Index

Forgotten Shops · 1987

Index was Littlewoods’ UK catalogue-showroom retail business. Littlewoods launched the format as The Catalogue Shop in October 1985, then formally launched it under the Index name in 1987. Customers selected general merchandise from seasonal catalogues, with shops chiefly used for ordering, payment and collection. The chain ceased trading in 2005 amid proposals for GUS to acquire selected assets and convert stores to Argos.

Why It Mattered

It marks the consolidation of UK catalogue-showroom retailing, with the 2005 proposals covering 33 standalone stores, the website and order-line catalogue business, and the Index brand. The Guardian’s 2005 reporting recorded Littlewoods’ view that buying power and location strategy had affected its ability to compete.

Catalogue-Showroom Model

The format began as The Catalogue Shop in October 1985 and was formally launched as Index in 1987.
Customers chose goods from catalogues; shops principally handled ordering, payment and collection.
Seasonal Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter catalogues covered categories including furniture, electricals, toys, jewellery, gifts, housewares, sport and DIY goods.

Estate & Retail Changes

A Competition Appeal Tribunal record described about 135 stores and approximately seven million catalogues per season at the time it covered.
In 2000, Littlewoods announced a rationalisation: five standalone sites were to close, 35 move into Littlewoods stores as Littlewoods eXtra, and 58 be rebranded Littlewoods Index.
Index and Littlewoods home shopping were recorded as separate Littlewoods retail channels.

Wind-Down & Legacy

In 2005, GUS proposed acquiring 33 standalone stores, the Index website and order-line catalogue business, and the Index brand.
Eurofound recorded an April 2005 closure announcement involving planned losses of 3,200 jobs, closure of 126 stores and intended Argos conversions for 33 stores.
The supplied records establish cessation during 2005, but do not securely establish one precise final trading day.