Littlewoods catalogue dropped

Shop Direct has stopped printing the Littlewoods catalogue - after more than 80 years.

The catalogue had been print managed by RR Donnelley.

Shop Direct group chief executive Alex Baldock said the move had been led by customers, who have “embraced online at a phenomenal pace”.

“This is where they’re browsing and where they’re buying,” he said.

Shop Direct, which owns department store brands including Very.co.uk and Littlewoods.com, has seen its print run diminish in recent years. Last season it sent out less than 300,000 books, compared with more than five million five years ago.

As recently as 2009, the catalogue was so key to sales that direct marketing company CDMS digitised it so that call centre staff could access searchable, interactive cataglogues while on calls. This meant that fewer printed copies were distributed to staff.

Online now accounts for more than 90% of sales, more than half of which are made on a mobile device, and its websites receive over one million visits per day. As well as reacting more quickly to fashion and buyer trends, online shopping allows the company to target its customers with personalised messages.

Baldock said: “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.”

The decision to cease catalogue production comes two years after Shop Direct decided to invest in digital, focusing on technology and customer analytics. It posted a 512% jump in profits in its last financial year.

Shop Direct has already won plaudits for its websites this year, taking home the pureplay etailer of the year award at both the Retail Week Awards and the Drapers Digital Awards.

RR Donnelley was not available for comment.