John Lewis 'At Home' opens in Swindon.

John Lewis at home Swindon is the third branch of the retailer's exciting new 'at home' format, which focuses exclusively on furniture, furnishing accessories, homeware, electronics and home technology.

The 40,000sq ft Swindon shop will allow the retailer to reach more customers, significantly increase its presence in a new region and provide more ways for customers to shop with John Lewis. This will include Click and Collect, a service where products are ordered online for next day collection.

Research has shown that 28 per cent of customers currently ordering from John Lewis online would be more likely to use the Click and Collect service if their drive time was under 40 mins. This presents a strong opportunity for John Lewis at home Swindon, as customers can use Click and Collect to access the wider John Lewis assortment including fashion, beauty and nursery.

Tim Harrison, Head of Format Development, John Lewis, said: 'We are thrilled to be opening in Swindon today. The assortment is varied and extensive enough to furnish every room in the house and like our full line department stores, John Lewis at home offers a differentiated service, inspiring products and great value.

'In the lead up to the busy Christmas period, we are confident that John Lewis at home will serve our customers well by giving them convenient access to John Lewis products. The Click and Collect service also means shoppers can easily access items we don't sell in our 'at home' format such as fashion, fragrance, beauty and toys.'

Following the launch of the first John Lewis at home in Poole last October, John Lewis has continued to trial the format throughout 2010. John Lewis at home Croydon opened in August and Tunbridge Wells will open early next month - taking the total number of 'at home' branches to four. John Lewis believes there are at least 30 locations, if not more, across the UK which could support an 'at home' outlet.

Source : The Retail Bulletin