Department store chain John Lewis has revealed that it is to offer free Wi-Fi access at its outlets, following similar moves from big names including Tesco and McDonalds.
In an announcement made earlier this week, the group confirmed that customers with wireless-enabled PCs, tablet computers and smartphones will be able to access the world wide web – provided by BT Openzone – after registering free with an e-mail address.
"This is a major development in John Lewis’s vision for multi-channel retail," said John Lewis IT director Paul Coby. "We have made great progress with online which is now growing at between 25 per cent and 30 per cent compared to last year and amounts to circa 20 per cent of our revenue."
The firm's multi-channel head Simon Russell added that mobile phones had become "crucial" to consumer behaviour and said the plan to roll out Wi-Fi at John Lewis stores would allow customers to make better-informed buying decisions.
The news came as video gaming giant Nintendo prepared to open its own shop at the John Lewis shop on London's Oxford Street, which has recently undergone a £4m refurbishment of its children's department.
