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?

They're delivering stock to a store that they're 100% guaranteed to sell almost immediately (in fact they've already taken the money). You can't say that of any of the other stock they deliver. Surely that represents a massive win for the company?

I went to buy something on Click and Collect (from my local newsagent) and noticed they now charge for it

New name and account after MN hackergate but have been around for a while!

I don't have decent shops near me so do most of my shopping online. It's a bit of a chicken and egg situation, you buy online, so there aren't the real world shops - and there aren't the real world shops (or they don't have the range) so you buy online. I don't have a problem with paying £2 as it's easier to collect things from Waitrose or M&S than it is from our sorting office which has no parking, keen traffic wardens (equivalent of, as it's on a private estate) and short opening hours.

However, if I were in a JL shop and ordered something that they didn't have in stock I would expect that to come to the store free of charge. If I go in and they don't have my size, a decent store will get it for you and not charge for the privilege. Does JL really do that? It's rubbish if not.

Sorry I meant it's rubbish if so! Doh.

I can see why they've had to do it. However, my John Lewis has had a massive revamp in the last few years and is no longer a useful place to go!

You used to be able to go to John Lewis and pick up what you needed from the store. They had a warehouse so could go and see if they had any more in stock.

No warehouse means they are frequently out of stock in store and therefore you have to purchase online for click and collect. If I have to pay for it, that's going to piss me off.

I think that is rubbish. I understand they can't possibly stock everything in every size or colour all the time, but they should also understand that and get it for you for free. I've been into other shops and they've got garments in my size from other stores or their warehouse and not charged me for it. Admittedly yes I've had to wait a bit for it, but then maybe JL should give you the choice - eg tomorrow for £2 or at the weekend for free?

I don't have an issue with them charging me if I order online from home though.

tiggy, that's my other main gripe too - when they first introduced click & collect, I would often go to JL because I wanted to buy something and take it home that day, and it wasn't in stock. They would tell
me that they could order it in but that it would take a few days so would be easier to C&C. Which I would always do but with slightly I'll grace because I'd gone to the shop to buy it.

But if you now cannot find an item in store and have to pay to have it ordered in....well that's just nuts and a massive reduction in service. Which is, after all, part of the whole reason for shopping there?

Maybe if you order in store it will be free as your not 'clicking' and it's their fault for not stocking that size / colour