A vibrant thread of young Chinese shoppers, chatting excitedly, snaked past luxury boutiques and coffee shops. At the head of the queue, nestled in a prime corner of Beijing's China World Mall, stood the reason for their patience: a pastel-colored pop-up store for Jellycat, the British plush toy brand. Among those in line was Liu Zhaoyuan, a 24-year-old graphic designer, who had taken an afternoon off work specifically for this visit.

"I've become a big fan of Jellycat since I graduated from college and have collected eight different Jellycat toys, including the chips from its London edition and the strawberry milkshake and cheesecake from its New York City edition," Liu told Beijing Review. "I just can't turn down the combination of a cute toy and the joy of owning something that is limited and exclusive."

Her reward for an hour's waiting was a special edition rabbit, its ear delicately embroidered with Chinese roses, the official flower of Beijing. "It feels like a little piece of the city. And knowing that the store is only here for a few weeks makes it more special." Liu added. 

A pop-up store is a temporary retail space, often described as a "guerrilla" tactic in marketing. It's designed to create a sense of urgency and exclusivity, "popping up" for a limited time, from a few days to several months, before disappearing. Its primary goals are to generate buzz, foster direct brand engagement and test new markets or products without the long-term commitment of a traditional lease.

Beyond transactional spaces 

Jellycat's clever fusion of universal appeal and local sentiment has turned its temporary shops into social media phenomena across China. But these fluffy creatures represent something far more important: China's accelerating embrace of pop-up retail.

Pop-ups that tap into a city's distinct local narrative often prove most powerful in capturing the public's imagination and this strategy of pop-ups leveraging civic pride extends well beyond botanical motifs. A case to the point is Suan Niao (Garlic Bird), an IP featuring a small bird with a garlic clove on its head. Originating from the Hubei Provincial Museum, the character's name is a play of a high-frequency expression in the daily life of Wuhan locals—"suan le" (let it be), which, in the local language, sounds like "Suan Niao," nodding to a relaxed and easy-going attitude in the capital city of Hubei. This uniquely local resonance, encapsulated in the cute and quirky design, has earned the character the affectionate title of Wuhan's Dove of Peace among netizens.

Take Me Home, a pop-up store born from a collaboration between Garlic Bird and the Wuhan Small Animal Protection Association, combined people's love for Suan Niao with their compassion for stray animals. The space featured a photo exhibition unveiling the harsh reality of stray animals struggling for survival and their better life after being rescued and cared for. The store also launched a black Hug Cat plush that symbolizes a rescued stray animal. Seven percent of the revenue from each Suan Niao product sold was donated to animal rescue efforts.

In Shanghai, pop-up stores have become an extension of event experience and fan economy.

During famous singer Jay Chou's Carnival world tour in Shanghai, held from September 13 to October 12, Finding Zhoutongxue pop-up stores were set up in the municipality's major shopping malls, such as Oriental Pearl Tower, MetroCity and Shanghai Joy City. Zhoutongxue, meaning Classmate Chou, is the anime version of the superstar. These pop-up stores have been extremely popular, with a variety of co-branded products and Shanghai-exclusive items selling out quickly among fans. The co-branded apparel that is a collaboration between Zhoutongxue and the streetwear brand BONELESS was sold out on the first day.

"I bought T-shirts from the pop-up not only for myself, but for some other fans who can't come to the concert in person," Li Shengrui, a fan who attended the concert on October 9, told Beijing Review. "It feels so great to have some souvenirs that are tied to this precious experience. Even if I could attend another Jay Chou concert in the future, the pop-up products would be different."

What explains the magnetic pull of these here-today, gone-tomorrow retail experiences?

"Unlike previous generations who prioritized functional utility, today's young consumers, especially Gen Zs, place greater emphasis on emotional satisfaction," Wei Feng, a professor at Tongji University's School of Economics and Management, told local news portal Shanghai Observer. "They aren't just buying a product; they're buying an experience, a story and a piece of social currency."

Strategic tools 

This emotional engagement creates powerful commercial opportunities. As Xu Anxin, a professor of digital economy at Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, told newspaper Fuzhou Evening News: "The limited-time nature of pop-ups creates a sense of urgency, and their immersive environments transform shopping from pure transaction to unique experience. Consumers come mainly to participate in something special; and the spaces, decor, product design, staff clothing and even background music should be able to resonate with customer feelings."

For retailers, pop-ups offer more than just buzz. They provide valuable market intelligence. Pan Ruyi, manager of a McDonald's restaurant in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, describes them as a strategic engine that boost product popularity in an increasingly competitive landscape.

In August, the McDonald's on Huagong Road, where Pan works, was transformed into Fujian's first McDonald's Pop-up Island flagship restaurant. The outlet introduced limited-time strawberry and vanilla milkshakes and was redecorated with themed installations, including a hamburger-shaped dessert station, creating a holiday vibe for patrons and echoing the coastal province's character.

"Through innovative marketing and immersive experiences, pop-ups allow us to test new concepts and engage directly with consumers," Pan told Fuzhou Evening News. "The pop-up generated unprecedented social media engagement while providing crucial consumer feedback this summer. We might try another pop-up in the future."

Xu emphasized the operational advantages of pop-ups: "Pop-ups enable brands to maintain freshness and relevance without the long-term commitment of traditional retail. They're laboratories for innovation, allowing companies to validate concepts before scaling up."

Despite their popularity, pop-ups face growing pains. On social media platform RedNote, some consumers have complained of premium prices for mediocre quality. Others have noticed repetitive designs as the format becomes mainstream. 

"Some products from pop-up stores are overpriced, as I discovered before; and because the store would be already closed if I find out quality problems, I cannot return the products or file complaints, which isn't the case with permanent stores, for you always know where to return the product," Liu admitted. "Sometimes these problems give ordinary customers, who are not so crazy about pop-ups in the first place, second thoughts."

"Market and quality challenges are inevitable in any rapidly growing sector," Xu said. "The solution lies in greater collaboration between brands, mall operators and urban planners. The market will naturally filter out weaker offerings, so we must cultivate standards that reward creativity and quality."

Wei added that long-term success requires deeper understanding of consumer psychology: "As the novelty wears off, pop-ups must deliver genuine value, whether through unique products, meaningful experiences or authentic storytelling. The emotional connection must be more than superficial." 

Copyedited by G.P. Wilson 

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