Shop Direct to stop printing catalogues

Shop Direct, which owns brands including Very.co.uk and Littlewoods.com, is stopping the production of its catalogues after more than 80 years, as consumers continue to head online.

The decision follows a dramatic decrease in the number of catalogues it has been sending out, last season only 300,000 versions were produced, compared to more than five million five years ago, and way down on its 25 million a year in its heyday.

Shop Direct group chief executive Alex Baldock said: “This is a big step in Shop Direct’s transformation and importantly, it’s one that’s been led by our customers. They’ve embraced online at a phenomenal pace - this is where they’re browsing and where they’re buying.”

Consumer shopping patterns have heralding this change, as online now accounts more than 90 percent of Shop Direct’s sales, more than half of which are made on mobile devices, and its websites receive over one million visits per day.

Shop Direct to stop Littlewoods catalogue

The decision to cease catalogue production comes two years after Shop Direct launched its strategy to transform itself into a “world class” digital retailer. Additionally, it seems unproductive for the continuation of the printed catalogue which is costly to produce, especially when online sales keep increasing.

“Undoubtedly, we’ve sped up their migration online. Our investment in improving and personalising the online experience is driving our customers’ decision to click rather than flick,” added Baldock. “We want to spend in areas that really matter to our customer. We know they want a slick, easy online experience and they want it tailored for them. We’re going to give them what they want.”

Baldock continued: “Now that we’ve fully committed to digital, we’re determined to make ours the best website in the world.”

Image: Littlewoods.com