Ever walked past an empty store-front and wondered about its potential? While the Australian retail space is doing okay right now, it’s not exactly thriving. One solution could involve the spread of pop-up shops – a trend that has grown over recent years in the US and UK to allow temporary shops to ‘pop-up’ in empty retail spaces.
While Australian capital cities do have a few pop-ups here and there, the trend is more prominent overseas, where the recession has hit retail harder. Pop-up shops have a number of benefits – for the landlord, the pop-up shop owner and the shopper – and could help to revive Australia’s flagging bricks and mortar retail industry.
How does it work?
Pop-up spaces can be used for almost anything, with some selling fashion and accessories, gadgets, DVDs and music, they can also function as design spaces and art galleries, a place to host classes, or as restaurants and bars. They can pop-up for a day, for a week, or a few months.
They can also have many different functions. A pop-up can be used by a start-up who may not have the money or the custom-base to open a permanent store. The pop-up could then allow them to attract customers, get some money in the till, and attract a following. It could also act as a learning opportunity, showing store owners what they will need to do when they open a permanent store.
Pop-up stores can also be used by online stores, bigger retailers, and corporate brands to expand customer awareness and provide a different kind of experience for their customers. For brands and bigger retailers, a pop-up store can offer a more experiential encounter for customers, while for online stores it can offer a physical presence not available online.
How do they take payments?
Some pop-ups are cash only, but some provide credit card and cashless payment options. Mobile payment processors can be accessed on the pop-up owner’s smartphone, tablet or laptop, allowing customers to pay by credit card or PayPal.
Some allow for credit cards to be swiped through a special device, while some allow credit card details to be inputted. The purchase amount is taken from the customer’s card or PayPal account securely, and a receipt is provided or emailed to the customer.
What can pop-ups offer?
- Landlords: Pop-up shops provide landlords with rent while they are in-between tenants. They also make the space more desirable to potential tenants.
- Start-ups: Pop-up shops provide a space for start-ups to get started, attract clientele and start making money.
- Designers/artists: A pop-up can be the ideal space for designers and artists to showcase their wares without paying out too much in the process.
- Corporate brands: Pop-ups can provide brands with an opportunity to market new items or make sales, and to provide something more experiential for customers.
- Bigger retailers: Small pop-up shops operated by bigger retailers can appeal to different types of customers in more places.
- Online stores: Pop-up shops can bridge the gap between online and offline, giving customers a more hands-on experience than an online store.
- Community: A pop-up shop is generally more attractive than an empty retail space, and if it becomes well-known, it can attract more shoppers to the area.
- Retail in general: Pop-up shops could revitalise shopping within an area, attracting more shoppers, different kinds of shoppers, and bringing more to the retail space than bigger retailers can.
Opening your own pop-up
For those that want to open their own pop-up shop, more facilities are becoming available. In New York, community organisation Made in the Lower East Side (miLES) helps start-ups and other individuals and businesses get into their pop-up.
This includes helping them find pop-up space to rent, and providing a pop-up starter kit. The miLES Storefront Transformer comes in an easily transportable 180cm box, and includes tables, seats, shelving, partitions, a stage, lighting, power strips, speakers, projectors, a PA system and Wi-Fi connectivity.
Pop-ups in Australia can contact Westfield for available space in shopping centres across the country, or use pop-up sites such as Find a Pop-up Lease to search for pop-up space in their area. There are numerous How To sites for setting up a pop-up shop, but it will usually come down to organisation and elbow grease.
Pop-up Shops around the World
In New York alone, there is an estimated 200 pop-up shops in temporary storefronts at any one time. In the UK, the government allocated £100,000 ($170,656) to 12 towns in May 2012, to allow them to invest in schemes such as pop-up shops, to breathe new life into Britain’s struggling high streets.
London Kings Cross
The station is currently undergoing a $938 million renovation, but instead of letting the empty retail space go to waste, pop-up shops have popped up to bring new customers to the developing area, and take advantage of passing commuters.
Samsung
Samsung has opened a pop-up shop at Copenhagen Airport, showcasing the brand’s latest products in what it describes as “a stylish fusion of Asian futurism and Scandinavian design tradition”.
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam will promote the launch of their new album in a pop-up store in New York on October 15, teaming up with Volcom for a one-night event. Merchandise will be available, and Volcom will run a competition to win Pearl Jam tickets.
Toblerone
Toblerone is another big brand that set up a pop-up shop in an airport, this time in Paris Charles de Gaulle. The Toblerone Crunchy Almonds pop-up shop lasted throughout July, offering shoppers a mix of personalised decoration, tastings, digital displays, games and a gift with purchase offer.
Back in Australia, pop-ups are becoming more popular. There is the Bullion Bar Veuve Clicquot champagne pop-up bar in Sydney, the Darley Collective Pop-up Shop in Manly, the Masterchef Pop-up Bar and Restaurant in Melbourne, Little Miss Mexico in Adelaide and pop star Pink’s pop-ups shops in Melbourne and Sydney.
Shoppers looking for a pop-up shop near them can visit Find a Pop-up Shop. It could be the next big thing.
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