John Lewis Company Profile
John Lewis is a UK department that is operated by the John Lewis Partnership. In addition to retail, it also offers its own banking and financial services websites.
The brand is seen as putting quality and service first and has an upmarket image with most of its customers likely to be fairly affluent. However John Lewis has recently launched the ANDAY competitively priced brand that is aimed at a broader group of shoppers who want to combine style and value.
John Lewis opened its first store in 1864 on London’s Oxford Street and has been a part of British culture ever since. Unsurprisingly, the founder had the same name and originally opened the store as part of a small drapery shop. Right from the beginning, he set out the principles for how the company should operate and produced a written constitution to help staff, who are known as partners, understand their rights and responsibilities as co-owners.
The John Lewis Christmas TV advert was first launched in 2007 and has since become an annual tradition. It is considered by many as a sign that the countdown to Christmas has begun.
John Lewis Products and Services:
- Home and Garden
- Furniture and Lighting
- Electricals
- Menswear and Womenswear
- Healthcare and Beauty
- Sports and Leisure
- Baby and Child
Ownership
The company is a partnership, therefore is a privately-held public limited company. It is owned by a trust on behalf of all its employees, known as partners. A bonus, akin to a share of the profit, was paid to employees until 2020.
