What is Your Pop-Up Store

January 19, 2010 · Comments

I was reading this post about a pop-up Gap store focused on fitness, being that all these New Years resolution types need some clothes before they hit the gym. The idea of pop-up stores is really gaining traction: rent space in some unoccupied retail slot for a few months for a targeted use and then get out of town. It used to just be Halloween costume stores, but now the idea’s really spreading.

I started wondering about pop-up stores and how what you do might relate.

No, not microsites. For me, microsites are usually just cruddy advertising. More likely, the web equivalent is like a single-use site, like Posterous, for instance. But that’s not really where I’m going. Instead, it’s more like this:

What is the one-faceted service or product you can micro-define around for a short burst of value?

It’s an interesting question to consider. In thinking of a pop-up for New Marketing Labs, I guess the “pop-up” would be an all-in-one presence management solution. That’s probably the bare bones just-in-time idea that I could see breaking out as its own store.

What about you?

What’s your pop-up store?

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  • marzian
    How about a pop-up restaurant in weird places? Find enough interested guests who would like to have dinner on a special location (say...the golden gate bridge) and organise a pop-up restaurant there. Party catering can set up almost anywhere, so why not anything wacky?
  • Interesting discussion. Anyone interested in testing any of these ideas with a real pop-up store in a real location? Cambridge, MA. Inman Square? Former home to the adorable and loved Lorem Ipsum Books? We've just moved to a larger space. This is a decent sized corner store (with great wrap around window + display area). If so, let's talk. We can be creative together-- rent by the weekend, week, month... It's situated between MIT and Harvard and could be available immediately.
  • mjbogart
    Have you ever taken a look at Shopster (www.shopster.com). Basically a service that allows you to put up a storefront in minutes and sell your service/product immediately. Also has a social element whereby you can share thoughts/ product info etc. with the community.

    Just thought I would throw that out there for those interested in the idea.
  • gailreid
    The Brick and Mortar Pop-up concept has been around for quite a while. When I read your post my thoughts immediately harkened back to a rare trip to the mall I made in the early 90s (I'm not much for consumer shopping). I was taking my young children to a movie theatre in our flagship mall in Atlanta and had read the time incorrectly so I had an unusual experience of having time to kill in the mall. I happened past a small showroom right by the theatre that was set up with unique office furniture - it was modern and modular and caught my eye. Even though I wasn't consciously considering purchasing new furniture, I had just moved my office back home. I was instantly struck by how perfect this stuff would be in my home office, and later came back and placed a large order. I had stumbled on an early marketing outreach by California Closets, long before closet and office organizing became the huge market it is today.

    Eighteen years later, I still have the furniture and I am a big fan of the product.(which by the way comes with a lifetime guarantee). Giving some thought as to how you can replicate this exposure with an online experience could yield a great way to introduce or promote your unique business concept.
  • Love the post Chris. Pop-Up stores have been on the rise over the last few years, especially outside of North America. My personal business is within shared direct mail, coupon mailers and local online coupons. My personal Pop-Up "store" would be my time sensitive niche (subject and location) coupon books.

    Thanks for the great post Chris!
    Cheers!
  • An example that immediately came to mind are my friends who are starting a gaming store in Brooklyn and holding events at unconventional locations like coworking spaces until they can get a lease on a permanent retail spot. More at: http://hiasong.tumblr.com/post/344441746/make-t...
  • Here in China you can ‘rent a shelf’ in an up-market shop (think Chinese Marks & Spencers).

    You can also rent a single space on the wall (1ft x 1ft) and put your goods there.

    v popular with young designers who have a small number of high-end items & don’t want the hassle of running a shop.
  • I am thinking of Online Training Programs. For example member based programs that open for a week and close doors after the initial enrollment period.
  • I have thought about this too, surfing trends and practising responsive business. The like street vendors moving towards the people or people who sell unbrellas when it rains moving towards the points of need as when the needed.

    Somehow business that can be more repsonsive pop up and serve people is kind of needed. I was at @Julians blog and he mentioned we bloggers are moving closer to big business and that is the nature of the blogger able to popup and integrate even with the mainstream. We are able to intetegrate easily. We can pop and offer people things they need as and when they pop up (are needed).
  • I would (and may) build pop-up stores focused on new cell phone and PDA releases. We would help you optimize your shiny new gadget in an hour seminar with a Q&A. This would get you all set up and save you hours on the Internet forums or, even worse, on the phone with customer service. Think about it - you could trick out your new blackberry in an hour!
  • afarkas
    Hi Chris,

    We provide translation services in over 100 languages. We've been toying around with the idea of offering a web localization maintenance program (translation, engineering, updating of code, updating of translation memories, etc.), but I guess that would be the opposite of a "then get out of town" model.... though I suppose we could do a holiday translation offer of "send us your holiday ecards and we'll localize them"... any other ideas would be welcome.
  • I think a lot of small business people are looking into bringing their business "back to center", instead of something like starting popup stores/services. I definitely agree to stay up with the times, but being careful not to end up spreading ourselves to thin.

    This would be a great idea for larger businesses who want to grow the skills of their talented employees though. I am hoping to see more specialization and partnerships this year.
  • Chris, very interesting post, there are many angles to your question, I think you've hit on a very cool potential concept!
    POP Up stores are so on-trend now (literally, physically) but I think you were asking more figuratively...your thoughts also tie into personal branding...what are you, what do you do, what's the best thing about you, what is the nugget of you (brand, product whatever) that you can boil down to/for an instant and complete value experience...

    Coincidentally, in today's Promo Mag newsletter there was an article that caught my eye by Patricia Odell
    7 Ways to Improve the Pop-Up Experience
    http://promomagazine.com/eventmarketing/news/im...

    Her 5th point:
    "KEEP 'EM BUSY Think about the potential "dead time" the consumer might experience during their time in the space. Be thoughtful of every minute they’re in your space. This is your opportunity to totally control the sensory and contextual experience of your brand. Control all facets of both aesthetics and logistics.", is about what you're asking (I think)---what is the all-in-one thing you can provide that is all-encompassing for that moment in time?

    what is it that you can create, give, in a certain amount of limited space/time/opportunity that would offer your audience a complete experience/result/answer...

    anyway, thanks for so often sharing your insight and ideas!
    Tamora
  • Tamora-
    I love that point, and heard it echoed by a Disney concierge friend of mine. He was describing how in Disney Parks, the thought process is around managing the customer experience, but there are still many variables in play. But on Disney CRUISE ships, the process is winnowed down and managed in a more seamless way that impressed him with every detail. The environment was more manageable.
  • It's January; we need a pop-up for organizational stuff! I was just reading Real Simple about these super-organized moms and I woke up with hives. Between work and everything else, my life is getting messy and I need a quick fix to get back on track. Maybe they would even have live people that you could hire by the hour to come and organize with you. Bliss.
  • Is this like the "3 Min Elevator Pitch" Basically encompassing everything you and your biz is about into simple fast burp.
  • In regards to an agency business as an online pop up, do you think there is a risk of diluting a brand/offering and lowering yourself to nothing more than a commodity. In other words, risking having to compete with the $99 logos/$199 websites. Basically, having to compete in the "cruddy advertising" ring?
  • During a recent stewardship campaign of which I was a part, all the volunteers were asked to take an brief personality quiz (ie. Myers Briggs et al) in order to best allocate the gifts of the group. Of the 100+ participants, I was the only one whose result was Assessor. That would be my 'pop up' trait.

    When I meet w/a client, I am able to ascertain (within a brief amount of time) their strengths, weaknesses and a able to recommend a course of action based on that data.

    It's a sprinting sort of skill. Thankfully, I also possess the delegate gene, and am able to recognize when I need to hand the baton to the detail-driven Maintainers. ...but that's another storefront entirely. ;)

    Thanks again for a great post! Best, M.
  • johnknowles
    Roger Smith Pop! The one stop social media popup shop. Roger Smith Pop provides not only the location in Midtown Manhattan with great street level exposure, but has the built in Social Media presence that puts your brand in the location where trends are happening online.

    http://panmanproductions.com/roger-smith-pop/

    Every experience at the Roger Smith Pop up Shop is unique! We believe in dreams and the ability to make them a reality.

    The headline reads "New Marketing Labs Pops up at the Roger Smith Hotel". Please pose the questions. Thanks Chris for the inquiry on Pop up shops. The post seems very synchronistic to me. Does this stimulate your interest?

    John Knowles
  • Archan Mehta
    Hey Chris:

    Just to say "thank you" for the regular updates. It is a pleasure to read your blog. Your writing is crisp and easy to read and contains valuable insights.

    And congratulations for the new speaking opportunities at the bureau. Being in the same league as Alan Alda, Paula Abdul and other luminaries in quite an achievement. Please keep up the good work you are doing. Cheers!
  • great article
  • To me the pop-up-store is a great idea. The main focus would be "deep" information about what being sold, a social community surrounding it, and constantly updated new information about what's being sold. If you compare this approach to the "horizontal" approach used in catalogs, it's likely people will spend more time on a pop-up store. The only challenge I can see is how do you keep people that have come to the store and educated themselves from going elsewhere just to find the cheapest price.
  • We own our own CMS. So our angle would be to use our CMS to create your own fluid experience. When you need a job, turn it a job hunting communication portal, when you are getting married, it is all about your wedding, etc. etc.

    Our pages can easily be activated or inactivated and the menu buttons changed by dragging and dropping so it is your experience to change. You are in control.

    Our web tools allow for your own popup experience!
  • I have a pop up store for a seasonal item. I own a store (it is an Amazon Affiliate) that sells Tacky Christmas Sweaters (http://www.tackychristmassweaterstore.com). I give attention right after Halloween using ads and blog posts and then after Christmas I get out of town. I think this is what you had in mind
  • gregdelima
    Chris,
    When you consider a pop-up store for New-Marketing labs, are you considering a brick and mortar pop-up, or an online consulting pop-up?
    Would you be considering in another location?
    I guess I just don't understand where you're going with taking NML into a pop-up store.
    Wouldn't as a marketer you need a more consistent presence especially with a physical location for more long-term consulting, especially depending on the client?
  • Either/or. I'm letting you discuss it loosely for YOUR concept.

    The question is this: is there some way to distill what you're doing or some facet of it, into a single-serving offering?
  • Good post, Chris. I've had "same day press releases" as a pop-up store idea for a couple years now. Tried it once about a year ago but I had a less-than-successful sales process, so it basically sucked. But it's an idea that doesn't want to quit and people still ask for them. (Also, it helps that I can happily write press releases until the proverbial cows come home.)

    ... I think I'll draw some inspiration from your post and revisit the idea. Thanks!
  • I hope you go for it and attempt to relaunch your idea Aaron!
  • I think one of the greatest pop-up store opportunities available right now is for employment in the United States. By this I mean the hordes of people who have lost their jobs because of the recession in the previous year and a half, and the jobs that are coming up that are giving them a chance to get back into the workforce.

    While this is really not just a one time opportunity, there is a one time solution that is sorely needed for so many jobseekers.
  • I think as unemployment rises, there will be a ton of pop up stores on this subject pop up
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