How to Start a Pop – Up Clothing Shop

If you love the idea of selling clothing and accessories but don’t want to commit to leasing a store or space for months on end – then why not look at starting a pop-up shop? Whether you are selling pre-loved pieces or pieces you have created and made yourself. You will find that a pop-up shop gives you the opportunity to make a mark and build a brand if you want to.

Think About Your Target Audience

Firstly in this process, you will need to think about who your target audience is. You may have an idea of what your pop-up shop will look like (and feel like), but if you do not have a target audience (or customer) in mind, you will struggle to get anyone through the door. When you know who your audience is, you then know what to feature in your shop and at what price. When you can begin to build customer profiles, you can then decide what you will sell.

Deciding What You Will Sell

When you are sourcing products to sell or re-sell in the pop-up shop, you need to think about profit margins and demand. A shop that is full of low-value items may work better than a shop that is minimal (and full of high ticket prices). Looking at customer and audience expectations will help you decide what you should be selling and why. For example, do your audience, and market loves a pre-loved bargain? Or are they looking for end-of-season sales?

Get the Right Equipment and Supplies

You know who you are reaching, and you now know what you are selling. So, next on your to-do list are equipment and suppliers. From garment rails to price tags/labels, a till, and mannequins, you need to think about what you need and why. If you fail to have adequate equipment and supplies, you may find that your shop looks bare and perhaps even unprofessional. When looking for suppliers, always use those that are reputable and trusted to ensure you always get good value for money.

Advertising and Marketing

To draw attention to your pop-up shop, you need to focus on advertising and marketing just as much as anything else. Letting people and shoppers know where you will be, when and for how long is crucial. Simply expecting the footfall on the day can be disappointing and costly. Investing your time and energy into social media marketing is important.

Thinking About Costs and Finances

Even though you are not looking at setting up a permanent shop, you will still have to set aside even funds to cover the launch of your pop-up shop, the purchase of the clothing and accessories, and the rental of the location. The earlier in the process that you can start thinking about the costs and finances then, the clearer your aims and objectives will be. If you know how much you have invested into your venture, you will know how much you need to make to break even (or turn a profit).