The Entertainer recently used social media to highlight issues with John Lewis’s pricing strategy.
- This playful critique focused on the relaunched ‘Never Knowingly Undersold’ pledge.
- John Lewis attempted to match The Entertainer’s pricing but faced challenges on specific products.
- The Entertainer showcased a pricing discrepancy for a Disney product on X (formerly Twitter).
- John Lewis acknowledges past issues with the pledge and is now using AI for pricing.
The Entertainer, known for its wide array of toys, has recently taken to social media to jest at John Lewis’s attempts to match its prices. This light-hearted exchange underscores potential shortcomings in the department store’s newly relaunched ‘Never Knowingly Undersold’ pledge.
In an attempt to stay competitive, John Lewis has begun matching prices with 25 different retailers, including The Entertainer. However, issues have arisen, particularly with some products where price matching has not been successful, illustrating challenges in their strategy.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, The Entertainer posted an image of a Disney Wish Asha of Rosas Doll and Travel Pack. The post included a cheeky caption: “Apparently some guy called John thinks he can match our prices?” This product is sold by The Entertainer for £6, while John Lewis lists it for £9.60.
Peter Ruis, the head of John Lewis, recently revived the ‘Never Knowingly Undersold’ initiative, having previously scrapped it due to inefficiencies. Ruis admitted to outdated practices that left staff struggling with manual price tracking. In response, John Lewis has partnered with Quicklizard, a firm specialising in AI-driven pricing solutions, to modernise and reimagine the approach.
The department store reported a positive customer response to the refreshed pledge, seeing increased traffic and sales across various channels, especially in categories not traditionally associated with this initiative, such as own-brand bedding or nursery items.
This playful interaction between The Entertainer and John Lewis highlights the complexities of retail pricing strategies.
