To think this is a bit short sighted of John Lewis?

[mycatlikestwiglets]

I was about to order some bits and pieces from JL just now, for collection from my local Waitrose (there isn't a JL particularly nearby). However, they seem to have ditched the free collection and now charge £2! I for one will be buying much less as a result - I often buy things from there as it's so convenient to be able to collect locally, but from now on I'll only be shopping there if I'm spending enough to qualify for free delivery. AIBU to think this is a bad move by John Lewis?

I doubt that £2 is going to make a difference to most people.

John Lewis were losing money on free delivery to stores. Better to charge, than drop the service entirely.

Seems out of kilter with other retailers. Do you still get free collection from a JL store, but the £2 is if you pick it up from a Waitrose? I can see why they might do that as it's more faff for them.

But it's not £2 once, it's £2 on all those quick orders here and there. I used to buy say £25 of goods regularly, but I won't now it's going to cost £2 each time. But I am quite prepared to be told IABU if it's just me

That's a shame as I used to use them over other stores because of the easy collection.

£2 would still be cheaper for me than driving to the store and paying for parking.

They need to cover the cost of stores some how.
Ive seen a lot of retailers do this now.

The key is in the phrase "some bits and pieces". It's still free for orders over thirty quid but if you've got a smaller order of, say, a pair of DC's school uniform trousers then your choice is a) cough up a small amount for the convenience of Click & Collect b) top up your order to 30 pounds with some other useful stuff c) go elsewhere
They reckon that a and b will outweigh c.

But it's still free for orders £30 and over - that seems fair I think. Anything less than that isn't worth them shipping next day for free.

Click and collect will still be free if you spend more than £30. The £2 charge is only if you spend less.

The service had become unaffordable for them because people were using it for such small orders. They either had to start charging for smaller orders, or somehow add the cost to the price that you pay in store. The former seems fairer to me.

Just seen your last post on 'all those quick orders here and there.'

You were part of the problem and therefore part of the reason why they are charging below £30. Sorry. YABU.

Have to say, you've answered this yourself then. You mainly order small things and till now they pick up the cost of getting it to your nearby Waitrose, which is no longer economical. They're still a business even if it's JL; if it loses them money consistently it won't happen. Bet the £2 is comparable to your petrol costs for going to your nearest JL.

Retailers hate click and collect - it means they have to pay a lot of money keeping real-world stores open, just so stingy shoppers can buy at the cheapest price online.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-33371265

Nothing to do with cost for me. I would be happy to pay the normal postal delivery charge but still choose to have it delivered to a store to collect as I'm usually out at work.
I have had problems with deliveries sent by Royal Mail as if im not in they return them to the local sorting office to collect and it closes at 1.30 everyday. I would much rather pay and collect from somewhere that has more convenient opening times.

I've stopped buying from JL since this started, especially since I collected it from a JL store. Now I simply order it from Amazon. JL's loss.

I went on line to order something small, only £12 I think but when noticed the change I didn't bother, just bought from somewhere else next time I was in town. Can totally see why they have done it but does stop me spending little bits here and there, maybe better for me, not so much for them?

It's cheaper then parking. It is ridiculous you can order a mug and pick up in store. I was guilty of that.

When I worked for Waitrose the whole click and collect thing was a complete nightmare for stores. And this was a few years ago before it took off, so I can only imagine what it's like now. I think £2 is fair for small orders, as there's a lot of faff with receiving packages, storing them, having staff run to fetch them etc. Still cheaper than the petrol to get to JL.

I've stopped buying from them too since the £2 charge came in. I understand their reasoning but now I just shop around a lot more in case the item I want is to be had for less.

Hmmm interesting to see a range of views. The other factor is that I, and I'm sure many others, would also spend money in Waitrose as a result of going in to collect a John Lewis order. I'm much less likely to do that now.

Having said all that, I didn't realise it was still free if you spend over £30 (which looking back at my order history, I usually do anyway). That's good at least

Oh that is good, I would always spend over £30

I think it's still good value and convenient.
but most of the time I'm over the 30£ anyway...

I had no idea they had started charging! I live virtually next door to Waitrose and use click and collect all the time. Relieved you say it is still free over £30 though. I suppose it will make people group their items together (or just spend more) to avoid the charge.

Why are people saying it's cheaper than parking - thought all John Lewis car-parking was free? Our local one is.

So Waitrose isn't free parking?