BaubleBar Brings The Web To Life With NYC Pop-Up Shop
By Alicia Fiorletta, Associate Editor

It’s the summertime and you know what that means: it is pop-up shop season in New York City!

Sure, these fly-by-night brick-and-mortar shops seem to be opening more frequently — especially during the holiday season — but in my opinion, the best and most fun entries are announced during the summer months.

Alice+Olivia, C. Wonder, Havaianas and PacSun, are among the most recent brands to execute pop-up strategies. Kate Spade Saturday even is executing a digital pop-up shop using interactive touch screens. How fun, right?

Pop-up stores present an opportunity for retailers and brands to connect with new audiences without having to commit to a long-term brick-and-mortar strategy. For example, Fleur du Mal founder Jennifer Zuccarini noted that the brand plans to roll out pop-up shops worldwide before determining whether brick-and-mortar is the right strategy.

And for avid shoppers and fashion fans like me, these short-term stores also are a great way for us to visit our favorite online brands in the flesh!

Last week, I got to kick off pop-up season in SoHo by visiting the new BaubleBar location.  While BaubleBar is no novice when it comes to pop-up shops — it is becoming an annual project for the accessories eTailer — it was my first time visiting, so I was very excited for the journey I was about to embark on! 

The new BaubleBar pop-up is tucked away on Greene Street, one of the hottest areas for luxury designer stores and showrooms in New York City. Placed next to the new Warby Parker location and down the street from Piperlime’s first brick-and-mortar store, the shop was bright, modern and touted pops of bright colors. Jewelry hung from the walls and was presented on large, white display tables.

As I perused the displays and tables, I was impressed with how organized and tidy employees kept the store despite the crowds of people rushing through. I also was pleased with how eager associates were to help me and other shoppers find products. They offered boxes to hold purchases, and even entered consumers to win a BaubleBar shopping spree. They were friendly and seemed genuinely excited for the store’s opening.

However, what I found to be most fascinating about the store is how BaubleBar integrated technology into the overall experience. At one table, the retailer spotlights its monogram designs and services. A mounted iPad mini promoted a new personalization app, which is designed to allow consumers to create their own monogram pieces — from the letters to the jewelry, color and finish.

Another fun addition to the BaubleBar in-store experience is an interactive table display. Five different kinds of accessories are spotlighted on the table. When a consumer picks up a product, a projector above the exhibit reacts by delivering more detailed information on the item, as well as the price. Using this technology, BaubleBar incorporates digital experiences into a standard brick-and-mortar environment, which makes shopping in stores a lot more fun!

Consumers also are encouraged to visit the in-store photo booth, where they can take pictures with friends and fellow shoppers. With interactive social sharing capabilities, visitors also can take photos and publish them on Instagram with the #BaubleBar hash tag. All photos that include the hash tag automatically are generated into the photo booth system, so people can instantly print their creations.

To make the pop-up store even more of a VIP experience, BaubleBar partnered with Godiva — and a variety of other sponsors — to provide consumers with signature cocktails, snacks and unique services. These complimentary treats and amenities help immerse shoppers into the brand experience, and encourage them to stick around and shop for a longer period of time!

I can’t wait to see how this pop-up store impacts BaubleBar’s overall brand awareness, customer acquisition and total sales. It seems like the eTailer is opening these locations more frequently, so maybe one day an actual brick-and-mortar store will be in the cards!

Retailers, are you using pop-up stores to introduce your brand to new audiences? Are you considering dipping into this form of buzz marketing and commerce? If so, here is a helpful resource to get you started!

Follow Alicia on Twitter: @AliciaFiorletta