Countdown to Christmas at John Lewis

Dec 9 2010 by Francesca Craggs, The Journal

THIS weekend will see thousands of Christmas shoppers brave the elements in search of the perfect present. Francesca Craggs discovers how one of Newcastle’s oldest department stores prepares for the festive frenzy.

ARCTIC conditions may have brought the region to a standstill in recent weeks.

Yet the tills at one of Newcastle’s largest and oldest department stores have kept on ringing.

John Lewis in Eldon Square reported record trade last Saturday, proving the snow hasn’t frozen out North East shoppers.

And with this weekend set to be the busiest yet, the store is gearing up for the Christmas rush.

Despite the weather and the credit crunch, shoppers are still willing to pay for a touch of luxury during the festive season. Operations manager Tracy Tate said: “Despite the economic climate, last year was a record year. The snow has had a huge impact this year, however it’s boosted our internet sales by 43%.

“Last week we dealt with over 1,500 ‘click and collect’ collections and 1,300 deliveries every week. We broke the record on Saturday compared to last year. It was just a shopping frenzy and I think it’s set to continue.

“There’s definitely ‘must have’ items and it doesn’t matter what price they come in at, people still want to buy them. On Saturday we sold a piece of second-hand jewellery for £15,000. We have also sold out of this year’s ‘must have’ ladies’ Barbour International jacket.”

Christmas is big business for retailers and John Lewis is no different. The Newcastle store takes a staggering 36% of its annual takings in the period from mid-November through to the end of December. And while shoppers jostle for the perfect gift for their loved ones, most are probably unaware that the store has been planning for the festive season since April.

Maria Pickard, visual merchandise manager, is responsible for the look and feel of the store.

She said: “We start planning what the store is going to look like in April and the Christmas stock starts arriving from August.

“Every year we introduce a new Christmas theme and this year it’s winter festival. Transforming the store takes around three weeks and all the decorations are up by the end of October.

“After Christmas all the decorations are donated to local charities, schools, and hospitals. It’s nice to give something back to the local community. It’s a huge shop so there’s always plenty to go around.”

Following a recent £2.5m investment, including a fresh new look and brand new labels, Christmas is a particularly exciting time for the Newcastle store.

To cope with the festive period, it has added a further 42 temporary staff to its 710 workforce.

The store’s audio department is particularly popular in the run up to Christmas, according to Tracy.

“Audio is probably our busiest department. We are the only retailer that sells the Amazon Kindle. We got 89 in stock on Saturday morning and they had all sold out by 2pm.

“We are getting them in as regularly as we can, but demand is outstripping supply.”

Not surprisingly, the toy department is also proving popular with parents looking for the latest gadget or gizmo for their little angels.

Among its top ten is the Hasbro FurReal Friends Butterscotch Pony – a three feet tall miniature Shetland that moves and sounds like a real pony!

Anne Leke, childrenswear section manager, said: “Lego is still as popular as ever for boys.

“For little girls and toddlers, FurReal pets are proving popular.

“There is still high demand for more traditional toys too. Our wooden train sets and farms always sell well, as do puzzles and books. Guess Who and Monopoly are still firm favourites!”

The store’s Christmas Shop is also a huge crowd pleaser. The department has already sold more than 500 Christmas trees, 1,400 Christmas crackers, and over 1,000 items of gingerbread!

Gillian Wardhaugh, manager of the Christmas Shop, said: “The most popular buy on this department is definitely the Snowy Paper Christmas tree. We sold out immediately. It’s been so popular over the past two years that customers were ringing up about it in August! People are definitely becoming more imaginative when it comes to decorating their homes for Christmas. Our customers love the fact we have different themes within the department as it helps to inspire them.

“People are increasingly looking for something a little different from the norm. Our brightly coloured decorations in vibrant oranges, turquoise and pink, have been especially popular.”

And when it comes to feeding and watering the shoppers, the store’s three restaurants are on hand to offer a range of treats. A Place to Eat, The Brasserie, and Espresso Bar have all appointed extra staff to serve up its festive fare. And they have certainly been kept busy. As many as 22,000 teas and coffees were served up in December, 700 Christmas lunches each week, and an astonishing 9,000 scones also per week!

The key to running a store successfully during the festive period, according to Tracy?

“Planning and preparation. And also making our customers have a pleasant shopping experience.

It’s all about the small, personal touches.”