60 AUTUMN//WINTER 2017 Experience is everything Not a day passes without a new story proclaiming how ‘experiences’ represent the future of retail. Successful experiential selling involves surprising customers, whether through unexpected locations, store designs, service or unique products. Pop-up shops tap into this requirement, helping brands attract new customers or test locations and offering landlords opportunities to encourage customer frequency and rejuvenate shopping locations. Describing varied initiatives – from well-known brands such as Etsy taking temporary space in John Lewis to one- off markets – ‘pop-up shop’ has become a catch-all term. In recent years the concept has evolved with the launch of dedicated spaces such as Shoreditch’s Boxpark, which opened in 2011. Boxpark bills itself as the “world’s first pop-up mall,” offering leases starting at one week in shipping containers from around £1,000 per month. Similarly, the Up Market partnership between Appear Here and retail destination owner, manager and developer Hammerson is described as a “differentiated destination where more happens” by David O’Neil, Hammerson’s head of commercialisation. Launched in Independent retail and e-commerce consultant REBECCA SAUNDERS investigates the extraordinary rise of pop ups and reveals why they’re here to stay TOP OF THE POP UPS SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENTIAL SELLING INVOLVES SURPRISING CUSTOMERS. Birmingham’s Bullring earlier this year, O’Neil says it will “shine a spotlight on the UK’s most exciting and innovative retail talent, providing unknown artisan brands with an unparalleled opportunity to engage with millions of customers on a national scale. Rotating the mix of emerging independents will also ensure that our portfolio of leading retail destinations continues to offer personalised experiences.” This type of pop up, characterised by dedicated market-stall counters and costing from £50 per day, represents a practical, flexible option particularly suited to small brands. Appear Here, described as ‘the AirBnB of retail space’, offers thousands of options, from these small spaces to extensive retail sites. Whilst choice is predictably high in London, opportunities are by no means limited to the capital. In fact, a 2014 report by the Centre for Economics & Business Research and EE hailed Cardiff as the UK’s most popular pop-up location. Up Market has now launched in Bristol’s Cabot Circus; further locations are opening in Brent Cross and Victoria in Leeds this year. Similarly, Appear Here, which operates countrywide, cites Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham as areas of high demand. STATIONERY BIZ