Our nearest branch of John Lewis is in Welwyn Garden City, and I was initially bewildered to discover that life seems to revolve around that store. Until recently the town centre has been totally dead each Monday. Puzzled, I did a large survey of customers in WGC town centre, and found that ... Read review
Advantages: Excellent quality goods, friendly staff, freedom to browse, sells everything INCLUDING the kitchen sink. Disadvantages: Relatively expensive, store layout confusing, can be hard to find assistance during busy times.
Our nearest branch of John Lewis is in Welwyn Garden City, and I was initially bewildered to discover that life seems to revolve around that store. Until recently the town centre has been totally dead each Monday. Puzzled, I did a large survey of customers in WGC town centre, and found that the most common reason for this quietness was John Lewis being shut on Mondays. Sure enough, since ithe store has changed its opening days, Welwyn Garden's shopping ... ...for meetings and dances. Although John Lewis doesn't provide several of these, it is still a central part of the community. In fact, several department stores in the town introduced new sections after seeing how successful JL was in these areas. Nobody can deny its commercial (and, in this branch's case, social) influence.
The store is in a well publicised, accessible location; its front is attractive, with well lit displays. The Welwyn ... more
Our nearest branch of John Lewis is in Welwyn Garden City, and I was initially bewildered to discover that life seems to revolve around that store. Until recently the town centre has been totally dead each Monday. Puzzled, I did a large survey of customers in WGC town centre, and found that the most common reason for this quietness was John Lewis being shut on Mondays. Sure enough, since ithe store has changed its opening days, Welwyn Garden's shopping habits have varied accordingly.
This may have a lot to do with the history of shopping in Welwyn Garden City: before the company arrived here in 1983, the store site was a social centre for the town, offering shopping, refreshments, a launderette, and a venue for meetings and dances. Although John Lewis doesn't provide several of these, it is still a central part of the community. In fact, several department stores in the town introduced new sections after seeing how successful JL was in these areas. Nobody can deny its commercial (and, in this branch's case, social) influence.
The store is in a well publicised, accessible location; its front is attractive, with well lit displays. The Welwyn shop offers a wider variety of services and products than many people realise: alongide bra fitting and specialised home furnishing guides, one can have their baby's handprint encased and framed. Various other unique and charming oddities are on offer. As such personalised service is rare in this day and age, it might be worth advertising these further in the local and national press.
This store's success is largely dependent upon its professional and helpful sales team. John Lewis is famous for its great customer care, and I have always been impressed with the atttitude of their staff. A clearly visible customer feedback box would be helpful in establishing customer needs and desires: although there is a dedicated customer services department, it is on the 2nd floor and is not easily accessible to all.
There does appear to be a staffing issue here that lowers the high standard somewhat: not all bases are well covered. More effort could be made to establish customer needs on the shop floor. The management team - whose members are present in each department - ought to ensure that assistants are available throughout the store to help customers, during busy periods in particular. This would really make the shop's service outstanding.
More vigilance on the shop floor could minimise security risks: in a store this size, shoplifting is likely.
The only part of this store that I was not entirely impressed with was the childrens shoes department. I have run a kids shoe shop myself and know the procedures. While observing the department in Welwyn, I thought more expertise could have been evident. Although fitting shoes is obviously, and quite rightly, time consuming, there was an overly long waiting time when I visited, despite this not being the Back to School period or during the busier times of day.
John Lewis is certainly not cheap; however, you do pay for quality goods. The Welwyn Garden store has a surprisingly wide range of products in most sections. Certain areas of the shop are, at times, quite low on stock. During quieter periods, team members could replenish and merchandise more. You can't sell something if customers don't know it is there, and can't see it!
John Lewis must maintain its position as market leader in order to grow further. The Partnership may find that major competitors, who are also long established, may gain market share (thanks to factors such as the rebranding of Marks and Spencer, and more department store openings as Debenhams have acquired former Allders stores). Superstores mushrooming in out-of-town centres also provide a wide range of specialist goods in collective outlets, these areas become John Lewis' rivals. Newer players in the industry, eg online retailers who have passed the market entry barrier, frequently offer the lowest market price while establishing themselves. This may well affect the traditional department store's popularity and performance.
However, as John Lewis has the advantage of its excellent reputation, I believe it will thrive as long as the stores continue to provide great service, expert advice, and a wide variety of products. John Lewis could make use of advancing technology to remain ahead of the competition.
Advantages: Wide range of high quality products Disadvantages: Busy and the ease of breaking things
...will be based around the John Lewis based in Cribbs Causway, Bristol. Ok, so please dont be offended by the title referring to 'upperclass'. I merely use the expression as everything in the shop seems to be so neat and 'shiney', it's a heaven for anyone who wants to feel like they are shopping in the posh area of society. But is the shop really that great, well you can judge for yourselves my friends............
Layout
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Firsts things ... ...I have already said before John Lewis is located in the Mall, Cribbs Causeway. The shop is in an excellent location as many shoppers go to John Lewis as well as visiting all the other shops. You can easily leave the shop to go for a coffee or something to eat and then return later. As it takes up the whole oof one side of the mall it is a huge place. It is easily accessible and has a very large carpark directly adjacent to the ground floor, all of ...
LukeRichardson 22.11.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of John Lewis (Shop)
Advantages: Fantastic friendly staff, salespeople that aren't on commission, 2 year warranty on laptps Disadvantages: End up spending too much because I love it there
...into my local branch of John Lewis (Cheadle) and was completely ready for the salespeople. In most of the other shops I had been to I was virtually ignored by the male staff so they could concentrate on the 'real' purchasers - men. Being young I was made to feel completely patronised by the sales staff who talked to me as though I was stupid (not the case!).
John Lewis took me completely by surprise; I was on the defensive when ‘Gary’ came over ... ...Gary had told me about John Lewis’ 28 day no quibble money back guarantee, so I very nervously took it back a few days later expecting them to kick up a bit of a fuss or try to push me into getting something else – this didn’t happen they didn’t question it and refunded my money.
As it happens I went back to Gary and bought the other one he had recommended – a Hewlett Packard Pavilion ze4200 250mb, 30gb 15” monitor with DVD / CD RW for £999 (bargain!). ...
zippyfi 19.05.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of John Lewis (Shop)
Advantages: Friendly helpful staff! Dont jump on you as soon as you walk in! Disadvantages: They dont have their own engineers...
...year after this we saw John Lewis were doing a samsung double-door fridge freezer with water and ice depenser! The price was 899 pounds and this was still cheaper than anywhere else we had looked! Anyway, we decided to buy and was also pleased with the extra years guarantee thats John Lewis themselves give! We went ahead and bought it!It only took 5 days from being in stock to us buying it to it being delivered! We thought it too good to be true ... ...to the phone call to John Lewis;we knew that they should give a better service but thought things had gone too smoothly at the initial stages! We expected, long waits on the phone, telephonists that didnt understand and long delays for call outs!
We rung the John Lewis, in Kingston, where we had bought the fridge/freezer and spoke to a very friendly and helpful lady! She told us that she completely understood our frustrate and that she would be ...
Rachey_Babey 10.09.2003 (13.09.2003)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of John Lewis (Shop)
Advantages: friendliest staff you could meet, well established Disadvantages: price matching is a bit suspect
...for shopping and shopping in John Lewis.
Now to the pricing.
I wouldn't say I buy everything I need in John Lewis as the pricing policy confuses me slightly. John Lewis is competitive but mainly with other high street stores and their policy of price matching means you have to fill in a form and give them details of where you found the price. So you can't buy an item until they have checked this out. This puts me off, so I have never tried this ... ...Furthermore, John Lewis does not price match with internet, which is reasonable. But the John Lewis internet site does not price match with other internet sites so I find that a bit bemusing!
Also, I wouldn't say I agree with the "Never Knowingly Undersold" blanket quote across the whole of John Lewis John Lewis pricing never exceeds RRP, so if other stores have the same price I would definitely recommend buying it from John Lewis
Feel free to ...
jupiter28 27.03.2008 (28.03.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of John Lewis (Shop)
Advantages: very good quality, very well appointed stores, makes shopping enjoyable! Disadvantages: none
John Lewis
I have to admit, before regularly shopping in John Lewis I had a supposition that it was over-priced and sold a limited range of stock - expensive clothes and make-up, and a small amount of kitchenware. This is most definitely not the case; this Christmas, I did all my shopping in John Lewis, joint with its partner Waitrose, I can't think of anything it doesn't sell. Its also not over-priced at all. Certain things, such as John Lewis ... ...really no more expensive in John Lewis, and you can then do all your shopping in one place! I bought some woollen gloves in John Lewis a couple of years ago for £10, and at the same time, a pair in H & M for £1.50. The H & M ones now have numerous holes in and have got to that very bobbly effect that just doesn't look very nice. The John Lewis brand, however, still look as if they've only been worn a few times. The same goes for a scarf that I bought ...
beccy12001 28.12.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of John Lewis (Shop)
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Advantages: Great range of services Disadvantages: None
JohnLewis is a department store with 29 shops around the UK. They offer a wide range of high quality goods in departments such as: gifts, lighting, pictures, china and glass, linens, haberdashery, furnishing and fabrics, womenswear, lingerie, beauty, nursery, menswear, audio, toys and kitches/kitchenwear.
Within the store they stock not only their own range of goods but also other branded names such as, Jigsaw, Joules, Levi and Warehouse in clothing, Bobbi Brown, Clarins and Clinique in the beauty section and Bose, Apple and Canon in electricals.
As you can acertain they sell a wide range of products from knitting needles and wool to high end audio systems. All items are of great quality and if anything falls below the standard you will expect they have a great returns and refund policy with a flexible 28 days. They will even return ...
I know this is a really short review but i just have to let everyone know that i have just visited the largest primark store i have ever been to.
It is situated in High St,Bromley.This is where the Allders dept store used to be.
I have been to various Primark branches over the years,but this is the largest and takes up 3 whole floors.
They also have a much wider selection of goods in all the depts.
It reminds me of the old John Barnes store (part of JohnLewis chain) in Finchley rd,Swisscottage,way back in the 70's.
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nilukshi 30.10.2006
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Advantages: Modern, lots of shops, food court Disadvantages: Gets very busy
West Quay is a huge, and I mean huge shopping centre in Southampton City Centre.
It is a fairly new centre so the design is modern and spacious, but at busy times this is a problem. Because the distance between shops opposite each other is quite a long way, when the centre is really busy it is almost impossible to get from one side to the other. This as I have said is only a problem at busy times, during the week it is absolutely fine.
It consists of 3 floors, 2 floors of shops and a food court on the top floor. The shops are pretty much what you see in every shopping centre, City or Town, but it is so much easier here as they are all together. No need to go walking up and down high streets to find the shop you want. This is epscially helpful when the weather is bad. Some of the shops include; JohnLewis, Clinton Cards, Game, Schuh ...
