Pop-up retail
Encyclopedia
Pop-up retail, also known as pop-up store (pop-up shop in the UK) or flash retailing, is a trend of opening short-term sales spaces in Canada, the United States
and the United Kingdom
.
one day and host a private cocktail party
the next evening. The trend involves “popping-up” one day, then disappearing anywhere from one day to several weeks later. These shops, while small and temporary, can build up interest by consumer exposure. Pop-up retail allows a company to create a unique environment that engages their customers, as well as generates a feeling of relevance and interactivity. They are often used by marketers for seasonal items such as Halloween costume
s and decorations, Christmas gifts and Christmas tree
s, or fireworks.
The term is often applied to shops offering items of apparel, where the shop is intended less to transact profitable sales than to promote demand for the goods and thereby produce profitable business at other locations, or in modes other than walk-in stores.
. They are very common in the United States and to some extent Canada, where the holiday and celebration preceding it are second only to Christmas
in popularity and consumer spending. Hundreds of stores are open during the season each year.
The stores are unique in that they serve a seasonal niche market, and nearly all of them are only open during September and October. They typically have a lease of around three months, hiring managers in July and doing store setup in late August, with a teardown
(often after a very short closeout sale) in early November. The stores typically open around Labor Day in the U.S. (also Labour Day in Canada), but this varies by a week or two in either direction. Not all of the stores from the same retailer will open at the same time due to logistics
.
The stores typically occupy a large anchor store
in a strip mall
, and change locations each year, based on whatever stores are vacant and available each autumn. While many operate as a retail chain, some stores may be run by franchisees, selling merchandise on consignment
. Some have a combination of both types of stores.
Stores are typically located in middle-class areas, where residents and shoppers have higher disposable income
s to spend on Halloween parties and costumes. The annual temporary specialty stores succeed because they offer a much wider and more unique variety of items than what is seen at other retailers such as discount store
s or department store
s, and because they tend to offer items which are of higher quality and detail (and profit), compared to the inexpensive (or often downright cheap) costumes at drugstore
s and supermarket
s. The stores typically sell large and unusual items like animatronic witches and other ghoulish characters, and various other stage props; as well as a range of makeup, wig
s, fog machine
s, strobe light
s, blacklights, and other items sold at regular stores.
Because the stores are only temporary, they often use employees as sign wavers on a nearby street corner to attract the attention of passing motorists. In place of store signs, they display large banners, which can be stored and reused the following year. Telephone number
s are typically disconnected and not reused, and online mapping services often show locations left over from the previous year. Because of this, the only reliable source of store addresses and contact information is each company's website, although these are usually only posted after each store opens, possibly to avoid tipping-off competitors.
http://www.specialtyretail.com/2011/winter/running_a_cart_kiosk/pop_up_power
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
History
A pop-up retail space is a venue that is temporary — the space could be a sample saleSample sale
Sample sales are used by retail businesses in order to discard excess merchandise. Sometimes these samples have been used by agencies to sell products that they will distribute to local vendors. Sample sales are often associated with the fashion industry. These sales are an opportunity to get near...
one day and host a private cocktail party
Cocktail party
A cocktail party is a party where cocktails are served. Women may choose to wear what has become known as a cocktail dress.Although many believe the inventor of the cocktail party to be Alec Waugh of London, who in 1924 found a need for this pleasant interlude before a dinner party, an article in...
the next evening. The trend involves “popping-up” one day, then disappearing anywhere from one day to several weeks later. These shops, while small and temporary, can build up interest by consumer exposure. Pop-up retail allows a company to create a unique environment that engages their customers, as well as generates a feeling of relevance and interactivity. They are often used by marketers for seasonal items such as Halloween costume
Halloween costume
Halloween costumes are costumes worn on or around Halloween, a festival which falls on October 31. The Halloween costume has a fairly short history. Wearing costumes has long been associated with other holidays around the time of Halloween, even Christmas...
s and decorations, Christmas gifts and Christmas tree
Christmas tree
The Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century...
s, or fireworks.
The term is often applied to shops offering items of apparel, where the shop is intended less to transact profitable sales than to promote demand for the goods and thereby produce profitable business at other locations, or in modes other than walk-in stores.
Halloween stores
A Halloween store is a pop-up store or superstore that sells costumes and decorations for HalloweenHalloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
. They are very common in the United States and to some extent Canada, where the holiday and celebration preceding it are second only to Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
in popularity and consumer spending. Hundreds of stores are open during the season each year.
The stores are unique in that they serve a seasonal niche market, and nearly all of them are only open during September and October. They typically have a lease of around three months, hiring managers in July and doing store setup in late August, with a teardown
Teardown
A teardown refers to a process in which a real estate company or individual buys an existing home and then demolishes and replaces it with a new one. Frequently, the new building is larger than the previous one, in an attempt to increase the appeal of the property to prospective buyers or take...
(often after a very short closeout sale) in early November. The stores typically open around Labor Day in the U.S. (also Labour Day in Canada), but this varies by a week or two in either direction. Not all of the stores from the same retailer will open at the same time due to logistics
Logistics
Logistics is the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the requirements of customers or corporations. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and...
.
The stores typically occupy a large anchor store
Anchor store
In retail, an anchor store, draw tenant, anchor tenant, or key tenant is one of the larger stores in a shopping mall, usually a department store or a major retail chain....
in a strip mall
Strip mall
A strip mall is an open-area shopping center where the stores are arranged in a row, with a sidewalk in front. Strip malls are typically developed as a unit and have large parking lots in front...
, and change locations each year, based on whatever stores are vacant and available each autumn. While many operate as a retail chain, some stores may be run by franchisees, selling merchandise on consignment
Consignment
Consignment the act of consigning, which is placing any material in the hand of another, but retaining ownership until the goods are sold or person is transferred. This may be done for shipping, transfer of prisoners, to auction, or for sale in a store Consignment the act of consigning, which is...
. Some have a combination of both types of stores.
Stores are typically located in middle-class areas, where residents and shoppers have higher disposable income
Disposable income
Disposable income is total personal income minus personal current taxes. In national accounts definitions, personal income, minus personal current taxes equals disposable personal income...
s to spend on Halloween parties and costumes. The annual temporary specialty stores succeed because they offer a much wider and more unique variety of items than what is seen at other retailers such as discount store
Discount store
A discount store is a type of department store, which sells products at prices lower than those asked by traditional retail outlets. Most discount department stores offer a wide assortment of goods; others specialize in such merchandise as jewelry, electronic equipment, or electrical appliances...
s or department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
s, and because they tend to offer items which are of higher quality and detail (and profit), compared to the inexpensive (or often downright cheap) costumes at drugstore
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
s and supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
s. The stores typically sell large and unusual items like animatronic witches and other ghoulish characters, and various other stage props; as well as a range of makeup, wig
Wig
A wig is a head of hair made from horsehair, human hair, wool, feathers, yak hair, buffalo hair, or synthetic materials which is worn on the head for fashion or various other aesthetic and stylistic reasons, including cultural and religious observance. The word wig is short for periwig and first...
s, fog machine
Fog machine
A fog machine or smoke machine is a device which emits a dense vapour that appears similar to fog or smoke. This artificial fog is most commonly used in professional entertainment applications, but smaller, more affordable fog machines are becoming common for personal use. Fog machines can also be...
s, strobe light
Strobe light
A strobe light or stroboscopic lamp, commonly called a strobe, is a device used to produce regular flashes of light. It is one of a number of devices that can be used as a stroboscope...
s, blacklights, and other items sold at regular stores.
Because the stores are only temporary, they often use employees as sign wavers on a nearby street corner to attract the attention of passing motorists. In place of store signs, they display large banners, which can be stored and reused the following year. Telephone number
Telephone number
A telephone number or phone number is a sequence of digits used to call from one telephone line to another in a public switched telephone network. When telephone numbers were invented, they were short — as few as one, two or three digits — and were given orally to a switchboard operator...
s are typically disconnected and not reused, and online mapping services often show locations left over from the previous year. Because of this, the only reliable source of store addresses and contact information is each company's website, although these are usually only posted after each store opens, possibly to avoid tipping-off competitors.
External links
http://www.popupinsider.com/http://www.specialtyretail.com/2011/winter/running_a_cart_kiosk/pop_up_power