John Lewis partners with Epsilon on launch of new retail media capabilities to connect brands and customers

John Lewis has announced a suite of new retail media capabilities, with the aim of helping brands connect with customers shopping on johnlewis.com.

The move will allow brands to create and manage their own campaigns, including via banner ads and sponsored product listings.

It also offers users a dashboard showing exactly how their campaigns are performing, how customers are engaging, and how many sales are coming through.

Brands can maintain always on campaigns, and quickly adapt to seasonal trends and sales peaks such as Back to School and Black Friday.

In addition, thanks to real-time data and performance metrics, they can measure the impact of their initiatives right down to the individual product level and search terms.

The options have been delivered in partnership with Epsilon, the advertising and marketing technology company which recently launched a similar offer for Waitrose.

They can also be helpful for customers looking to explore new brands that are relevant to their search and browse activity.

All ads are reviewed by John Lewis’ in-house team to make sure they are suitable, beneficial and relevant for customers.

The retailer says that the investment “underscores its dedication to improving the customer experience by better connecting individuals with the brands they care about, at the right time in their purchase journey”.

Jemma Haley, Retail Media Business & Proposition Strategy at John Lewis, says: “While retailers have long been advertising on their own websites, we want to improve the experience, and make it even easier for customers to connect with the brands and products that meet their needs.”

“As part of this, we’re providing brands with more targeted and relevant ways to connect with customers. Our shoppers are unique in terms of the ways they research, browse and buy, and we need to be ready to meet them in the moments they are ready to purchase or engage with a brand.”

Owen McAdam, Trade Marketing Manager, BSH UK & Ireland, comments, "John Lewis’ sponsored product ads performance is exceptional, driving both awareness and sales.”

“Placing our Bosch and Siemens products in a prestigious setting like John Lewis helps to maintain a premium image and resonates with discerning consumers. The platform's ease of use, campaign control, and transparency make it an invaluable tool for our marketing strategy."

Epsilon’s Regional CEO Europe, Alban Villani, says: “John Lewis offers a unique and scaled audience across its online and in-store environments.”

“People visit John Lewis in search of inspiration, to validate their research and to make purchases that often initiate a longer-term brand relationship.”

“It’s a real opportunity for brands to evolve their strategies beyond performance goals to think about how they engage customers in ways that build awareness and loyalty.”

“We look forward to supporting John Lewis further as they continue to test and learn across categories and build an even more impactful omnichannel media proposition for brands.”