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What's the secret of John Lewis' success?

As you are probably aware, John Lewis Partnership delivered a great performance during the Christmas period which continued in to the January sales.  I have been thinking about why this brand should be so strong, articularly in such a tough trading environment.  Based on my own experiences of JLP through the years I believe they cover the bases extremely well.

• The shopping experience.  The stores are brightly lit and clean, the stock is displayed well, there are plenty of tills and normally sufficient staff on the shop floor to deal with individual queries. 
• The stock.  Products are from mainstream brands and the JLP products are generally good quality.   2 year guarantee on electrical goods, together with an easy to use returns policy provide the shopper with peace of
  mind.
• The pricing promise.  In time of recession this kind of reassurance makes a difference.  Admittedly it doesn’t apply to the internet, but for all those people in the store it can give confidence that they’re not being ripped off.
• The partnership structure.   The staff are generally helpful, knowledgeable and pleasant to deal with.  To shop in a store where the assistants actually care about your shopping experience is a pleasant exception to the norm.
• The brand itself.  The brand is easily recognisable after so many years of consistent messaging.  Care has been taken to build the reputation of the company and ensure marketing communications are effective.

Availability.  There are a reasonable number of stores, however not so many that its desirability is diluted.  Shopping on the website is easy and delivery of items flexible.

To be honest, it’s not a long list and I wonder why so many other retailers fall short in one or more areas.    A strong vision, a well developed strategy, consistent marketing, excellent service and a quality product shouldn’t be that difficult to achieve.  However I know it’s easier said than done, so do ensure you have the necessary skills to deliver each area, whether it’s in-house or through external support.  There’s too much at stake to take short cuts.

Anita Weyland