Freemans drops printed catalogue after 118 years
The publication reached millions of homes each year with the last print run dropping on eight million doorsteps.
However, Freemans said its website offers 55,000 items for shoppers to choose from whereas the catalogue could only feature a few thousand. With more than 30 million unique visitors visiting Freemans.com each year, the brand is now ending the catalogue’s print run.
The retailer said the move will save 650 tonnes of paper annually.
Freemans chief executive Ann Steer explained: “The Freemans catalogue was a national institution and one of the most successful retail sales tool the UK has ever seen. It was the UK’s biggest and the best store catalogues and has served generations of families.
“However, we need to move with the times, in response to how customers are shopping these days. The transition to digital means we can serve today’s families with even more choice of great value items, all at the swipe of a phone screen.”
The move coincides with news that the retailer’s sales were up 13% year-on-year in the six months to 30 June as its customer base increased by 34% to over one million.
Freemans began its digital transformation journey three years ago.
Steer added: “It’s significant step towards Freemans becoming the digital department store of choice for customer both new and old. We have made huge in-roads over the last three years and it’s paying dividends as shoppers with Freemans.com continue to grow. This is just the start – I promise you, there is loads more to come,”
