Recently both the US’s National Security Agency and the UK’s GCHQ have made headlines because of their snooping on UK and European citizens.

Recently both the US’s National Security Agency and the UK’s GCHQ have made headlines because of their snooping on UK and European citizens.

In a Retail Week world exclusive (ahem), I can divulge that the institution that actually has more personal information on us than both of these two combined is John Lewis.

It has just published its How We Shop, Live and Look retail report and, whether you are a buyer or simply an observer, it makes fascinating reading and gives an insight into the minds of the retailer’s customers.

Sometimes it does not make pretty reading and several facts shook this correspondent to his core. In his introduction, managing director Andy Street reckoned that John Lewis had broadened its appeal beyond its traditional Middle England customer base.

My initial thoughts were that’s great, times are tough - retailers have to adapt to survive. I honestly don’t mind sharing an aisle with Baroness Godalming, whether it’s a real aisle, virtual aisle or endless aisle - I can live with the whiff of ermine while shopping.

However, reading on, the reality became starkly apparent as John Lewis blatantly brags that 42% of its shoppers have a household income below £30,000. Whoa, hold on there. Below £30,000? I thought we had a minimum wage nowadays that legislated against that kind of thing. My domestic help gets paid more than that.

The report goes on to say that 30% of all John Lewis sales are now generated online. That’s when the light bulb went off. Of course they are. Why would you want to visit a shop and risk bumping into your gardener or cleaner? It would be social suicide.

The solution is to go online alongside Baroness Godalming and get the good fellows to deliver direct to home, potential disaster averted.

In fact the study is truly a fascinating read, filled with titbits including the fact it sold enough large gingerbread men to populate the Isles of Scilly, and a real life ginger man, Johnny Harrington, the face of John Lewis & Co, boosted sales of that range by 58%. Go out and get a copy.

  • Jamie Zuppinger Co-founder and joint managing director, Barracuda Search