2021 IKEA Catalogue Will Be Its Last Physical Publication
When we’re looking for design inspirations, be it to redecorate a room or to furnish a new BTO flat, the IKEA catalogue is often our go-to publication.
But soon, the familiar catalogue will be no more.
After 7 decades, the iconic IKEA catalogue will soon be discontinued.
As shoppers move online, IKEA catalogue, one of the world’s biggest annual publications, is following suit.
IKEA discontinues catalogue after 70 years
IKEA’s catalogue – sleek, clean, and full of ideas – is renowned and beloved just like their physical stores.
However, on Monday (7 Dec), IKEA announced that the iconic catalogue will be discontinued, with its last issue being the 2021 edition published next year.
A centrepiece of IKEA’s marketing efforts since 1951, the decision to discontinue the publication was an emotional one, reported Channel NewsAsia (CNA).
Back in 2016, more than 200 million copies were reportedly distributed in over 50 countries.
According to The Guardian, the IKEA catalogue was said to have even greater circulation than the Bible at its zenith.
Safe to say that after 70 long years, the discontinuation of one of IKEA’s most well known products will leave customers feeling nostalgic and bittersweet.
Interest in the catalogue has fallen
Over the years, interest in the catalogue has fallen.
As more people get comfortable browsing online, the catalogue’s importance has diminished and the number of copies produced has gradually gone down.
With fewer people reading, IKEA decided it was time to “respectfully end the successful career of the IKEA catalogue”.
Looks like days spent flipping through the thin pages with its unmistakable scent will soon be fragments of our memories.
IKEA aims to become more digital
IKEA’s decision to discontinue the popular catalogue is part of its digitalisation efforts.
After all, consumers are increasingly going online to shop and look for inspiration.
According to The Straits Times (ST), IKEA’s online sales have jumped 45% between this and last August.
The catalogue has traditionally taken up a large part of IKEA’s marketing budget. With its discontinuation, the money saved will be spent on online marketing and via other channels.
For those who like it old school and will miss flipping through a copy of IKEA catalogue, the Swedish company will be working on a smaller-print publication.
This will primarily be focused on providing inspiration for home furnishing and will be available in stores next year.
The end of an era and the beginning of a new chapter
It’s unfortunate that interest for IKEA’s catalogue has waned over the years.
But for many of us who grew up casually browsing through page after page of aspirational designs, the thought of the catalogue soon becoming a relic of the past is bittersweet and also marks the end of an era for IKEA.
If you wish to get your hands on the very last edition of the catalogue, you can still do so in IKEA stores or on their website.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at hello@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from YouTube.
