PopUp Republic

Planning Your Pop-Up Business

Seasonality

Even though pop-ups are relatively easy to open, for some, timing is of the essence. Seasonality influences the concept, location, and duration of many pop-ups. When we first launched in 2012, we did so before pop-ups were a “thing” in the United States. Whenever we described what we did, people often were able to relate it to Halloween shops. All over the world, there is something called the “Christmas Creep,” a time when retailers can begin offering their sales and other creative promotions as a means to lure customers into beginning their holiday shopping. This is also a crucial time for pop-ups, whose seasonality mirrors that of traditional retail.

The “Christmas Creep” can be a blessing for those who are experienced or truly prepared to take an influx of customers head on; it could also be a curse for those who are ill-prepared. I would advise that popupreneurs seek outside guidance from retail experts before opening pop-up shops for the holidays; while it can be perhaps more lucrative than any other time of the year, if you do not have experience with transacting and interacting with customers, it can quickly become overwhelming.

The winter months are also a time when we see an increase in artisan festivals, bazaars, and indoor farmers markets. As people travel, they love to bring back local knicknacks from wherever they are, and consumers love the “shop local” experience. Participating in an artisan fair is a great way to meet ...