Ikea catalogs?

Question

Got this Q in an assignment:

To what extent are catalogs an effective means of promoting Ikea?

We have to give advantages and disadvantages of Catalogs

SOS!!!

Answer 1

Oooh, I like IKEA, so here are the pros and cons of the catalog based on my personal experience:

Pros:

-Can get a general idea of pricing and what products are available.

-Able to read about what the products are made of and how they are made

-Able to see some of the newest items as they are available (rather than driving all the way out there to find the same old stuff).

-The catalog has many more examples than the store of how to utilize their products (in various spaces, different color schemes in regard to decor).

-You can order through the catalog thus avoiding the crowds and long lines.

Cons:

-Not ALL items in the store are shown in the catalog.  Plus you don't see what items are on sale since the catalog shows regular pricing.

-You can't tell how sturdy or cheaply made something is just by looking at the catalog.

-Unable to see ALL the new items just by looking at the catalog.

-Although the catalog has many examples of how to utilize their items in different spaces it is more realistic to see it displayed in person at the store.   A display utilizing 500 sq. ft. and seeing it in person is a lot different than a simple picture.

-I don't think you can order the neat food products through the catalog.

-If you do order through the catalog you pay for outrageous shipping prices- it's cheaper to use your own gas and drive to and from the store yourself.

-The catalog is really thick- I wonder how much if it was made from recycled materials.

-The catalog is not as efficient or updated as the website.

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As you can see, while the catalog is great for ideas, I prefer to compare it to their website and then simply go to the store in person.  The catalogs are somewhat effective though I utilize the website more and I rely on in-store browsing to make the final decision.

I hope this helps. :)