How silly does John Lewis think people are?

Having visited a John Lewis store on various occasions over many months, I visited Johnlewis.com to find the item I wanted in stock online. I then waited and visited again twice over a 3 month period. Still no stock in store, but available online. Then the penny dropped!

John Lewis have now come up with a really good wheeze of making more money by only (apparently) stocking items online so that you can "pay" to go down to your local John Lewis store to collect them. Yes! In effect, people should now be aware that you have to "pay" to go in and shop in John Lewis.

I presume someone has come up with this ridiculous idea because of falling profits. Well, John Lewis, I really do not think that this will endear you to your customers to boost profits. Yes, I do want to purchase a particular item. No, you, apparently, will not stock a complete set of the item in one colour in-store. And, no, I will not pay for the privilege of getting in a car and going to your store to purchase it.

Oh well! Another customer lost. I wonder how many more people will follow me and just give up and go to stores like House of Fraser, Selfridges, etc where, surprisingly, you can order any items out of stock and collect them, "no charge".

What a shame John Lewis seems to have forgotten all the values their founders held so dear.