Pop up Shops and the rise of ephemeral stores

In the last few years, we have seen them in many places, and the truth is that we love them. We are talking about the Pop up shops, a new product marketing model that brands of all kinds are betting on in many parts of the world.

But do we know what they really are? Where did they first appear? What are the keys to the success of a Pop up shop? In today’s article, we will give answers to these questions. But we will also see some examples of Pop Up that surely leave you open-mouthed.

1. What are actually these pop up shops referring to?

This concept refers to ephemeral spaces or stores, in which during a certain period, a brand sells its products or develops a certain activity. Precisely, time is a fundamental factor in the success of this commercial strategy and has all its logic. Surely on some occasions, you have found yourself in this situation, a cafeteria is about to close, and you ask for another drink or soda. Well, the same thing happens with the stores or shops, the one that has an expiration date or we can only access them for a specific period, as with the Pop up shop, encourages us to buy.

2. Where did the Pop up Shops originally start?

The Pop up Shop is not a novelty. On the one hand, the term arose for the first time in 2004 from the hand of Trend watching, a platform specialized in hunting and publicizing new trends. On the other hand, in Japan and once a year, commercial space was opened to the public in which almost everything was running out. An American communication agency noticed this and decided to extrapolate this business model to the western world with some changes, and taking care of the details. Cities like New York and London were the first to adopt the Pop up shop’s idea, a perfect format for new designers and chefs to be known in an attractive and economical way. Almost a decade has passed. Since then, the Pop up shops have not stopped being implemented in other countries, including Spain.

3. What are the keys to the success of the Pop up Shops?

These fleeting shops do not succeed by themselves. Brands that decide to opt for this commercial strategy should take great care of a series of factors that will be the key to final success. One of these factors is the space in which the Pop up shop will be developed. Regardless of the style of the place (minimalist, modern, classic, or eclectic.) this should take maximum care of the look & feel, offer a unique experience, and according to the type of products to be marketed. Old mansions, emblematic places of the big cities, museums, or authorized industrial premises are perfect places to organize spaces in which different brands promote their products or services through Pop up Shops.

In addition to space, having good communication and public relations strategy is essential to attract the right audience to the Pop up shop. Precisely the time limitation makes it necessary to initiate the communication machinery from the first minute. This machinery must have influencers or channels such as social networks to achieve greater impact. However, before launching the communication strategy, it is important to carry out an analysis and market research to define which channels are to be used or are more appropriate.

But this is not enough. The success or failure of a Pop up Shop also goes hand in hand with the ability we have to offer unique experiences, exclusive products, and personalized service for each of the people who approach the sales space. When offering unique experiences, one cannot forget that there’s strength in numbers. It is very normal that when organizing a Pop up Shop space shared with other brands or businesses with which you can organize co-branding actions that allow people to enjoy unforgettable experiences.