Online-only retail sales have increased at a rapid rate since 2004, but did you know that online sales still account for less than 20% of all retail sales in the UK?
This may come as a surprise to some, as the high-street has continued to lose key brands and stores such as BHS, Mothercare, Mango and ToysRUs, but the fact remains that the majority of spending still takes place on the high-street and across retail parks – and so it’s perhaps no surprise that an increasing number of brands and online-only retailers are getting themselves a temporary high-street presence by opening up a pop-up store. Pop-up stores provide a unique opportunity for brands to engage with customers in person, building brand awareness and loyalty. As the retail landscape evolves, it’s clear that companies embracing this strategy are among the winners in retail 2017, adapting to the changing shopping habits of consumers. By creating immersive shopping experiences, these brands can capture attention and drive sales, proving that innovation is key to thriving in today’s market.
So what is a pop-up store?
A pop-up shop is a temporary retail store, usually found on a city-centre high-street with high footfall. Typically, a pop-up shop will be open for between three days and three months – with the temporary nature of it considered to be a real pull when it comes to attracting shoppers.
Why do online retailers and brands choose to open a pop-up instead of a regular store?
As mentioned above, most purchases are still completed offline and the temporary nature of the store can be a real pull when it comes to getting customers in-store, but they are also appealing to businesses because the rents are usually cheaper than most long-term high-street rents. This is because of the short and fixed term, and also because the locations are often vacant stores that landlords are struggling to fill, and so a good deal can often be negotiated. In fact, according to a blog on thestorefront.com, pop-up retail space is typically 80% cheaper than a traditional retail store.
Businesses can also use a pop-up store to raise awareness of their brand or online retailer, as news of a pop-up store coming to town can often generate lots of press. Typically, these stores are designed to be extremely impactful visually and ‘Instagrammable’ – in the hope that this will further fuel the PR fire. For example, Tupperware’s announcement to open up a pop-up shop in New York generated dozens of press articles everywhere from CBS News to The Drum, while news of adult retailer Lovehoney’s store in London prompted more than 50 articles.
Below, we have listed five examples of brands, online-only retailers and charities that opened a pop-up store in 2019. These initiatives not only allowed brands to engage directly with consumers but also provided valuable insights into future trends in retail 2019. By observing customer interactions and preferences in these temporary spaces, retailers could adapt their strategies for both online and physical stores. This approach underscored the growing importance of experiential shopping in an increasingly digital landscape. These pop-up stores exemplified the three pillars of retail success: customer engagement, brand experience, and data-driven insights. By leveraging these principles, companies strengthened their connections with consumers while fostering brand loyalty. This innovative approach not only enhanced the shopping experience but also informed the future direction of their retail strategies.
5 great pop-up store examples in 2019
Tupperware
As mentioned above, Tupperware decided to open up a pop-up store in New York City for the first time. This was an interesting move, as rarely do customers think to visit Tupperware.com to purchase some new food storage containers. Traditionally, Tupperware is purchased in-store, so no doubt the idea behind this store was to increase both purchases of Tupperware in other retailers, but also to raise awareness of Tupperware’s own ecommerce store – as well as to tell the brand’s story and display a range of products that goes beyond just storage containers.
Image credit: Tupperware
Lovehoney
Rumour has it (or so the press is reporting), Lovehoney is considering making the move from exclusively online-, to opening up a number of high-street stores. By opening up a pop-up store in London in the run up to Christmas, the business can trial this relatively risk-free, and see if there is enough demand to sustain a brick-and-mortar presence.
The theme of the pop-up is ‘12 days of Christmas’ and first opened its doors in the run-up to Black Friday. The timing also coincides with a new partnership with Boots, which will see Boots take Lovehoney’s own-brand products to the high-street via its stores.
Image credit: Marketing Week
The Atrium
The Atrium is the pop-up store for Fashion For Relief, a charity set up by Naomi Campbell in 2005, which aims to unite the fashion industry to support humanitarian causes “dedicated to improving the lives of those living in adversity”.
Naomi opened the store herself, which attracted lots of press and the store will sell a host of designer items, including celebrity donations such as a gown by Dame Twiggy, a hat worn by Boy George, autographed running spikes by Dina Asher-Smith, dresses by Yasmin Le Bon, and more.
Brands that have donated items to be sold include Vivienne Westwood, Gucci, Versace, Alaïa, Fendi, Chanel, Saint Laurent, Dior, Tom Ford, Moncler, Chloé, Victoria Beckham, Christian Louboutin and more – but the London pop-up will also feature works from emerging local designers.
The press around the launch and the awareness raised by the store itself (located in Westfield, London), will no doubt do great things for the cause as well as raise some cold hard cash.
Image credit: Popsugar
Glossier
Online skincare and beauty retailer Glossier also picked London to host its pop-up store, which is open between now and February 9th. As a beauty retailer, creating a space that is Instagrammable and has ‘wow factor’ would have been key to the brief – and Glossier’s space certainly achieves that.
As well as being a hit with customers and Instagram, the store has also been a hit with women’s mags that have been spreading the word about the store – including Vogue, Marie Claire, Grazia and Glamour.
Fentimans
Premium quality drinks brand Fentimans opened a pop-up gingerbread house to celebrate the launch of its new Pink Ginger soft drink.
The candy cabin pop-up is open between November through to January and features edible walls made of sweets and soft furnishings, as well as a bar featuring its range of drinks as well as spirits.
Located at the Tobacco Dock in London, the bar is available to book for groups and offers customers incredible views across London.
Image credit: Fentimans
If you’re a business or charity thinking about opening a pop-up store, then get in touch with our team today. At AlphaGraphics, we have a team of amazing designers and large-format print experts who can help you to design and create printed assets (including floor vinyl and wallpapers) that can make any pop-up retail space, really pop.
