The Pop-Up Strategy: Mastering the Success Factors of Ephemeral Retail in the Post-Pandemic Era

Why do some pop-up stores create lasting impact while others disappear without a trace? The Pop-Up Strategy explores how temporary retail can become a powerful strategic tool in a post-pandemic, omni-channel world. Building on research first conducted in 2013 and comprehensively revised for 2026, the book combines retail strategy, consumer psychology, experience design and practical implementation to explain what makes a pop-up work and why temporariness alone is never enough. In this book, you will learn when a pop-up is the right format, why limited-time experiences can generate urgency and engagement, and how to turn an initial idea into a strategically coherent and operationally viable concept. You will learn how to identify the right audience, select a location and timing that fit customer behaviour, design memorable physical and phygital experiences, build anticipation and community, manage the compressed operational timeline, and measure what remains after the doors close. At the heart of the book is a seven-domain model of pop-up success potential, designed to help brands, entrepreneurs, marketers and retail professionals evaluate a concept before committing substantial resources. Practical tools - including a planning checklist, worked example, sample budget and implementation timeline - translate the framework into action. Rather than treating the pop-up as a smaller version of a permanent store, The Pop-Up Strategy shows how temporary retail can test ideas, strengthen brands, create communities and generate insights that last far beyond the activation itself. The store may disappear. Its value does not have to. First publication 2013 - Revised English edition 2026