Crabtree & Evelyn to utilise pop-up trend for Christmas season

Pop-up stores, or pop-up retail, is a concept whereby brands set up a temporary space dedicated to samples or products, and Alan Dodsworth, Sales Director at Crabtree & Evelyn, tells CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com that these new stores are all part of the company’s plan to expnd its presence at such a competitive time.

“As always in the beauty world it is shaping up to be a really competitive Christmas. All the usual suspects are driving Christmas products and gifts earlier and earlier,”​ he says.

With this in mind, the home and body care firm has also increased its Christmas gifting range this year, which include new items in fragrance and body care, as well as new hand creams.

Greater brand exposure​

The new stores, which are opening in Brent Cross shopping centre and on the Kings Road until the end of January 2016, have been opened to provide customers with product ranges in areas the company does not currently have a physical/high street presence.

“Pop-up stores are a cost effective way of us increasing our brand presence and exposure to the public at a very exciting time for our Company,”​ Alan explains.

“These stores will be no different to our ‘normal’ Crabtree & Evelyn stores. They provide a fantastic opportunity for our customers to experience the industry leading products we provide… Pop-up stores give us greater brand exposure, in key opinion forming areas of the country, over what is the most important 3 months of the Retail calendar.”​

The concept of pop-up stores has been around for over 11 years, and whilst very much a trend, particularly in London, Dodsworth explains that it very much a strategy that is here to stay throughout retail, not just in the beauty world.

“It provides companies with greater exposure, as well as providing a relatively low-risk means of trying new store concepts, visual merchandising and marketing/PR strategies in areas that are yet to discover what a brand can offer,”​ he adds.