The concept of pop-up shops or temporary retail started way back in the 1990s in four major metropolitan cities of the world – London, New York, Los Angeles and Tokyo. These retail spaces, that were set up for not more than 3 months, were aimed at selling merchandise of all kinds.

That’s right!

From tech gadgets and fashion accessories to food and art – just about every consumer product was sold via these unique, short-term stores. Even today, the pop-up retail format is quite popular, selling a variety of commodities – despite the digitization of most businesses.

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This is due to a number of reasons:

• The products sold here are pocket-friendly. A pop-up store product is 80% cheaper than when sold at a traditional retail shop.
• The temporary store is an excellent marketing strategy for generating brand awareness, launching new products and increasing the brand’s “cool” quotient.
• The pop-up retail format allows the brand to connect with its customers and build friendly relations.

However, creating an awesome pop-up shop experience is a challenge! And, its success relies heavily on the area where it is set up.

A retail space should be selected on the basis of what the brand deems as most important. Here are a few things you must consider:

1. Potential Location

In the last two decades, the pop-up scene has seen big-brands, small businesses and even independent artists set up their stores. But, how do they pick a location? Firstly, they select those areas that receive high-volume foot-traffic.

Secondly, they skim through the neighbouring shops to gauge the competition they might get. In an ideal situation, other retail shops must align themselves with similar values and aesthetic as the brand – but at the same time, be different enough not to attract competition.

Lastly, they also conduct a recce of the areas in the vicinity to learn about the upcoming events that can benefit them once their shop is up and running.

2. Cleanliness Of The Area

No one likes to shop from a place that is unclean. While retail space owners ensure that the interiors of the shop be spic ‘n’ span upon the arrival of the customers, they often forget about the exteriors.

No, no one expects them to clean every spot of the sidewalk every day – but it is expected of them to make sure that it does get cleaned before the customers start pouring in. Whether the task involves binning the trash bag or wiping every smudge off of the windows of the place – pop-up shop owners must assume responsibility of maintaining cleanliness.

3. Entrance Sign

Whether the pop-up shop is located in an ordinary building with a small entrance sign or in a grand building with a bold signage – both have their pros and cons. Customers may associate the pop-up shop to the brand more organically if the signage of the building is not visible.

However, when the pop-up shop is situated in an established building, the brand may go unnoticed by the customers because of the grandness of the edifice or its large signage. The brand has to ensure that the intent of opening a pop-up shop is not diminished because of this.

4. Parking Facility

A shopping mall with a huge parking space will invariably attract more customers than a complex where there’s a parking crunch. If a parking area is near the pop-up shop, then that’s good. But if it is not, then creating accessibility is in the hands of the pop-up retail owner.

One way of doing so is by curating the shop somewhere near to the public transit routes such bus stations, cab stands or metro stations. With a proper strategy in place, the pop-up retailer can even advertise the route to reach the store to attract potential buyers.

5. Storage Space and Display

Since pop-up shops are small, it is a challenge to not only store inventory conveniently but also beautify the existing vacant space. Therefore, the store must either have a back room or a make-shift partition (with curtains), so that the short-term shop looks professional and uncluttered.

Moreover, it is necessary to manipulate lighting in a pop-up space to display merchandise stylishly. If the brand is more attune with a modern customer base, then bright lighting would work well. Similarly, it is wise to opt for softer lights for a brand that reflects a classic aesthetic.

6. Convenient Payment Channels

Shopping at a pop-up store is fun and thrifty. And so is making the purchase – provided the brands keep the transaction process simple and convenient. Today, almost all retail spaces have the option of paying by cash and/or debit or credit card.

Onesto Payments, for instance, offers solving payments and POS challenges for small businesses. This solution is apt for such retail formats as the customers are free from the risk of being cheated by technology providers.

A pop-up shop should ultimately unify with the brand’s personality – which is why it is impossible to take chances with the location or retail space. The shop must be functional to succeed from every aspect.

Looking to curate a pop-up shop and want the right payments solution for it? Call us @ 201-546-5555 or visit us at OnestoPayments.com for a free POS consultation right now!