A pop-up store is a temporary, fleeting brand experience. Its here-now-gone-tomorrow nature excites the die-hard shopper and triggers a FOMO (Fear of Missing Out!) response that plagues today's hyper-social-networking customer.
Since the pop-up store is available for a limited period, it creates a sense of urgency to explore and purchase, which is the primary reason the pop-up stores are so successful.
How do brands create an immersive experience out of a temporary structure that will be dismantled in a few days and re-assembled elsewhere?
Pop-up stores have a unique adaptive display system that is modular, easy to move, with graphic elements that are easy to change out. Ingenious design and high-quality visuals together create an eye-catching experience for the shopper.
Another reason that pop-up stores leave an indelible impression on shoppers is that they are experimental by definition. Online startups primarily use them to try out the brick-and-mortar model before investing heavily into it. Retailers use them for specific product launches, brand activations, seasonal or end-of-season sales, or when brands want to test out new geographies or new customer segments. Shoppers are hungry for new, unusual, and novel retail experiences. They want a thrill—a theatrical quality—which pop-up stores bring to the retail space.
The pop-up retail industry is worth as high as $50 billion, by some estimates. The COVID-19 pandemic has given a further impetus to the concept. Malls and large retail spaces witnessed a drastic drop in foot traffic during the lockdowns and the social distancing restrictions enforced after that. Rents dropped, and smaller retailers eagerly lapped up the opportunity to set up inexpensive, temporary, pop-up stores. Big-box retailers who experienced lower foot traffic and consequently lower revenues were also eager to hand out space within their premises to complementary brands or smaller retailers in synergistic categories.
Pop-up Stores are a Win-win for Brands and Retailers Alike
A profitable handshake between a large, big-box retailer and a small or synergistic brand—pop-up stores is a trend that’s here to stay for a host of reasons.
Brands get far more than they pay for!
Great location and fabulous 'storefront' without an expensive branded showroom
Opt for a low-risk, low-commitment, low-cost brick-and-mortar investment
Create an in-person connection with customers
Meet customers in their local areas for an in-person experience
Online brands can provide an omnichannel experience
Network with customers and understand their reactions or feedback to products or new features and different types of offers
Creative merchandising and marketing: amenable to offers, demos and trials
Social media marketing opportunities and word-of-mouth publicity as shoppers love the exclusivity and fleeting nature of pop-up stores
What's in it for the retailer?
Increased revenue: Earn bonus rental on unused retail space
Enhanced customer experience: Shoppers love variety - give them engaging, immersive experiences, and they'll keep coming back for more!
Increased foot traffic: Eye-catching displays and attractive offers in pop-up stores attract more customers into the retailer's space
Returning customers: Curiosity about the next pop-up store will make your customers drop back in!
Maintain a sense of novelty and freshness in your retail space
Retailers and Pop-up Stores: Some Winning Combinations
We've helped hundreds of retailers set up engaging and successful pop-up stores to create fabulous in-person experiences for customers. Here are some winning brand-retailer combinations that work like jam on toast!
Mattress manufacturers are a great candidate for a pop-up store within a larger furniture showroom. As a category, most mattress brands generally do not have a dedicated physical retail space, so selling within other stores is always an attractive option for them
Fashion accessories like purses or shoes may do well as pop-up stores within the premises of popular retail giants, for example, Macy's or Hudson's Bay
Lighting or plumbing fixture manufacturers are an excellent fit for pop-ups within big-box retailers
Sports and adventure stores may house pop-up stores for sports accessories.
How Does TLC Help Your Brand Stand Out From the Rest?
Modular display systems from The Look Company are designed for usability and aesthetics. We'll get your pop-up store up in an instant with our easily changeable graphics—dismantle and re-assemble them with no fuss, no mess, and little or no disruption to the retail operations.
Engaging visuals and out-of-the-box creative ideas help your brand stand out in a crowded retail space. TLC creates immersive brand experiences that translate into more sales and higher revenue. Engage your customers and make them loyal fans of your brand!
Take, for example, our 50mm backlit lightbox—one of the thinnest in the market! What this means is more space available for your merchandise. Integrate rich, engaging graphics into your retail design without the bulky extrusions taking up room in your aisles or shelves. Easily integrate lightbox into the modular display system as shelving end caps or on-the-wall features.
Talk to us for stunning pop-up store ideas, graphics displays and high-visibility display systems.