Situ Live boss slams John Lewis over store closure reports
Warren Richmond, CEO and Founder, Situ Live, has criticised John Lewis for considering further store closures.
Last year, the retailer took an axe to eight stores as it looked to address the impact of Covid-19.
Up to eight more of its 42 remaining outlets could now be shuttered, the Sunday Times reports.
“This is really disheartening,,” Richmond said in a LinkedIn post. “I’ve always been a great admirer of John Lewis, a true icon of the British high street. Yet I truly believe they are playing a short-term game here.”
He went on to flag up the retailer’s calculations that prior to the pandemic, £6 out of every £10 of sales was linked to browsing in stores.
“Yes, this decreased during lockdown, but humans crave physical interaction and shoppers will be hungry for new experiences once lockdown is lifted.”
“Closing stores will cut costs in the short-term, but wouldn’t it be better to repurpose the space into something that shoppers genuinely want? A retail space that stimulates the economy, benefits communities, and creates jobs?”
Richmond concluded: “This could be an opportunity for retailers to evolve their propositions to fit changing consumer expectations and priorities. A chance to deliver a truly seamless omnichannel experience.”
Westfield London
Earlier this year, Situ Live announced the launch of a new experiential retail concept at Westfield London.
This will feature live theatrics and storytelling performances across six curated arenas: ‘Fitness & Wellbeing’, ‘Connected Home’, ‘Nutrition Kitchen’, ‘Entertainment’, ‘Home & Mobile Working’ and ‘On The Move’.
The aim is to allow consumers to connect with brands, with an emphasis on personalisation, picking products suited to their lifestyle, complemented by advice from Situ Live’s team.
Further details here.
Sign up for our free retail technology newsletter here.
Continue reading…