KEY TAKEAWAY | Running a pop-up booth may look straightforward, but behind the scenes, there’s more to manage than most expect. Inventory, payments, and what happens after the event.

Pop-Up Coming Up? See How Byfarla Managed.

Founded as an online-first modest fashion brand, Byfarla began with a simple idea: quality shawls that didn’t cost the moon.

Today, the brand connects with customers both online and in-person, through curated pop-up appearances at local markets and events such as Pasar Gadis KL and RIUH Raya Baik Baik.

The journey beyond the screen began in 2021.

As MCO restrictions eased, Byfarla ran its very first booth at Rumah Tangsi. By then, the team had already spent years building the brand online — learning who their customers were and how they shopped.

“We realized many customers of ours loved visiting pop-up markets and bazaars,” — Farla, founder of Byfarla.

Instead of waiting to be discovered online, the team decided to meet their community where they already were.

The Reality of Running Temporary Retail

Running a pop-up is very different from running a store behind the screen.

While Byfarla’s team already had experience managing online orders and occasional events, operating a physical booth introduced a new set of challenges:

• Inventory planning is far more complex. With over 40 product variations across fabrics and colours, the team had to decide what to bring for a three-day event, while ensuring online stock still remained available.
• Payment preferences vary widely. Customers may pay through QR, credit cards, or cash, and the team needs to be prepared for every possibility — especially during sudden rushes of foot traffic.
• Manual reconciliation takes time. Without a centralised backend, the team often spent hours after each event day matching stock and revenue just to understand what had sold — and what hadn’t.

For small brands, pop-ups are more than just a few days of sales. Between booth fees, staffing, and inventory preparation, they represent a significant investment — making it crucial to understand what each event truly returns.

Bringing Order to The Booth

As pop-ups became a regular part of the brand’s journey, Byfarla realised that running them smoothly required stronger systems behind the scenes.

Today, the team manages every sales channel from a single dashboard — whether transactions happen online or at a physical booth.

With the right infrastructure in place, temporary retail becomes far more manageable.

• Separate inventory for physical touchpoints.With a clear view of stock across channels, the team can allocate inventory between the booth and the online store confidently—without worrying about overselling. 
• Simple, universal payment methods. The team can accept QR payments, cards, and other options without juggling multiple systems during busy moments at the booth.
• Automated, centralised reporting. Daily performance is ready-to-view without manual calculations, allowing the team to quickly understand what’s working — and adjust for the next event day.

Over time, these reports have become a valuable reference point. With sales data and event history stored in one place, Byfarla can forecast stock accurately, identify which products perform best in physical settings, and approach each pop-up with greater confidence.

Showing Up, Thoughtfully

If Byfarla were a person, it would be one who moves with quiet elegance — devoted to their craft, doing their best to serve the community that has grown alongside them.

That kind of presence requires intention behind the scenes: clearer systems, fewer surprises, and the ability to show up with poise.

For Byfarla, pop-ups are more than temporary sales opportunities. They are a chance to become part of their customers’ weekend adventures — where fabrics can be felt, designs explored, and the brand’s aesthetic experienced in person.

And when the next bazaar weekend arrives, Byfarla will be there again. Shawls neatly arranged, systems running quietly in the background, ready to meet the community that first inspired the journey beyond the screen.