When you think of a “pop-up shop,” you probably think of shop or store that’s deliberately temporary. It’s a store that “pops-up” for a limited period of time to achieve a particular goal.
Apple may be considering taking the concept to a new level as evidenced by a newly granted patent (number 20210097892) for a “remote-demonstration unit and system” for for demonstrating products to customers from a remote location (that is, not at an Apple retail store). According to an article at Storefront, many brands use pop-up stores to “create unique and engaging physical shopping experiences because they provide flexibility and the opportunity to experiment with less risk.”
The system could include a space for demonstrating a variety of products, lighting for illuminating the products and/or the demonstration space, and a device for capturing video of the products that may be sent to customers as part of a live remote product demonstration.
The remote-demonstration system may include a product-display tray on which products may be displayed side-by-side or layered one above the other. Apple says that such a system could “provide a consistent, company-branded visual experience to customers viewing the demonstration by, for example, showing the products being demonstrated in a clean, visually-appealing environment.”
In the patent filing, the tech giant notes that remote customer-assistance systems may allow customers to contact and interact with customer service employees at a remote location (e.g., at a call center). They could be convenient for customers, as they may allow customers to ask questions and receive help from employees without having to travel to a particular location (e.g., a retail store). Apple says that such systems may use, for example, voice communication over a telephone connection to facilitate interaction between employees and customers.
