John Lewis to trial private shopping service at new Cheltenham store

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Oct 16, 2018

John Lewis is responding to the rise of online shopping by making its stores increasingly more experiential, and its latest move is launch three new in-store services which make the shopping experience more personal and exclusive.

The department store chain has announced it is launching ‘Private Shopping’, ‘The Shopping List’ and ‘Get My Gifts’ at its new Cheltenham store, which is due to open on Thursday.

The new services will offer customers a bespoke shopping experience, and join 20 other services being rolled out at the new John Lewis location.

The first of the three new initiatives, ‘Private Shopping’, will allow customers to book out the entire shop for exclusive after-hour shopping for a minimum spend of £10,000. Available for both individuals and groups, customers can curate whatever shopping trip they like and get advice from an expert team of staff.

Along a similar line, ‘The Shopping List’ will offer customers the opportunity to book an appointment with a John Lewis Partner to get help with their shopping needs. Customers can either choose from having a personal assistant and advice whilst they shop, or have a John Lewis Partner tackle their shopping list independently.

The service is free of charge with no minimum spend, like the new ‘Get My Gifts’. This offers a gifting service complete with a John Lewis Gift Guru to help customers find the perfect gifts for their family and friends.

Peter Cross, director of customer experience at John Lewis, said: “In an age of rapidly changing shopping habits there can be nothing more special than your own personal shopper. Previously the reserve of exclusive boutiques for the famous few, this Autumn in Cheltenham, with the help of our army of expertly trained Partners, we are bringing the intimacy, luxury and magic of personal shopping to the high street.”

The new Cheltenham store will also feature the retailer’s largest Style Studio to date, with four personal styling lounges for individual or group consultations, and a Men’s Personal Styling Lounge.