John Lewis hit by direct mail cock-up

Thousands of John Lewis Partnership customers have been forced to cough up an unpaid postage charge on a credit card direct mail campaign, following a cock-up at the firm’s mailing house.
The mailshot, which went to members of the MyJohnLewis and MyWaitrose loyalty schemes, was sent by John Lewis Partnership.
Lida picked up the direct marketing account for John Lewis Financial Services in June last year, although says it does not handle Partnership work. It is not known which mailing house or agency worked on this particular campaign.
The retailer claimed only a “small number of customers” had been forced to pay the £1.53 charge. But, according one report in the Scotsman, there were “hundreds of letters awaiting payment and collection” at a single sorting office in Edinburgh alone, meaning thousands of customers are likely to have been hit.
The company said those affected would be sent £5 vouchers as compensation for the inconvenience, regardless of whether they had picked up the mailshot or not.
A John Lewis spokesman said: “Due to a technical printing error, a communication regarding the partnership card was sent to a small number of our customers without the postage mark printed on the envelope.
“We are deeply sorry for any inconvenience caused and are offering customers John Lewis Partnership vouchers as way of an apology and to cover any costs incurred.”