IKEA to stop paper catalog printing

“Times are changing,” the company said in a statement. “IKEA will make its business model more accessible and digital, while at the same time adopting new ways to connect with more people.”

When it peaked in 2016, more than 200 million copies were printed worldwide, in 32 different languages ​​for 50 different countries with IKEA stores.

But media consumption and customer behavior have improved, especially during the COVID-19 epidemic. “Customer behavior and media usage have changed and the IKEA catalog has become less used,” the chain said. The chain said online sales in Canada grew by more than 41 percent last year. The chain had 22.9 million visitors to its stores last year, but almost eight times more visits to the Canadian website last year – 178.4 million clicks.

The growing change to buy and sell online has made the catalog less useful for driving sales, and as a result, the 2021 catalog released last summer is the last.

“As a tribute, during the fall of 2021, retailers will make available a book that is filled with great home appliance inspiration and knowledge,” IKEA said.

The move is in line with the catalog’s broader environmental push to avoid the catalog, which seeks to reduce its carbon footprint by retailers and Start selling used furniture As a way to prolong their life.

Retail analyst Farla Efros, president of HRC Retail Advisory, said the catalog contains “iconic legacy”, but the move makes a lot of sense given the realities of the retail business.

“I would say there aren’t many other places when you see retailers looking to cut costs,” she says. As more sales move online, “they haven’t seen much correlation [to sales] As they have done in the past. “

Efros says there has been similar noise and panic when other iconic catalogs such as Victoria’s Secret have previously canceled their print version. Victoria’s Secret discontinued its paper catalog five years ago, saying it would cost $ 150 million to make 300 million copies.

It was not worth it to them, Ephros said, and she doubted it was worth it to Ikea.

“If this epidemic proves one thing, regardless of your age, you will be able to go online to buy anything,” she said.

“Its timing is right.”