The main reason why the John Lewis Group does so well is because they actually provide a good service to their customers and their prices, whilst not the cheapest, are not outrageous.
The retail industry’s continual bleating about their plight is becoming very tiresome. The number of shops I see with acres of empty space for days if not weeks on end is ridiculous. My local Tesco has had its biscuit section half empty for about two weeks. Many of the popular varieties are not available. I asked a manager what the problem was. “We’re re-arranging the section” was the answer. “What for” I asked. “To make it easier for customers to find their goods” was the incredible reply. Well it’s certainly easy to find them at the moment - in ASDA!
Shop staff are surly and disinterested, “If it’s not on the shelf we haven’t got it” seems all they are trained to say. Sorry, I don’t buy the idea that they behave this way because they are on low pay. For many stores it is already too late. But those that remain need to shape up. They need stock to sell (for that’s what they do) and in all the colours and all of the sizes. Then they need to train their staff to provide a polite and efficient service to their customers so that they will go to them rather thaninstead of shopping online.