It’s been announced that the Argos catalogue will no long be printed. They have printed 1 billion copies of the catalogue since 1973. This comes as the retailer shifts it’s focus to online which I completely understand. However, let’s look at the many benefits of the catalogue which was once found in three quarters of UK households.
The Bible
I used to call the Argos catalogue the Bible. It was a staple of 80s and 90s lives. Anything you needed, you could flick through the pages and find. The decent index at the back would also lead you to the pages, or selection of pages where you could find everything from sports equipment, bedroom furniture and seasonal products. I don’t think there will be many children who grew up in the last 40 or so years who didn’t go through the toy section circling what they wanted for their birthday or Christmas. It was a tradition. This was what we did, how we shopped. It was quite comforting actually.
The Shift To Online
As mentioned, I completely understand the shift towards online. This might be the case and even searching online seems more convenient, but it’s not the case for everyone. Some of us just want to fill an actual shopping basket rather than an online shopping basket. The high street is in need of investment and footfall, so this, I see as a step in the wrong direction. We should be encouraging people to the high street shops, to those retail parks. Instead of relying on couriers turning up with boxes. Perhaps instead of printing a job lot of the catalogues and putting them out at the front of the store on pallets, they could be requested? So those who want them, have them. Rather this than just there to pick up, realise you shouldn’t have picked up and end up dropping in the recycling. With Argos store apparently shutting down and taking over a corner of Sainsburys supermarkets, is the end of the Argos catalogue just because of our switch in shopping habits, or another cost cutting exercise?
Those Left Behind
Inevitably there are people who are going to be left behind. Those people in perhaps the older generation who don’t understand, have access to or want the internet in their lives. Those people, who have an Argos catalogue in the home for when Christmas comes around, they need to buy birthday presents or simply in case they need a new kettle, are going to be left behind. Did anyone else move into their first house, have no internet connected and just sit with the Argos catalogue, deciding what they wanted to buy, affordably, to bring their new house into a home? The new sideboard, blinds, television, crockery and more. There was a romance about the book, like so many things, now gone.
Did you know that many famous faces have graced the Argos catalogue before they got their big breaks. Holly Willoughby, Emma Willis, Lisa Snowdon, Tess Daly and even Arnold Schwarzenegger! We’ve all got to start somewhere!
What do you think about the end of the Argos catalogue? Do you have any memories of circling specific products that you really wanted for your next birthday? Or looking through those most wanted Christmas gifts for the year that you dreamed of Santa bringing on Christmas Day? Let me know over on Twitter.
Goodbye laminated book of dreams.
