop in a certain area, before starting actual distribution, is a great way to see how popular the product can get and why so. In a small and almost familiar context, such as that of a pop-up shop, it is also possible to obtain direct and immediate feedback from customers. In these cases the negative feedback is almost more important than the positive one. From a customer who does not show enthusiasm for the product, it is possible to learn a lot about how to improve your own offer, communication or even the product itself. This is an excellent opportunity to conduct research, offer questionnaires, and acquire mailing list addresses.

3. Your product has a seasonal connotation?

Those who produce swimwear or snow gear, Christmas decorations or costumes for masquerades, inevitably tend to have a turnover that is concentrated in certain times of the year. Unless you have a wide range of alternative products, it may not be worthwhile to invest in a traditional store. A quick research could reveal the advantage of opening a national pop-up shop even for those brands that do not specialize in products related to a particular season. In fact, placing that type of products in an exclusive sales context will allow you to make the most out of the spirit of particular moments of the year such as Christmas, Carnivals, Halloween or the summer season.

4. Are you running an online business and are you thinking of making a qualitative leap?

There are businesses that exist exclusively online and that produce respectable earnings with very low expenses: a bit of storage, a simple production apparatus and a good internet connection are more than enough for a shop on Etsy or Ebay. There is wide evidence, however, that most shopping still happens in person. How to make sure that a successful online business can translate into an equally positive “instore” result? In this case as well, the very nature of the pop-up shop, limited in time as well as in costs, can be also considered as an experiment in this sense. Collecting feedback, working on brand identity, identifying the target in order to understand if the product attracts the same type of customers both online and in-store: these are just some of the advantages of a pop-up shop.

Conclusions

This is not an exhaustive list of the advantages that opening a temporary store can represent for a brand. Even market leaders may need to test a new line (just think of the IKEATemporary example), before deciding to change their brand’s route. In other cases, economic considerations may prevail: a concentrated and quick gain can form the basis to start a real business. Whatever are the reasons that drive entrepreneurs and merchants to consider this idea, it is clear that the popularity of the pop-up format is set to grow.

Are you thinking of opening a Pop-Up Shop? Contact us!

Informazioni sull'autore

Angela

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