UK DIY News
John Lewis Opens New Cheltenham Store; Offers After-Hours Private Shopping
John Lewis & Partners has today opened its 51st store, located in Cheltenham.
John Lewis Cheltenham is one of the retailer’s 15 pilot shops - an initiative launched earlier this year which sees John Lewis explore new ideas and concepts, including Personal & Private Shopping experiences, across a national spread of selected shops.
Over 300 Partners have been recruited to work at the new shop, with each and every Partner receiving expert training, including bespoke ‘theatre training’ by the National Theatre to help them deliver outstanding customer service.
Cheltenham customers will find over 49,000 products from more than a thousand brands, including John Lewis’s newly launched own-label womenswear brand, John Lewis & Partners, and the American label Madewell, which launched in UK shops exclusively with John Lewis earlier this year.
As well as the three new experiences (Private Shopping, The Shopping List and Get My Gifts, explained below) John Lewis & Partners will also offer bookable services at the shop’s Experience Desk, including Personal Styling, John Lewis’s first express Blow Dry bar, Nursery Advice and Home Design consultations.
This service-led approach forms part of John Lewis’s strategy to focus on delivering extraordinary service through building personal relationships with customers and creating innovative and exclusive Partner-centric experiences.
John Lewis has invested approximately £23 million in building the 115,000 sq ft shop.
In a press release, John Lewis & Partners said:
Today, John Lewis & Partners has revealed three brand new experiences for customers to enjoy exclusively at its new shop in Cheltenham, which opens on Thursday 18th October. John Lewis & Partners Cheltenham will open with over 20 different services and experiences in total, offering customers the opportunity to create their very own personalised shopping experience, just in time for the festive season. The three new experiences will offer the ultimate in bespoke shopping.
'Private Shopping'
Previously the reserve of exclusive boutiques for the famous few, John Lewis Cheltenham is bringing the exclusivity of after-hours shopping to the high street with the retailer’s first ever Private Shopping experience.
Customers can book out the whole shop and have exclusive use after-hours, with an expert team of John Lewis Partners on hand to create the ultimate bespoke shopping experience.
The service is available for both individuals and groups, and customers can curate whatever shopping trip they like, whether it’s a special shopping party for a big group of friends and family or one customer wishing to have exclusive use of the shop to design and furnish their home.
The service carries a minimum spend of £10,000, bookable in advance.
'The Shopping List'
The Shopping List is John Lewis’s first ever foray into a full service personal shopping experience.
Customers simply book an appointment, bring along a list of what they’re looking for - whether that’s specific items or a more general 'to buy for' list - and their very own John Lewis Partner will do the rest.
Customers can choose from having personal expert assistance and advice whilst they shop, or kicking back with a glass of fizz whilst their John Lewis Partner does all the hard work for them.
The service is free of charge with no minimum spend.
'Get My Gifts'
With only two months to go until Christmas, Get My Gifts is the ultimate Christmas gifting service, providing a helping hand to those who want to find special gifts for their friends and family.
Customers can book their very own John Lewis Gift Guru who, with their expert product knowledge and extraordinary service, will help customers tick off their Christmas Gift list, whether it's finding the perfect gift for a loved one, a hard-to-buy-for office Secret Santa or filling the whole family’s stockings.
The service is free of charge with no minimum spend - and can be used all the way up to 5pm on Christmas Eve for last minute shoppers!
All three services will be exclusively trialled at John Lewis & Partners Cheltenham and can be booked in advance at the shop’s Experience Desk.
'Personal Styling'
The shop will also feature John Lewis’s biggest Style Studio to date, with four personal styling lounges where customers can enjoy a one on one or group style consultation.
Following the growing popularity of men’s personal styling, the shop will also be home to John Lewis’s first ever Men’s Personal Styling Lounge.
Peter Cross, Partner and Director, Customer Experience 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.'
Source : Insight DIY Team and John Lewis Partnership
Insight provides a host of information I need on many of our company’s largest customers. I use this information regularly with my team, both at a local level as well as with our other international operations. It’s extremely useful when sharing market intelligence information with our corporate office.
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