Marie Claire and Mastercard Team Up To Launch Pop-Up Shop

Fashion magazine Marie Claire and Mastercard, the payments company, are teaming up to launch a pop-up store dubbed The Next Big Thing Concept Shop.

According to a report in AdvertisingAge, the store, which will be located in SoHo in New York City from Sept. 23 to Oct. 12, will feature the latest trends, including smart mirrors and digital payment methods. Consumers will be able to purchase items via a mobile app that works by tapping an item on display in an exterior window or on the mirror in the dressing room. The store will be organized based on sections of the magazine. For example, there will be a section focused on careers, play and wellness. It’s also being tied to the October issue of Marie Claire.

“Today’s consumer is seeking a seamlessly integrated experience across both the digital and physical environment,” said Sherri Haymond, Mastercard’s executive vice president of digital partnerships, in an interview with AdvertisingAge. She said the shop will also show off Internet of Things devices.

“The Marie Claire concept [store] is developed for the experience,” Marieke Witjes, a principal at global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney, said in the report. “It is about telling a story, creating one consistent experience and making sure it is all done well.”

The move on the part of Marie Claire comes as the retail sector embraces advanced technology to lure consumers to physical stores. It also comes as Amazon has been disrupting the traditional retail market and forcing the retailers to respond. As an example, Walmart is teaming up with Google to take on Amazon in the emerging world of voice shopping. Starting in September, Google will offer hundreds of thousands of Walmart items via its voice-controlled Google Assistant, according to Walmart’s head of eCommerce, Marc Lore. He also noted that with the tie-in, Walmart will be offering the widest selection of any retailer on the platform.