John Lewis has announced measures to ensure customers can shop safely and conveniently both in-store and online in the final weeks before Christmas. These include the opportunity to book timed shopping slots in advance when the retailer reopens its shops across England from next week.
From next Wednesday (December 2) consumers can pre-book their visit online to any John Lewis shop including those in Scotland and Wales prior to arrival, up to 14 days in advance.
Other shoppers who find queues outside a John Lewis store may be added to a virtual queue by a partner, providing a timeframe for when they should return to enter the shop.
The retailer also boosts more than 900 Click & Collect locations across the UK, capacity for consumers to pick up Click & Collect orders in their cars from 15 Waitrose and 16 John Lewis car parks, and self check-in for Click & Collect at 98 Waitrose shops.
Pippa Wicks, executive director for John Lewis says: “While the nation is famous for it’s love of queuing, we want to make sure that as temperatures drop, our customers have the chance to do their Christmas shopping in a comfortable, convenient way, however they choose to shop with us.”
Some shops may also be extending trading hours in the run up to Christmas, notes Pippa.
Top: Scene from the joint John Lewis and Waitrose ‘Give A Little Love’ Christmas advertisement, which is celebrating kindness.