Like a Sale… Only better! (John Lewis)

Member Name: raehippychick

Product:	John Lewis
Date:	27/05/03 (4157 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent customer service, they open on Mondays now too!, lots of them around the country

Disadvantages: Can be a bit pricey

I am a very lucky little shopaholic! Right next to my office is a branch of John Lewis. I grew up with the belief that for anything that we needed ‘to last’ could only be bought from John Lewis and my attitude has changed little since I allegedly grew up; I still feel this way.

Any of you have read any of my other Ops will now that I really, really love shopping. I love it so much that I have developed a bit of a talent for it, to the point that I now take girls I work with out at lunchtimes to help them! So to have one of my favourite shops right on my doorstep is bliss.

Norwich is blessed with a particularly fine example of this shopping Mecca. Originally a family owned store called Bonds, we used to buy our school uniforms there at the end of each summer holidays. John Lewis took the shop under its wing a few decades ago and it has grown steadily since; including, just a few years ago, a complete refit and expansion in size when they built over some the shabby old car park and installed a large multi-storey car park.

If you can’t think where to buy something it is always worth trying Bonds (as we still call it – JL dropped the name Bonds only very recently and in the wilds of East Anglia we are slow to catch up!). Almost everything you want can be found there; from a needle and thread to a state of the art PC and furniture… not forgetting fashions, divine make up concessions and ornaments. But they really come into their own in the area of white goods.

I would now never contemplate buying a fridge, washing machine or dishwasher anywhere else. Two years ago I was lucky enough to be in a position to redo my kitchen and treated myself to a new washing machine and dishwasher. Within three months the dishwasher broke down and the guarantee covered it being fixed. A couple of months later it broke down again and the repair people could not come for almost a week (a tragedy for me as I hate washing up wi
th a passion). I called John Lewis and spoke with a very pleasant chap on the shop floor who looked up my records and was horrified with my situation. The upshot was, they swapped out my dishwasher for a brand new one the very next day. Now that is definitely what I call service.

John Lewis have a price match policy and when I was looking for a washing machine I spent three days combing the stores locally to find one cheaper than they offered. The best deal I could find was the Co-Op, who had one for a whole pound cheaper, but charged twelve pounds for delivery and didn’t remove the old one. John Lewis has free delivery AND take away your old appliance for free. This includes any bulky item, as when my Mum ordered a new mattress they disposed of her old one for her.

A two-year guarantee comes as standard on all white goods and many other more expensive items and their extended guarantee is worth thinking about, as unlike many companies it seems quite reasonable. I took one out for my washing machine as they seem to be programmed to break down exactly two and a half weeks after the guarantee runs out.

The most impressive thing about the chain (yes, when I am on holiday I have to visit other stores!) is the quality of customer service. The staff are unfailingly polite, helpful and friendly. The cafeteria is also very pleasant with a wide range of scrummy foods; fresh baguettes, salads, tempting pastries and pancakes that will make you drool. Fresh water is always available free from a water fountain with dinky little plastic cups.

Another section that captivates me is the decorating department. Bonds have a paint mixing service so I can treat myself to another pot of some luscious colour to cheer up a dark corner when I feel a bit blue. And don’t even get me started on the bed linens… I have mostly managed to contain myself and have only bought one duvet set at full price, but oh, it is a lovely one in bold pink
and purple stripes. Mainly I try and wait for the sales (John Lewis call them clearance events… like a sale, only better!) when I can indulge with big fluffy towels (a snip at 2.95 for a handtowel) and crisp percale (50% cotton/50%polyester) bed linen, soft fluffy fleecy throws and my latest obsession; flannelette sheets at a little over a tenner.

Eagerly, from Boxing Day onwards I await the January Sale. On the day you’ll find me there panting in anticipation at the door for all the lovely bargains. One favourite is a double duvet set with a gentle rosebud pattern in dusky pink on a cream background for only twelve pounds including two pillowcases. The pattern is elegantly subtle; a soft scattering of rosebuds with little pale green leaves on the lightest cream background and it washes up like new each week.

All in all I can highly recommend John Lewis for the things you want to last, the classics if you like. If you want cheap and cheerful it isn’t the place to buy, but do drop by for ideas as they have a very good range in all departments. If you can’t see what you want, ask! When my mum was looking for a cooker she mentioned that she had seen a particular model they didn’t seem to carry and was shown a catalogue and told they could supply any model in it within the same timescale of any on display in the shop.

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