Catalogues
Argos publishes catalogues twice a year (a spring/summer edition in January and an autumn/winter edition in July). Current editions have well over 1500 pages containing photographs of items, brief descriptions, prices and a catalogue number. Store copies are almost identical to home versions except for being ring-bound with individually laminated pages.
Catalogues are complemented by seasonal sales flyers, offering non-catalogue lines and price reductions on existing deals. Other items are sometimes available in stores, such as ex-catalogue goods at reduced prices (especially after the launch of a new catalogue).
In early 2006, Argos carried out a trial of a new catalogue branded Argos Home in over 100 stores in the U.K. This proved successful and on 5 August 2006, it launched the second Argos Home catalogue, this time in all 200 Argos Extra stores. The catalogue only contains home furniture and styling tips for the current season. Most items displayed in the Argos Home catalogue are also available in the main catalogue too. There are occasionally new lines in the Home catalogue which may have not been available at the time the main catalogue went to print.
As part of the Autumn/Winter 2010 rebrand, all stores will be branded simply as "Argos" when they are refitted. Former "Extra" marked lines will be available in all stores. However, stock levels will entirely depend on the area's demand for that particular line. If it does not sell, then the item will have to be ordered in to that store. (Argos stores in city centres will theoretically have a slightly different stocked-in range than those on retail parks.)
In late 2012, Argos announced that as of 2013 they were planning to scale back the catalogue, so to accommodate and push for more use of its website and digital media. The in-store laminated version of the catalogue will be scrapped completely in a move toward digital technology in stores and the introduction of an order and pay service used via a mobile phone will be implemented.
Read more about this topic: Argos (retailer)
Famous quotes containing the word catalogues:
“It is, in both cases, that a spiritual life has been imparted to nature; that the solid seeming block of matter has been pervaded and dissolved by a thought; that this feeble human being has penetrated the vast masses of nature with an informing soul, and recognised itself in their harmony, that is, seized their law. In physics, when this is attained, the memory disburthens itself of its cumbrous catalogues of particulars, and carries centuries of observation in a single formula.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)