For consumers, pop-up stores are seen as exciting and exclusive. If shoppers live far away from a brand’s physical store, pop-ups can be an opportunity to experience the brand and interact with it in a new way outside of the online shop.
The benefits for retailers are also tenfold.
Pop-up retail is a low-risk way of testing out new markets or products. The reduced overhead for rent, utilities and inventory allows retailers to further reach their audience with minimal commitment.
Major, established brands such as Gucci, as well as those that rely on seasonal sales like Spirit Halloween have embraced pop-up stores. Pop-ups have allowed brands to take advantage of vacant retail space and transform the space into an interactive experience, selling limited-edition or a select line of products.
Overhead on pop-up stores may be low, but retailers must ensure they have the right back-end technology to seamlessly conduct their operations before they can take the leap.
How to power checkout anywhere
Running a pop-up store in a short-term space means that a retailer will not have the hardware equipment they do in their permanent stores. A lack of barcode scanners, receipt printers and cash registers can add a level of difficulty when it comes to managing checkout and payments.
Luckily, mobile retail concepts can easily be deployed. Omnichannel POS solutions can manage checkout processes from anywhere.
For example, employees can complete transactions via a handheld device. In addition, consumers can checkout and pay via their smartphones.
How to manage inventory and promotions anywhere
We’ve touched on headless commerce in our blogs before; it’s a critical tool for retailers looking to manage the shopper journey across multiple touchpoints. An open platform also allows retailers to react quickly to evolving market needs and adjust as required.
For example, pop-up stores are notorious for offering limited-time products and deals. A retailer needs to be able to quickly introduce these new items or promotions.
As items sell out, a real-time view of inventory can help retailers set expectations with expectant consumers. And with their phones unlocked and in-hand, shoppers can also manage promotions and access their loyalty information swiftly and with ease.
How to establish a store presence anywhere
Interested in increasing foot traffic and consumer engagement in a low-cost, low-risk way? It almost sounds too good to be true.
Before including pop-up stores to your retail strategy this year, first guarantee that your physical operations can be run from anywhere – from POS to inventory management. GK Software is here to help you get started.
