The return of John Lewis’s price promise has seen exceptional results, according to recent reports.
- John Lewis reinstated its ‘Never Knowingly Undersold’ pledge, initially withdrawn two years ago.
- Traffic to John Lewis’s website has significantly increased, with 55,000 more organic visits daily.
- AI technology is now employed to match prices with competitors, improving the pledge’s effectiveness.
- John Lewis is enhancing its customer offerings, including a joint loyalty programme with Waitrose.
The recent revival of John Lewis’s ‘Never Knowingly Undersold’ pledge has been met with notable success. The department store chain, which had strategically withdrawn the promise two years prior, decided to relaunch it recently due to popular demand and strategic foresight. Within just a week of this relaunch, the response has been described as exceptional, leading to increased sales and a surge in customer engagement.
John Lewis has experienced an impressive boost in online activity, recording approximately 55,000 additional organic visits to its website each day since the pledge’s reinstatement. This increase in digital traffic suggests a renewed consumer interest in the brand and its pricing promise, impacting a wide range of products including unexpected ones such as own-brand bedding and nursery items.
To enhance the accuracy and competitiveness of their pricing strategy, John Lewis has integrated artificial intelligence technology. This innovation allows the company to efficiently match its product prices with those of 25 major competitors, including prominent retailers like M&S, Next, Boots, and AO.com. This technological advancement supports John Lewis in maintaining its reputation for good pricing and sharpens its competitive edge.
The revitalised pricing pledge coincides with an upcoming joint loyalty programme between John Lewis and its sister brand, Waitrose. This strategic move is designed to provide customers with comprehensive offers available both online and through mobile applications. Nish Kankiwala, Chief Executive of the John Lewis Partnership, has indicated that the introduction of cross-brand offers is the beginning of an expansive loyalty initiative that will continue to evolve over the coming months.
The progressive development of this pan-partnership scheme, which John Lewis has been hinting at since the appointment of former Tesco executive Emily Wells as Head of Loyalty, marks a significant step forward in customer relationship management. The initiative aims to enhance customer experience by integrating the benefits across both brands, ensuring a consistent and rewarding shopping experience.
John Lewis’s effort to revive its pricing pledge and introduce new customer initiatives highlights its commitment to enhancing consumer satisfaction and market competitiveness.
