John Lewis is to launch a dedicated fashion website in the autumn, managing director Andy Street has told Retail Week. The new website will be “our version of Asos,” he explained:
The site will sell John Lewis own brand lines, alongside brands that are already stocked in its stores such as Ted Baker, Whistles and Jigsaw .
“We know that our customers buy clothes from Asos,” said Street.
John Lewis reported sales in fashion, which includes beauty and childrenswear, were up 4.7 per cent to £928m in the year to January 31, 2009.
Street said it was undecided whether the fashion website would offer new brands that are presently unavailable in its stores. The website’s name is also as yet undisclosed.
Overall sales at John Lewis Direct are up nearly a quarter on a year ago to £332.9m, according to its results for the year to 31 January 2009:
Our multi-channel strategy continued to be a major advantage with sales up 24.2% in John Lewis Direct, helped by an increase in the number of lines available and a range of new services including ‘Click and Collect’ and Express delivery.
