Brits get nostalgic over 1998 Argos catalogue  – and stunned by prices

A flip down memory lane: Sentimental Brits get nostalgic as TikToker browses through a 1998 Argos catalogue… and they can’t believe the prices

  •  A TikToker has unearthed an Argos relic from 1998 which has shocked people 
  •  The decades old catalogue shows old school TV’s going for as much as £400
  •  READ MORE: Nostalgic pictures of our top high street favourites 

In an era of online shopping and Amazon deliveries, waiting anything longer than three days for a package can seem an infuriating inconvenience. 

But a viral video has sparked feelings of nostalgia for TikTokers, as they reminisce over a 1998 Argos catalogue.

Sentimental users longed for the days of circling electronics and toys, or folding over corners of pages before adding items they’d never receive to a Christmas list. 

The wave of nostalgia was prompted by user @daniellesgames, after she posted the relic to 40,000 followers. 

A TikToker has sparked a wave of nostalgia after showing followers an Argos catalogue from 1998

Followers were shocked at how expensive electronics seemed two decades ago, as the going rate for a 14 inch TV was £249.99

In the video titled: ‘POV you’re looking through the catalogue in the 90’s and circling what you want for your birthday,’ the TikToker flicked through the now-discontinued catalogue. 

The front cover read ‘Argos Superstore’, and showed an old CD player, a drill, a table and chairs and a blue and yellow Little Tikes car.

Captioning the video, Danielle wrote: ‘I used to circle things knowing full well I’d never get them but this catalogue hit me in the feels.’

Some stand out items included an original PlayStation, with two controllers and a memory card, retailed at £129. 

The Nintendo Game Boy was also available to purchase at £53.99 and came with two games and a case. 

A 14 inch Daewood television was priced at an ‘outstanding value’ at £249.99, but shoppers could splash out on a 20 inch Phillips TV for £429. 

Meanwhile, other 14 inch TV’s ranged from £229.99 and £379.99, which shoppers could choose to pay in monthly instalments.  

Cassette tapes were another relic featured in the catalogue, and had followers feeling sentimental 

Hundreds of followers reminisced over browsing through the catalogue and circling their interest for Christmas 

Cassette players were another popular choice for shoppers in 1998, with Panasonic Cassette players taking up a full page, the most expensive priced at £74.99. 

Since it was posted, the video has gained over 11,000 likes and has received hundreds of comments, with some users in disbelief over how expensive some items seemed. 

READ MORE: Argos reveals dates of more store closures with 100 shops across the UK facing the axe over the next year

One user wrote: ‘Mad how expensive electrics used to be, £230 for a 14 inch screen.’

Another agreed: ‘You can get a 40′ TV now for the same price as a 14′ one back then!’

Meanwhile, others reminisced over the decades old catalogue, one wrote: ‘Used to write down a Christmas list, with the prices and catalogue numbers.’

To which the creator responded: ‘Me too but never got anything I wrote but was still fun to dream.’

Unfortunately, shoppers will never have the satisfaction of flicking through an Argos catalogue again, after the retailer scrapped them in 2020. 

After almost 50 years and one billion copies of the bi-annual Argos catalogue, Argos confirmed it’s expiry. 

In a statement at the time, the retail giant wrote: ‘We’re seeing an increasing shift towards digital shopping, using our mobile app, website and in-store browsers.’

‘Closing the book on the catalogue will help us focus on delivering exciting and inspiring digital shopping experiences to meet the changing needs of our customers, both in-store and online.’

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