John Lewis is making a significant investment in AI-powered shopping, with the ambition to be one of the first UK retailers to fully adopt and integrate the technology.
The investment 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, says the retailer, adding that the investment marks the latest milestone in its broader £800m multi-year transformation programme.
John Lewis has extended its partnership with commercetools, the AI-first digital commerce platform, to utilise its new AI capabilities, and says this functionality will put it "at the forefront of the new retail revolution, meeting customers in the apps they are already using".
In a further step forward, the brand has today launched on TikTok Shop. Initially a 90-day pilot timed to help with Mother’s Day gifting, the TikTok Shop trial focuses on a selection of beauty and gifting items, instantly shoppable through the platform.
John Lewis launched its first shopping website in 2001, and online now accounts for 60% of its total sales, complementing 36 physical stores.
Dom McBrien, chief digital and omnichannel officer, John Lewis, says: “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.”
Broghan Smith, head of key accounts at TikTok Shop UK, adds: "We're delighted to welcome John Lewis to TikTok Shop. As a cornerstone of British retail with a proud heritage, John Lewis represents exactly the kind of quality brand our community loves to discover. We're excited to see how they'll succeed with discovery commerce on TikTok Shop, bringing their trusted products to life in new and engaging ways for our users."
Later this month, John Lewis will also 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 within 45 minutes.
