John Lewis in Trouble

[TrainedByCatsToBeScathing]

John Lewis are struggling, even the Waitrose side of things. 11,000 out of a workforce of 80,000 is a lot, I’m sad for their mostly female sales force and there’s many reasons for their problems particularly with them not adapting quickly to the challenge from online sales.

However I was a very regular shopper in my local John Lewis and I stopped completely after their patronising offensive response to my query about single sex changing rooms a few years ago. I’d buy furniture, white goods, kitchenware, electronics, carpet, clothes, toys, haberdashery, cosmetics, shoes even jewellery (I was shocked when I realised how much I defaulted to John Lewis as it took a little while to switch to alternatives some of my loyalty was convenience). Obviously I’m just one shopper but it never seemed a good idea to piss off loyal customers as when trading conditions are challenging you need those customers even more.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13082653/John-Lewis-threatens-staff-disciplinary-action-unacceptable-comments-internal-intranet-retail-giant-considers-cutting-11-000-jobs-bid-recover-230m-losses.html

I used waitrose after the pandemic for online shop. The waitrose is a distance from me so it was really only viable as an online shop. I found the introduction of a delivery charge annoying so went back to in person Aldi and Sainsbury's shop. It seemed short sighted to lose customer spending at least £150 weekly (more if I bought a case of wine) on average for the sake of a £4 delivery charge.

At around the same time their "offers" became more expensive and they stopped sending out a magazine. I was prepared to pay more for better quality but didn't like feeling ripped off.

My experience in JL recently was uninspiring. Went in after school determined to get school shoes. Clarks fall apart and cost ££££ so I wanted start rite or geox. DS1 did well with a pair of start rites for JL last year.

Anyway they had nothing in and as I didn't want Clarks then they just looked embarrassed and turned me away. This is in a major store so no excuse for not stocking a range. I went to M&S and they had a good selection but I'd rather have bought some pricey ones as M&S are poor quality and won't last. I decided buy cheap buy twice probably OK as DS had moved up a shoe size anyway but I don't think JL is going to last given how moribund it is in a major store.

I recently found out that 4 returns I made in February had not been credited- spread across the month. 2 that I didnt collect and were sent back but despite being in 1 parcel only part were refunded, 1 dropped at Waitrose and luckily I had the receipt and 1 sent with Royal Mail.

£290 odd in total. They refunded immediately when I called and so I suspect that they are aware that they had/have an issue.

I went there to get a new mattress. The customer service was non-existent. I approached one of the staff and asked a rookie question about the price differential - from a few hundred pounds to a few thousand. Maybe it was a stupid question, but she didn't try to hide her contempt for me. I felt awkward trying out the mattresses so I left. Made an appointment to visit my local Dreams store instead, where I was greeted at the door, offered a hot drink, asked about my preferences, escorted to suitable mattresses and assured that I could and should take as long as I wanted. Such a different experience.

I've been looking for an outfit for a special occasion. At the weekend I went into both the department stores in town which have a range of clothing concessions, of which JL is one, to have a look. First one: really busy, with an appropriate number of helpful, attentive staff - one walked halfway across the department and back to bring me something I'd forgotten to pick up to complete my purchase, all with a smile. JL: absolute ghost town, shoppers/browsers in single figures, hardly a member of staff to be found, and the one I did finally manage to track down wasn't rude, but she was vague and unsure of the answer to my question.

I don't want it to go to the wall because my local town has already lost so many shops and chains, but it really needs to buck up its ideas.

I bought a very pricey item last month.£450 pricey! Something that I can ill afford but can't sleep without. Online as I'm disabled and can't get to my "local" JL which is a 120-mile round trip.

I emailed them asking for help regarding the battery which is not as advertised by a long way (old stock maybe?).

I had an email back telling me to take it to the nearest store that stocks the item. I checked and that's a 260-mile round trip!

I emailed them back and said again that I am unable to travel to store or I'd have bought it there in the first place.

Had another email telling me they understand but can I take it back? Not very inclusive of people with disabilities either then.

I made the mistake of buying from JL. Never again.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68760475

Ouch, that is bad service. They really should have been much more accommodating.

I get the feeling that JL "customer service" (using that term loosely) don't read emails properly. Had an experience like that when the zip of my niece's jacket broke. Took five emails for them to accept that the jacket was 500 miles away in Germany and could not be brought into the Oxford Street store.

Maybe I should try again. I'd given up.

Both emails acknowledged my travel problem then ignored it!

Glad yours was sorted in the end.

September can't come soon enough, which I am sad to say as normally i am pleased if a woman gets a top job.
I was in a large JL yesterday and it was pretty quiet. I spent ages browsing the shoe section as I need trainers and shoes for a wedding. Zero interaction from any of the staff who were chatting in twos at the counters.
Eventually I found something I wanted to buy in another dept and was served very well with good advice by an older staff member/partner.
I really hope JL can turn this around .

Last week DH bought a new laptop from JL and paid for the full tech support data transfer/handholding for technophobes customer support package - £80. He was at the other end of the country by the time he realised it wasn't charging, and ALL his data had vanished. Took it into another John Lewis branch where the tech support confirmed that the original 'expert' hadn't checked for software updates before handing it back, so nothing had been installed correctly, including the charging functionality. (?!??!!?) Thankfully, DH hadn't wiped his old laptop so was able to reinstall everything but ffs. If the second 'expert' knew immediately what the first 'expert' hadn't done, then why is there no checklist for these 'experts' to follow?