Retailers pop up at ANZ market day
When it comes to connecting with customers, artisan bagel company Best Ugly refuses to rest on its laurels.
Created by chef Al Brown, the company was one of 21 businesses that took part in ANZ’s annual market day, where retailers popped up for three hours at ANZ’s Auckland headquarters.
More than 1000 people went to the market, with a conservative estimate of $110,000 spent, not including cash sales.
Best Ugly national operations manager Jeremy Coombes said without pop-up opportunities like the market day, it would be hard to get across to people the quality of the product.
‘‘A lot of supermarket customers are basically shopping on price, and if they haven’t experienced Best Ugly in one of our branches, it is kind of hard to connect and put across the value proposition of our bagels and why they are so much more expensive.’’
Setting up a pop-up stall also meant the company could entice customers through smell, by toasting bagels as they walked by.
ANZ commercial and agri managing director Mark Hiddleston, said the idea for the market started three years ago.
The popularity of the event showed businesses were not just relying on traditional customer sales this Christmas.
‘‘We are seeing a real move towards business to business marketing, something traditionally done by big or wholesale companies. And to do that they are relying on business partners, other organisations they buy or sell products and services to or from.’’
Retail NZ spokesman Greg Harford, said internationally and in New Zealand, there was a move by online stores to create a bricks and mortar presence as well.
This was because consumers increasingly wanted to be able to touch goods and have a personal interaction.
‘‘Many retailers are looking to engage with their customers in a different way. They are looking to make the shopping experience exciting and interesting and to create a lasting experience for the customer. A pop-up store allows that to happen in many different ways.’’