Practice your skills as a retailer: entrepreneurs experiment with ‘pop up’ shops

The problems on the high street, and our changing shopping habits have been much discussed recently. But “bricks and mortar” retailing isn’t dead yet. Combine landlords with vacant shop sites (often in desirable locations), entrepreneurs (perhaps active online, but not used to face-to-face contact with customers) and an appetite for experimentation - and you get the phenomenon of the ‘pop up shop’.

These temporary businesses give entrepreneurs, small businesses and new start-ups a chance to experiment with products and formats, as well as gather primary market research evidence at relatively low cost. By operating for a few weeks, they can control costs and focus their efforts, as shown in this BBC video clip.