The best selling book, The Tipping Point, examines the process of how small, localized trends evolve and grow to become big mainstream forces.  The point at which this evolution becomes widely known and accepted is termed “the tipping point”.  In our industry, there are numerous examples of this happening on a regular basis… it is, after all, the business we are in.

 

One concept that is presently “tipping” is the pop-up store.  Attached is a brief article from the current issue of New York Magazine.  As you will read, most pop-up stores have been designer stores intended to create a big splash of media attention or to test a new market.

 

On the internet there is a flurry of new sites doing what they call “pop-up sales”.  For the most part, it looks like these sites are selling vendor closeouts or special make-ups that are deeply discounted and probably on consignment and offering them to online retail customers for a short time (hours to a week) only.  Here is an example:

 

 

It’s now my opinion that we (our industry) isn’t going to, all of a sudden, return to the volume levels of 2007 and the 1st half of 2008.  Just being even or slightly ahead of last year’s 4th quarter will be good enough for many.  My own focus, as you probably have noted, has changed from beating last year’s sales to improving gross margin.

 

Are seasonal or pop-up stores something for the small retailer?  Maybe.  There are plenty of vacant stores and some landlords willing to make short term deals just to keep them filled… especially at Holiday time.  There are also plenty of vendors willing to do consignment on unsold merchandise as the season comes to a close.

 

Everyone is looking for a new way to do business.  Everything seems to be “on the table”.

 

Lets see…   vacant store fronts, hungry landlords, excess inventory, holiday traffic and
retail entrepreneurs……………………………….

 

I’m just sayin’…

 

link to THE TIPPING POINT on Amazon …

 

http://www.amazon.com/Tipping-Point-Little-Things-Difference/dp/0316346624/ref=sr_