Hey there,
I'm Shruti, brand manager at Hyppy, here to take you through a very interesting part of our business - POP-UPS.
Like most young businesses, we started with all things online, be it website, social media or even this emailer. The world of offline obviously comes secondary when you don't have the funds or the network (or even the confidence :p) to open a full-blown store. So what do you do? POP-UPS!
Pop-ups are the sweet, fun way to find & meet your tribe in the offline world. It's (mostly) not too hard on the pocket, with the right partners, it's pure magic. So yeah, we've been out in the wild – the flea markets, that is! It's been a rollercoaster ride of highs and lows, so today, we just wanna talk about that a little.
It all starts with finding a good host in your target city and trusting them with their crowd-pull & marketing promises. Huge shoutout to Sunday Soul Sante for pulling an absolutely amazing audience even on the worst days.
To get a good stall location you either need to have incredible luck or exceptionally close contacts with the host, because you don’t want to get lost in a lane where only a few people visit or at a place so close to the stage that you and your customers need to play charades amidst the noise blaring from the speakers.
Talking of the execution part, no matter how neat and pretty layouts we plan with our dearest colleague Divya over g-meets, the actual scenario always turns out like we were raided by a tribe of monkeys.
Those g-meets are where rest of the planning happens too, like
things to do: designing new flyers or handouts, inventory planning, list food stalls we would visit in breaks (very important), etc :P
First time we did a pop-up, we were like 6 months into business, 3k followers on IG, and had some people come and tell us that they had heard of us - it was a highlight for a newbie brand - something we definitely didn't expect.
There are so many more memorable moments, like the times when we meet our littlest customers – those tiny tots with the biggest opinions! They stroll in, inspecting every trinket, tassel and detail like seasoned pros. Picky? Absolutely! But we wouldn't have it any other way. Their adorable quirks make our day! And, and also when you walk in, grinning from ear to ear, telling us how our pieces have found a cosy spot in your homes. Your stories, your feedback – they're like gold to us!
But let's keep it real – it's not all rainbows and dreamcatchers! Setting up shop under the sun (or rain) has its challenges.
One time for our second pop up in Bangalore we got a RED tent!!!!! What a disaster it was for a home decor brand like us who likes to keep things mellow. Yet, every hurdle taught us something new.
But here's what we love about Bangalore – getting sold out in a heartbeat! Our first-ever pop-up was right there too, so that’s where it all began! The energy, the buzz, the love – it's what keeps taking us back for more!
Now, onto the juicy bits – flea market dramas! We cannot help but recall that time when the stall prices were skyrocketing for some brands and peanuts for others. The host had been playing favorites? Or were not able to get enough brands on board on time? We’ll never know. There were cops, complaints, and chaos, but sadly it all simmered down with time and the stall owners neither got their money back nor made enough sales, many weren’t able to break even, including us. And the promised footfall? Let's just say it was more of a stroll than a bustling crowd!
But hey, that's all part of the adventure, right?
Even though we have to stand all day long, taking quick sprints and back to the restrooms, having breakfast in the afternoon and lunch at night, and losing sense in our feet by the end of the day, we would 10/10 do it again.
With all the love in my heart,
Shruti :)
Brand Manager at Hyppy
