JOHN Lewis has some very loyal customers – but is everything in the store worth the hype?
Classed as a “high-end” department store the retailer has branches up and down the country and sells everything from clothing to electrical goods.
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Known for its customer service and quality John Lewis is the “go-to” for lots of people whether their purchase is big or small.
Its customers almost expect to pay a little bit more for the security of knowing that if anything goes wrong, they will be looked after.
There are definitely some things that deserve such staunch loyalty, but also some that you might want to consider shopping around for.
Anyday Range
The John Lewis Anyday Range initially launched with homeware and has grown across technology, baby care, and baby clothing.
Prices are on average 20% lower than the current John Lewis own brand and offers “quality and style at everyday prices”.
It is worth looking out for Anyday brand, across the home and garden they have 950 product lines.
But it is also worth shopping around to get the best deal.
We did a price comparison on a garden bistro table and two chairs in the Anyday range that retails at £199 and other are cheaper options available.
Argos has a similar version for £67 and AlicesGarden.co.uk also has a version for £79.00.
However, it is worth remembering that a lot of customers who shop at John Lewis do so for the quality of the product.
So it could be a better investment to pay a little bit more for value for money overall if it lasts longer.
Branded clothing
There are many different brands offered by John Lewis such as French Connection, Hobbs, Jigsaw, Under Armour and Adidas to name a few.
John Lewis does have a few sales throughout the year so it is always worth checking if some of the branded items have been discounted.
Some shoppers have spotted some items are discounted, when they remain full price on the brand’s own website.
If you’re after a particular item, it’s worth checking if you can get it a the department store for less compared to buying direct.
Shop in the sale
John Lewis does have a few sales throughout the year that range from 20% off to up to 70% off.
If you are savvy it could mean that you could end up with quite a big discount, especially if you are purchasing larger items or electrical goods.
Display items
An ex-John Lewis employer revealed that one way savvy shoppers can save is to ask for display items.
Keith Grinstead, 69, from Suffolk, worked for the retailer for two and a half years, he said: “You can get a discount of up to 20%.
“Don’t be frightened to ask for a display model – you could get money off.
“If it’s in a bad or damaged box, say you’re buying it as a present for someone and need a discount – nine times out of 10 you’ll get one.”
What to avoid
John Lewis has a wide selection of beauty products, make-up and perfume both instore and online.
However, they do not always offer the best deals or discounts on these items.
Websites such as Look Fantastic and The Perfume Shop often offer money off across big fragrance and beauty brands such as Charlotte Tilbury and Molton Brown – so it could be worth shopping around online before making a big beauty haul in John Lewis.
More and more discount retailers are also offering dupes on big-brand cosmetics and perfume.
For instance, Superdrug shoppers have been rushing to buy an £8.50 dupe of a designer perfume that cost £110.
Some shoppers say they are as good as the real thing, so it might even be worth checking if your favourite branded fragrance has a cheaper counterpart.
Meanwhile, John Lewis no longer offers the “never knowingly undersold” policy.
In August 2022 the retailer stopped price-matching competitors.
So if you were only going into a John Lewis to take advantage of this, sadly you will be disappointed.
