Pop-Up Store in Germany Without a German Company: A Guide for Brands
You are an international brand and want to open a pop-up store in Germany without a German company of your own? Then you need a partner who acts as importer of record and selling entity in Germany. That is exactly what The Pop-Up Creators does: we import your goods, sell them locally, issue invoices and settle with your brand – together with space, store, staff and logistics from one team. This guide explains how it works.
What is an importer of record in Germany?
The importer of record is the company in whose name goods are declared to customs when they enter Germany. It needs an EORI number, handles the customs declaration and carries the related obligations. The selling entity is the company that sells to your customers in Germany, takes payments and issues local invoices. For a pop-up, both roles need to be covered.
Pop-up in Germany without a German company: why you need a local partner
No German company – and no reason to set one up for a pop-up
Goods come from abroad and must be imported and cleared
Customers expect a checkout, common payment methods and a proper invoice
Landlords, suppliers and staff need a local contracting party
Leftover stock, returns and settlement must be handled after the pop-up
Two models: sales in our own name or on commission
Your partner can sell in its own name and settle with your brand afterwards, or sell in its own name on behalf of your brand on a commission basis. Which model fits depends on products, volumes, duration and tax questions – we agree the structure together with tax and legal advisors.
How a pop-up with importer of record and selling entity works
Briefing: products, volumes, dates, city and goals
Structure: own-name sales or commission, aligned with advisors
Import: freight forwarder, customs and EORI, goods receipt and warehousing
Store: space, shopfitting, staff, checkout and payments
Sales: local invoicing and ongoing reporting
Wrap-up: settlement with your brand, returns and shipping back leftover stock
Examples from our projects
For the Werner Bronkhorst exhibition “HIGH” at Potsdamer Platz in Berlin (30 Sept – 4 Oct 2026), artworks were sold alongside the exhibition. We handled the import and export of the goods, the complete payment processing and sales staff, plus the opening event – with around 2,000 guests. At Mary Jane Berlin 2023 we ran the trade fair stand for Cookies x Intercure, including import and export of goods, branding and payment processing.
Key takeaway: with a partner acting as importer of record and selling entity, you can sell in Germany without setting up your own company – from import and customs to sales, invoicing and settlement.
Tip from practice: plan the import early. A complete product list with quantities and values, clear delivery dates and one contact at the freight forwarder save days – especially for merchandise that has to be in store on opening day.
Want to sell in Germany without a German company? Read more on importer of record & selling entity Germany or get in touch.
FAQ
Can The Pop-Up Creators be our importer of record in Germany?
Yes. For brands without a German entity we take on the importer of record role and can also sell as your selling entity. The exact setup is agreed with your tax and legal advisors.
Is it worth setting up a German company for a pop-up?
Usually not. For a pop-up that runs for a few days or weeks, a company of your own rarely pays off – a local partner with a German structure is faster and more flexible.
Can you take care of the store, staff and logistics too?
Yes, if you want everything from one team: space, shopfitting, staff, checkout, transport, warehousing and returns.
Where in Germany can the pop-up take place?
Our team is based in Berlin, and we organise pop-ups throughout Germany – for example in Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt, Cologne or Düsseldorf.
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