Special Report: Pop-up Shops Blur Retail Lines

By Sarah Ravits

Companies capitalize on direct selling fundamentals in an effort to increase brand loyalty and customer experience.

Recognizing the power of generating a good experience for the customer, brands are once again delving into areas once dominated by direct sellers.

The pop-up experience draws its structure directly from the same principles as the Tupperware party: touch, feel, experience and fall in love, all within an impermanent setting.

When Tupperware engineered the in-home party in the 1950s, it created the experience of demonstrating products in such a manner that customers couldn’t help but fall in love with them. This “personal” approach set direct sellers apart from other retail efforts for more than half a century.

But so far in the 21st century, there have been few such clear-cut selling approaches belonging to only one channel; mainly, the lines within the world of retail continue to blur as various entities borrow best practices from each other and try out different approaches.