John Lewis is making a major investment in AI-powered shopping, with the aim of being one of the first UK retailers to fully adopt and integrate the technology.
The move will see John Lewis products served to customers looking for inspiration on AI platforms like Google Gemini and ChatGPT, starting later this year.
When and where technology is introduced in the UK, customers will ultimately be able to transact and purchase items via these apps within a few clicks. The investment marks the latest milestone in John Lewis’ broader £800m multi-year transformation programme.
As part of the drive, John Lewis has extended its partnership with commercetools, the AI-first digital commerce platform, to use its new AI capabilities. The retailer claims the functionality will put it “at the forefront of the new retail revolution”, meeting customers in the apps they are already using.
In addition, the brand has also launched on TikTok Shop. Initially a 90-day pilot timed to help with Mother’s Day gifting, the TikTok Shop trial focuses on a curated edit of beauty and gifting items, instantly shoppable through the platform.
This includes a final drop of the John Lewis Mother’s Day Beauty Box, featuring a collection of treats from brands including Jo Malone London, Augustinus Bader and Estee Lauder.
Strategically, these investments are designed to put John Lewis in the places and spaces where customers look for ideas and to discover products. As well as allowing them to buy instantaneously in one seamless customer experience, it is hoped they will help attract new customers to John Lewis.
Online now accounts for 60% of total sales, complementing the 36 John Lewis physical stores.
John Lewis chief digital and omnichannel officer Dom McBrien said: “Our customers are already using AI apps and discovery platforms to find products they love. These investments will mean that we are right there when customers are looking for ideas, and being able to quickly and easily buy in a few clicks is a gamechanger. We look forward to rolling out these functionalities and welcoming them into our omnichannel mix alongside our own app, website, and physical stores.”
Later this month, John Lewis will broaden its expansion into on-demand shopping with Uber Eats. Customers within the delivery catchments of the Stratford, Kingston, Cambridge, and Liverpool stores will be able to order from a selection of 3,000 John Lewis products from across home, beauty and tech categories, with purchases being delivered to customers within 45 minutes. The expansion follows an initial tw0 store trial with Uber Eats last year.
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