IKEA gives iPhone users mobile catalogue browsing

by Stevie Smith - Dec 4 2009, 11:38

Looking to highlight its iconic brand of home furnishings through more cutting edge mediums, while also being more proactive from an ecological perspective, Swedish giant IKEA has announced it will begin delivering its product catalogue in a software application format.

Made available from December 03, UK owners of Apple’s equally iconic iPhone or iPod Touch handset will be able to browse the pages of IKEA’s 2010 Catalogue by simply downloading the official IKEA platform from the hugely popular App Store.

Once secured within their handsets, fans of IKEA’s sometimes oddly named line of products will be able to freely browse catalogue pages covering every part of the home – be it kitchen, bedroom or living room.

Clearly looking to increase the app’s popularity and effectiveness through the power of community, IKEA has said it plans to enhance functionality by gathering and processing comments, thoughts and opinions gleaned from those customers choosing to download the mobile catalogue.

“We hope that by taking the UK version of the IKEA Catalogue 2010 onto a mobile handset it will be even easier for our customers to have home furnishing inspiration literally at their fingertips!” enthused Jason Baker, manager of digital media and customer relationship at IKEA UK and Ireland.

“The exciting part for us is starting with the application in its simplest form and developing it in tandem with our customers,” he added. “We will listen and develop the app based on how they would like to use it.”

IKEA also believes that, beyond striving to help customer find more practical ways to enhance their daily routines, the new mobile app will be a lightweight and environmentally friendly alternative to the print edition.

IKEA reports that physical distribution of its print-based 2010 catalogue is down by 40 percent, a reduction the store hopes to increase.

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