What You Need to Know About Opening a Jewelry Pop-Up Shop

Helpful advice and insights for first-time jewelry pop-up shop owners.

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Looking to expand your online jewelry business? Home jewelers interested in putting up a brick and mortar business may want to try it out first with a pop-up shop. It’s a great way to test the waters so to speak, but before you start pulling out your merchandise and jewelry display racks, here are the stuff you need to know.

So what is a “pop-up shop” exactly?

A pop-up shop is a small retail space meant to run on a limited time, typically lasting one or two weeks in duration. It is often the first step taken by online stores looking to expand their businesses offline. Its temporary nature gives them the experience of running a micro store without having to deal with all the processes of opening an actual physical store.

There are other reasons why a business would want to go and set up a pop-up. For many entrepreneurs, it is often a brand-building initiative that can lead to more exposure. For others, pop-ups are a way for them to test out new products and designs. Likewise, a few businesses would open pop-ups to take advantage of peak shopping seasons.

It’s all about location, location, location

Scouting for your pop-up store’s location should be your first order of business. Naturally, you would want to be where there’s heavy foot traffic. You can also look at your regular customers’ profile and set up shop where they mostly hang out. Your pop-up’s location should also feel right for your brand, so you better allot a day or two for site inspections.

Next, find out whether your target area has already hosted pop-up shops before. This means it’s much more likely that you will be allowed to occupy that space for your store.

You can also try going online to look for available spaces for your pop-up shop. Sites like Storefront and Uppercase, in particular, are great starting off points for your hunt.

Work on your store’s logistics

Once you’ve secured your location, find out what else needs to be done to make your store fully operational.

Here are the essentials you need to work on before your first day:

• Some pop-up venues would already have everything set up for you, while some would expect you to bring in your own props and furniture. Find out the exact arrangements for your store to avoid issues.
• Make sure you’ve secured the required permits and licenses in order.
• Having a design concept for your space ahead of time would save you from headaches during preparations, but make sure it reflects your brand and merchandise well.
• Create buzz around your pop-up by posting teasers and advertisements online and offline.
• Remember to bring enough merchandise to sell and the right jewelry display tools to showcase your items. This also includes bringing around retail selling must-haves like labels, price tags, pens, papers, record books, etc. Have a look at our list here to make sure you don’t miss out on anything.

On the day of the event, you need to:

• Bring in manpower to help you in the various aspects of running a pop-up store. Have someone ready to help in the set up, selling, security, and promotions.
• Be calm, cool, and collected. Remember to be engaging and attentive with your customers, and don’t forget to smile.

At the end of your operations, don’t forget to:

• Turn over any items lent to you by the organizer/retail space owner.
• Pack up everything. Check to see if there are any missing or broken items.
• Take the time to evaluate your experience and figure out if goals were met or there are areas that need improvement.