Following the demise of mobile phones retailer Phones 4U, John Lewis is boosting its technology offering with the announcement that it will now sell mobile phones. The British retailer is becoming something of an ‘everything‘ store, having ventured into optometry last year, and not it has announced a partnership with Vodafone UK to sell mobile contracts through selected John Lewis stores. In addition, John Lewis will sell over 25 SIM free mobile handsets from renowned brands under its ‘Never Knowingly Undersold‘ price promise.
SIM free Apple iPhones will be added to the range a online and in Oxford Street from early July, and will come with a market-leading 2-year guarantee (Apple products in the market come with a standard 1-year warranty).
For the second phase of the rollout in mid-August, Vodafone and John Lewis are to offer smartphone contracts in Cheadle and from autumn, in Oxford Street. Customers will be able to browse the range of mobile handsets available in a dedicated area of the technology department, which will be jointly run by both John Lewis Partners and Vodafone staff. John Lewis is recommending two tariffs to its customers: one low data tariff with unlimited free texts and minutes, and one high data tariff with unlimited free texts and minutes but customers will be able to buy mobile contracts on all Vodafone plans should they wish.
John Lewis is the only retailer offering customers buying a Vodafone contract 2-years‘ worth of Accidental Damage insurance at no extra cost. Combined with the John Lewis Never Knowingly Undersold price promise on contracts and SIM free handsets, customers will get the best price available guaranteed.
Johnathan Marsh, EHT Buying Director, John Lewis, said: “We‘ve got a very strong technology business and being able to offer customers mobile phones is an important part of our connected home strategy. We know from our website traffic and searches that customers are actively looking for mobiles from us, but it‘s important we go into this market in a John Lewis way.
At the moment there are thousands of potential combinations of mobile handsets and tariffs on the market, which can be really daunting for customers and this is why we‘re determined to bring John Lewis levels of excellence, simplicity and value to the mobile market. Our buyers have done all the homework to make it easier for customers to find a deal that‘s right for them.”
Any customers signing up to a contract will also benefit from Vodafone‘s three month Data Test Drive, which offers unlimited data for the first three months of the contract term.
