Many people are flocking to pop-up shops and experiences in the hopes of capturing an Instagram -worthy photo which is good news for merchants in more ways than one In an experience-based economy having a photo on social media is sometimes more valuable than making a purchase said Gerald Storch CEO of retail advisory firm Storch Advisors according to CNBC Its just as real if its virtual he added And the photos posted on social media serve as free advertising for the pop-ups At the Egg House brunch fans can pose in life-size egg carts with pink spatulas hanging from the ceiling or play in a yellow-and-white ball pit Its founder Biubiu Xu said the pop-up sold out every weekend during its 12-week run in New York last spring accounting for nearly 200 000 in ticket sales despite the fact that it didnt invest in advertising Instead it relied on the more than 15 000 people that follow the pop-up on Instagram Were not seeing any end to viral sharing and the currency that brings to the world said Matt Statman CEO and chief creative officer of Motive a creative ad agency He added that exclusivity is also a factor Its about being first to get in he said And then once you do that youve got to share it with the world And while pop-ups say they offer more than just the chance for a cool social media post people are still drawn to them for the photos In fact some visitors admit that the reality can be less satisfying You see all the photos and you think it would be fun to go said Susannah Smreker a recent visitor at The Happy Place in Chicago But now that Ive been to one Im not interested in doing another no matter how cool it looks on Instagram - You Might Also Like Related Items Instagram News pop up shops Pop-Up Stores Retail social media Whats Hot