“Turning the page with our beloved catalog is in fact a natural process since media consumption and customer behaviors have changed,” said Konrad Grüss, an Ikea executive, in a statement. “In order to reach and interact with the many people, we will keep inspiring with our home furnishing solutions in new ways.”
The first Ikea catalog was released in Swedish in 1951. The first dual-version (online and in print) was released in 2000 and, at its peak in 2016, Ikea printed 200 million copies in 32 languages in 50 markets.
Still, its warehouse-sized stores and beloved cafes remain an integral part of the company’s growth plan. Inter Ikea Group CEO Jon Abrahamsson Ring said that customers still want to “touch and try” its products. The company said it will continue to employ a “total market approach,” offering smaller showrooms in city centers, traditional suburban Ikea stores and online fulfillment centers.
Source : CNN