Watch: John Lewis, Dixons Carphone and Watches of Switzerland’s virtual shopping reviewed

Virtual shopping consultations have been rolled out by a number of retailers over the past year, which saw many stores shuttered for months at a time. Retailers ranging from Lush to Liberty launched virtual services to help shoppers unable to access in-store support and advice, and to give them a more personalised online shopping experience.

A raft of measures – from advising less tech-savvy shoppers on smartphones to follow-along gin cocktail classes – have popped up in recent months and many have proven popular.

John Lewis says that since launching its virtual retail services on April 13 last year, just three weeks after the beginning of the first national lockdown, 11,000 virtual appointments have been held; while Watches of Switzerland says its virtual boutique has hosted more than 10,000 customers since it launched in November.

But how effective are these virtual experiences? And with stores set to reopen in a month, will virtual retail services be relegated as a make-do measure? 

Grace Bowden tries out some virtual services to find out.

John Lewis

John Lewis has rolled out a range of virtual consultations and experiences since lockdown started, ranging from cocktail-making classes to a tutorial on making your own dried flower wreath, as well as good old-fashioned shopping advice in areas such as home design, nursery and personal styling. 

I chose the home design consultation appointment. I was told this has been one of the most popular services over the past year, when many middle-class shoppers stuck at home with money previously earmarked for holidays and dinners out burning a hole in their pockets have invested to improve the home in which they’re spending an increasing amount of time.

Ahead of the appointment, Emma – a home design stylist for John Lewis who called me from her own home – emailed and asked me to share pictures of the space or area I was looking to discuss on the call, measurements for the space and any inspiration pictures to indicate my taste and preferences. 

The value of providing this information ahead of time paid dividends on the call and is a primary reason why an online home consultation may well be superior to one in store.

Having context of the room I was thinking of changing ahead of time meant Emma had prepared paint colour and furniture suggestions to discuss during the consultation.

Despite not sharing dimensions for the room ahead of our call, Emma had recognised a chest of drawers in the pictures I’d sent and looked it up online to discern the amount of space available in that section of the room for other storage solutions.

It was this kind of above-and-beyond preparation that made this appointment stand out compared with the type of customer service and attention to detail you can realistically expect to receive when walking into a John Lewis branch on a whim.

This felt like a much more productive and comprehensive conversation that one would expect to have if approaching a sales associate, however qualified, in store. 

Emma said that seeing customers in their actual homes had also helped her tailor suggestions during online consultations, which was a definite perk. I found myself turning my laptop around several times during our chat to show her furniture in my room that I liked or would be bringing with me when I moved home.

Following our conversation, Emma sent me a Pinterest board of items we’d discussed as well as colour and decor that aligned with my tastes, replete with links to the John Lewis’ website where I could find product and price information should I wish to purchase anything based on our conversation.

In terms of an early stage conversation with someone planning to overhaul a room, I’d argue that an online consultation is superior to an in-store experience because it guarantees the time you get with a home design consultant is well spent as you both arrive understanding the room you are going to discuss and what your style preferences are.

This is reflected in the demand John Lewis has seen over the past year, both in and out of lockdown.

John Lewis head of customer experience Richard Warmsley says: “The Home Design Service has been our most in demand virtual service since we launched in April 2020 as we’ve all spent more time in our homes and have had a chance to identify the areas that maybe need a little love.

“The Home Design Service has been our most in demand virtual service since we launched in April 2020 as we’ve all spent more time in our homes and have had a chance to identify the areas that maybe need a little love”

Richard Warmsley, John Lewis

“It is also the most popular appointment outside of lockdown with a 60:40 split between in store and virtual, with many people taking advantage of being able to jump on a video consultation from their living room at a time which is convenient to them.” 

But, as Emma pointed out herself, there is a limit to how far this way of communicating exclusively online can go. Our conversation was peppered with Emma talking about a free estimating service for curtains that John Lewis offers, but which requires a home visit, or talking about what to look for in the Oxford Street branch when stores reopen, or the World of Design concession in her local Peterborough branch.

John Lewis has worked out some ways around this, such as sending paint colour swatches and samples free of charge for customers to test out, but fundamentally it is a challenge to spend a significant amount on updating decor without seeing the fabrics you’ll upholster with or sitting on an armchair in person. 

This is a great entry point for inspiration and ideas, arguably a preferable one to going in store, and one that certainly showcases the customer service that John Lewis is known for. But I don’t think it can take you much further down the track without real-life interaction.

Watches of Switzerland

Watches of Switzerland launched virtual consultations for shoppers during lockdown showcasing its luxury watch range. Ahead of my appointment a sales associate emailed to ask what my preferences were around watches and brands, which he then used to select several items for us to discuss during our chat.

The technology used by Watches of Switzerland means that you as the shopper can see the sales associate, but they can’t see you – a level of privacy that I’m sure would appeal to some customers.

Although I could see Zabi the sales associate during our chat, the technology that was meant to showcase the watches didn’t work and he instead had to send me web links to open separately. Having seen a video demo of how the technology works without technical difficulties, the process does not seem to be particuarly different - Zabi would have able to share his screen and the product pages directly rather than sending me links to click on myself, but in terms of how products are showcased and displayed the process is broadly the same.

Despite this initial hiccup the process was relatively smooth. I hadn’t given Zabi much to work with (on a journalist’s salary the world of luxury watch-buying is a relatively foreign one to me), but he had put clear consideration into his selections and was quick to pivot suggestions closer to my personal style after his first recommendations missed the mark.

Zabi said that on average a fifth of his online appointments result in a sale.

He said the appointments serve multiple purposes from those looking for inspiration, to people further down the track to a purchase who just want some information on a particular brand from an expert, right through to helping older shoppers less adept at internet shopping actually complete a purchase.

Because Watches of Switzerland offers instant video chat as well as appointments it is able to capitalise on potential spend from online shoppers with quick queries.

“Since launching the Luxury Virtual Boutique, we’ve taken over 10,000 calls, seen a strong conversion rate and generated over 1,000 transactions. Our team of nine VIP expert watch consultants will be further expanded this year”

Brian Duffy, Watches of Switzerland

It was clear Zabi was very knowledgeable on the world of luxury watches, so it makes total sense to use the expertise he and his colleagues have in an online setting rather than letting it go to waste while stores are closed.

Personally, I would never buy a watch, particularly not a luxury one, without trying it on – and because Watches of Switzerland doesn’t offer a virtual try-on service any shopper that does buy a watch pays for the item in full without having seen it in person.

But it is clear that for a substantial proportion of Watches of Switzerland’s shoppers this is not a deterrent. Watches of Switzerland chief executive Brian Duffy says: “Since launching the Luxury Virtual Boutique, we’ve taken over 10,000 calls, seen a strong conversion rate and generated over 1,000 transactions. Our team of nine VIP expert watch consultants will be further expanded this year.”

Dixons Carphone

Dixons Carphone’s ShopLive virtual consultation service was launched in April last year and is designed to help less tech-savvy shoppers access expert advice while stores are closed. The service covers both personal tech and white goods, with shoppers able to book an appointment in advance or chat live with staff.

One of the chief perks I found when using this service was that Jason, the sales associate I spoke to, was in a physical store so was able to show me products live on the call and move around the shop to find other items that he would recommend as our conversation went on.

Unlike with John Lewis and Watches of Switzerland I had no pre-briefing with Jason ahead of the call, but this didn’t impact the quality of recommendations, no doubt in part because he was able to pivot from his initial suggestions to show me other products from the shopfloor.

Of all the virtual shopping experiences the technology supporting this one was the best. It was a one-way video call and when I found a product I liked Jason was able to add it to the basket for me and could have completed the purchase on my behalf on the call if I had decided to go ahead.

Being able to actually see a product in a store rather than via links on a website was also a real differentiator, and that is particularly comforting when considering a more expensive purchase like a new laptop, which was what Jason was assisting me with.

Dixons Carphone chief information officer Andy Gamble says computers have been the most popular category among ShopLive customers due to the surge in homeworking and homeschooling. 

“What we learnt very quickly is that customers love to use ShopLive to buy their tech. With high-ticket items customers need reassurance, advice and a helping hand in choosing the right product. The service blends the best of Dixons Carphone; our expert colleagues’ face-to-face advice and our extensive range of great value, vital tech,” he says.

This service has proved so popular that ShopLive now runs 24/7 on Dixons Carphone’s website and the team delivering it has grown from 20 to 450, while 2,300 staff have been trained on the service in order to scale it up during its busiest trading periods.

“ShopLive is an integral part of our omnichannel strategy and is absolutely here to stay,” says Gamble.

“ShopLive is an integral part of our omnichannel strategy and is absolutely here to stay. We see a potential future world where every single customer who gets on to our website is assisted via ShopLive”

Andy Gamble, Dixons Carphone

“We’re not placing any limits on how big a part ShopLive will play in our interactions with customers moving forwards. We see a potential future world where every single customer who gets on to our website is assisted via ShopLive. It is a huge focus of our omnichannel business.”

The advantage of a one-on-one call with an expert live in store felt superior to the experience I’ve often had when shopping for technology purchases in shops as the store assistant has more time to devote to you.

Many times when I’ve shopped for a new phone or laptop in store I’ve left without asking every question I had because I was conscious of the time pressures on the sales assistant and their need to help other customers. 

You do not have this concern via ShopLive, you know the sales associate has a time slot in their diary blocked out to help you and they are not dealing with other customers’ concerns simultaneously.

Jason said he believes this service has made him better at his job as he’s had to familiarise himself with a broader range of products based on shoppers’ queries during calls, rather than just specialising on one product range, which he traditionally has with in-store retailing. 

Of all the experiences, this one felt like it had the most potential to become a long-term sales channel. If I visit a store for a technology purchase it is for the staff expertise rather than the feel and experience, so having that need met without needing to travel from my home offers significant benefits.

Is virtual retail here to stay?

There’s no denying that the virtual shopping experience comes with a number of perks. One-on-one attention with a qualified and knowledgeable sales associate is far from a guarantee when shopping in store.

Virtual appointments give you a guaranteed half-hour with a sales associate who knows their stuff and, in some cases, has been briefed about your needs ahead of time. 

However, there is a limit to the type of product shoppers may be prepared to buy without seeing, touching and feeling. 

For purchases that rely on inspiration, a visit to store to touch and feel the product, soak up the experience, and discover incidental items is hard to replicate online, no matter how informed or helpful the sales associate. But for categories that are more of a utility purchase, say a new laptop, having a virtual retail appointment is a preferable option.

I don’t think it will replace in-store retail by any stretch, but virtual retail should have a place in a retailer’s arsenal post-Covid.