John Lewis launches new supplier platform

John Lewis has invested in a new supplier platform, aimed at bringing a wider range of brands to customers at speed.

Luxury footwear brand, Russell & Bromley, has been confirmed as one of the first partners on the new system, which marks an evolution in how the retailer works with supplier and can be more agile in responding to customer demand.

The platform is powered by Mirakl, and enables accelerated listings of new brands online and via the John Lewis app, with a direct-shipping model bypassing the need for the retailer to buy, store, and distribute stock, and cutting the time it takes to bring new products to market. For customers, it means a greater selection of carefully chosen brands will become available more quickly.

Rachel Morgans, Director of Fashion at John Lewis, said:

“Our ambition is to be the definitive home for premium brands in the UK. This new platform is a huge step on that journey, giving us the agility to bring newness to our customers at speed. The launch of Russell & Bromley is the perfect example of this strategy in action and demonstrates the calibre of brands we are attracting.”

Andrew Bromley, CEO of Russell & Bromley, commented:

”We’re thrilled to be partnering with John Lewis as we expand our carefully selected stockist portfolio across the UK & Ireland, and even more pleased to be part of their plans to enhance their already excellent customer experience. The parallels between Russell & Bromley and John Lewis when it comes to customer service and quality make them an obvious choice for us, and we’re delighted to be able to bring our iconic Russell & Bromley craftsmanship and designs to their customers.”

The launch of the new supplier platform follows on from the recent strengthening of John Lewis’ omnichannel capability with the rollout of ‘deliver from store’, enabling customers’ online orders to be fulfilled from store stock, and the current rapid delivery pilot with Uber Eats.

Adrien Nussenbaum, co-founder and co-CEO of Mirakl added:

“In a highly competitive retail environment, customers want more choice and flexibility than ever. John Lewis is positioning itself for significant growth in the years ahead, maintaining its position as an iconic British retailer while also modernising and becoming more agile. They are giving customers access to an expanding range of curated brands and products through a retailer they trust, and we’re excited to partner with them.”