John Lewis has launched an iPhone app, offering customers access to 200,000 John Lewis products on the go.

Using the app, customers can find their nearest John Lewis via the phone’s GPS and get contact details, opening hours and directions to the shop. They can also browse the johnlewis.com product catalogue and search for items using keywords or product codes; scan product barcodes in store to access additional information and videos from expert Partners (staff); check ratings and reviews’ link to the johnlewis.com mobile site via the app to buy products if they are out of stock in the local shop; and see the history of products and videos that they have viewed, in order to buy them at a later date.

“Our customers’ shopping habits are continually evolving and we have to work hard to meet their ever-changing needs and expectations,” says Sean O’Connor, head of online delivery and customer experience at John Lewis. “During the Christmas season, the internet and mobile are playing a huge part in our business, and in our busiest weeks can account for a quarter of overall John Lewis sales.
“Traffic and sales online are both seeing double digit increases on last year and traffic and sales via our mobile site have more than doubled on a year ago. This is all part of a joined up, multichannel approach that complements and relies upon our physical shops, and the service and expertise our in-store Partners have to offer. This combination creates an attractive proposition that provides convenience for busy shoppers.

The app, designed in partnership with Red Laser technology, Sapient Nitro and Usablenet is free to download from iTunes now. The launch of the app follows John Lewis’s recent announcement that it would become the first UK department store retailer to offer free wi-fi access to customers in its shops nationwide.