The Problem

Sydney’s shopfront rental prices are costly and unaffordable for many businesses. Oftentimes they resort to pop-up shops and marketplaces to do their business. This can be a detriment to maintaining regular and familiar customers, thus reducing possible sales and profit.

Sydney’s retail rent prices are amongst the top 10 most expensive in the world.

Main Streets across the world, cushman & wakefield, 2017

Exploration & Research

Inspired the success and widespread nature of pop-up shops and travelling food trucks, the concept of retail vehicles was formed. A place where small businesses would be able to transport and sell their boutique goods anywhere, anytime and anyplace.

In order to investigate if there was a need for this, several team members conducted interviews. I aided by adding graphic elements to a concept website built by Hatton, with this alongside social medias and mock-up business cards, the people interviewed were able to visualise the retail vehicles.

Chrysanthos and Gilfedder used these MVPs (minimum viable products) to gauge the interest of several market stall owners. Some were interested enough to give their contact details to learn more about Anywhere.

CHALLENGES

One of the challenges faced we discovered was that each municipality had their own restrictions and costs regarding where business vehicles could park. Each business owner would need to acquire multiple permits in order to drive and do business in different suburbs.

The Solution: Anywhere

Anywhere is a mobile retail rental service, whereby entrepreneurs and small business owners are able to rent vehicles such as vans, trucks, pod trailers to sell their products from as well as act as their mobile office. The company is a hybrid of the pop-up truck revolution and the emerging retail space. 

1. MOBILITY & FLEXIBILITY

Anywhere acts as the middle man, a temporary solution for businesses moving from small market stalls who wish to eventually own a brick and mortar store. Or otherwise a permanent solution for the travelling shop owner who enjoys meeting different types of people.

2. BRAND AWARENESS

Anywhere is tailored as a more affordable and accessible alternative, which also had a respectable and professional brand (as seen by the design collateral).

3. CONSULTING & ANALYTICS

The Anywhere App allows for users to track their customer hotspots, find new locations and aid their online presence.

The Outcome

By the completion of the project, Anywhere proved to be a feasible business. Team members, Grossberg and Jahn had interviewed the founder of 100 Squared, a company known for championing new fashion brands by providing pop up spaces for them to sell. The founder concurred he could see rental retail vehicles as a way for small businesses to grow.

OVERVIEW	Anywhere is a mobile retail service, renting out vehicles to businesses.
DATE	Dec 2017
SECTOR	Retail
CLIENT	Small retail businesses
TEAM	Sophia Chrysanthos, Lucy Gilfedder, Ben Grossberg, Rebecca Hatton, Jack Jahn & Mai Lam
MY ROLE	Data visualisation, graphic design & user research