5 Reasons Why Your Brand Should Host a Holiday Pop-Up Store

You may have barely made a dent in that Halloween candy stash, but retailers are already gearing up for holidays to come. While some consumers may roll their eyes at the Christmas-themed products lining retailers’ shelves as early as September, this practice makes sense: According to the National Retail Federation, the holiday season can account for a large percent of a retailer’s annual sales.

For online brands, hosting a holiday pop-up store is a worthwhile way to tap into shopping’s biggest season. If you’re cursing yourself for not planning something sooner, don’t give up just yet—there’s still time to pull off an unforgettable seasonal retail experience. For those who need convincing, here are five reasons to put the pedal to the metal and plan a holiday pop-up shop this season.

Take advantage of peak shopping season

During the holidays, people shop. It’s as strong a tradition as putting up a Christmas tree or roasting a turkey. Find a short-term retail space on a street with heavy foot traffic, or leverage another brand’s clientele by popping up as a store-within-a-store.

Tap into holiday urgency

As seasoned pop-up retailers know, scarcity drives demand. When a product is only available for a limited amount of time, shoppers are more likely to buy it. This sense of urgency is one major benefit of hosting a pop-up store, and the holiday season only serves to amplify it. Not only will consumers feel compelled to buy before your shop is gone forever, they’re also more likely to have a deadline of their own (such as Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa) urging them on.

Engage with new (and old) customers

Even people who don’t consider themselves big shoppers are more likely to indulge in retail therapy during the Holidays. Despite the increasingly bad weather, November and December tend to see a flurry of activity as people travel, attend seasonal events, and purchase gifts for friends and family. With a holiday pop-up shop, you’ll be able to connect with prospective customers that you might normally miss in a memorable offline setting. This is the perfect time to cultivate customer relationships that will last long after your pop-up store ends.

Test out new promotional strategies

You know what they say: ‘It is the season for sales and special offers. The holidays are an excellent time to take new promotional strategies out for a spin. Try discounting a product for a limited time, offering a flash sale for users who post about your brand on Twitter or Instagram, or creating an enticing point-of-purchase display. Bundle your merchandise together to evoke a perceived higher value at a lower cost. Many omni-channel retailers also offer an exclusive discount that shoppers can use online, which creates an incentive for them to engage with a brand after the pop-up stores close.

Get insight into a new product

When you’re launching a new product, a holiday pop-up store can help you understand how to make it better. Approach your pop-up as a chance to collect real-time feedback and other valuable insights into how your product and your marketing efforts perform with customers in the wild. A holiday pop-up store is also particularly helpful if you want to test out the waters in a new market or gauge reactions to a product before investing more resources into fully launching it.