John Lewis plans corner shop 'click and collect' service
With its famous 'never knowingly undersold' promise and reputation for quality goods, John Lewis has long enjoyed a faithful following amongst Brits.
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Now the retailer has announced plans to take convenience to a whole new level, with a 'click and collect' service that would allow shoppers to pick up purchases from their local corner shop or post office.
The new service will mean busy customers who are not at home to sign for deliveries can shop happily online without having to worry about getting to their nearest store to collect.
Andy Street, managing director of John Lewis, outlined the plan yesterday at the British Retail Consortium Symposium, and suggested the popularity of internet shopping means retailers no longer need a huge high street presence.
He said: "We believe that national coverage for an online retailer in 2020 is no more than about 60 or 70 shops.
"The days for needing 200 shops to cover the UK are clearly history. It's all about clicks and bricks together."
Currently, John Lewis has some 40 stores across the UK and a new chain of smaller department stores is in development. But with its online sales growing at a rate of around 40 per cent each year, the firm plans to open only a few 'regional flagship' outlets.
With other retailers also investing more heavily in their websites - according to the Daily Mail, both Dixons and Argos intend to reduce store numbers - high streets as we know them are bound to suffer.
What do you think? Will internet shopping cause the death of the high street? Leave your comments below...
