Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
Department store group John Lewis & Partners opened its 51st shop – at Cheltenham in Gloucestershire – on October 18.
The retailer has invested about £23 million in building the 115,000sq ft shop at 123 High Street. Staffed by a 300-strong team, it stocks over 49,000 products from more than a thousand brands
John Lewis & Partners has also revealed details of three new experiences for customers to enjoy exclusively at its new shop that promise to offer ‘the ultimate in bespoke shopping’. They are:
Private Shopping: Customers can book out the whole shop and have exclusive use after-hours, with a team of staff on hand. The service is available for both individuals and groups, and customers can curate whatever shopping trip they like, whether it’s a special shopping party for a big group of friends and family, or one customer wishing to have exclusive use of the shop to design and furnish their home. The service carries a minimum spend of £10,000, bookable in advance.
‘The Shopping List’: This is John Lewis’ first foray into a full service personal shopping experience. Customers book an appointment, bring a list of what they’re looking for – whether that’s specific items or a more general ‘to buy for’ list – and their own staff member will do the rest. The service is free with no minimum spend.
‘Get My Gifts’: With two months to go until Christmas, ‘Get My Gifts’ is a Christmas gifting service, providing a helping hand to those who want to find special gifts for their friends and family. Customers can book their own John Lewis ‘Gift Guru’ who will help customers tick off their Christmas Gift list. The service is free with no minimum spend and can be used up to 5pm on Christmas Eve.
All three services are being exclusively trialled at John Lewis & Partners Cheltenham and can be booked in advance at the shop’s Experience Desk.
John Lewis & Partners director of customer experience Peter Cross said: “In an age of rapidly changing shopping habits, there can be nothing more special than your own personal shopper.
“Previously the reserve of exclusive boutiques for the famous few, this Autumn in Cheltenham, with the help of our army of expertly trained Partners [staff], we are bringing the intimacy, luxury and magic of personal shopping to the high street.”
The branch offers more than 20 different services and experiences in total. As well as the three new experiences, bookable services at the shop’s Experience Desk include Personal Styling (at John Lewis’ biggest Style Studio to date, with four personal styling lounges where customers can enjoy a one-on-one or group style consultation), John Lewis’ first express Blow Dry bar, John Lewis’ first Men’s Personal Styling Lounge, Nursery Advice and Home Design consultations.
