How can a book on Swedish tongue-twisters be a worldwide best-seller?

The IKEA 2012 catalogue is out. It was freshly delivered to our door step over the weekend. It is as if people at IKEA know all about our love for the store. I am yet to meet a person who’s been to IKEA coming out empty-handed – they certainly have mastered the art of making people buy something. I am sure IKEA catalogue features prominently in the scheme of things for them when it comes to making people buy.

First thing I did after landing my copy is to go to the lobby to grab a few more copies – 5 precisely. No, they do not come with discount coupons – they are for my fellow IKEA enthusiasts back in India. India is yet to have its first IKEA store (due to restrictions on foreign ownership I am told by mr-know-it-all, my hubby), but if my friend circles are any indication, they would not have any trouble finding fans when they open their first store.

Coming back to the plot – With a print order of 175 million, IKEA Catalogue apparently is the most published book in the world. What that means is that, if they were to be featured in any of the best-seller lists, it would pretty much be on #1 position, all year round.  

The catalogue look and feel is just the same as last year. With information of over 8,400 products packed into 374 pages it definitely feels like another IKEA marvel.  It is functional, well-organised and full of Swedish tongue-twisters.  

So to all my friends, for whom I’ll be sending copies, please note we are currently taking orders for November delivery. For all others here is the link to the online catalogue.


http://onlinecatalogue.ikea.com/AE/en/2012/IKEA_Catalogue/ 


Oh yeah, the answer to the question why this is a best-seller may lie in the previous all-time best-seller, the Bible. God only knows.