John Lewis sales soar as shoppers gear up for Christmas

Sales totaled £85m for the week. Customers are getting their homes ready for entertaining, with strong sales of beds, fitted carpets and made to measure curtains reported by the department store retailer.

Festive table decorations, china and table linen are also in “great demand”, according to the retailer.

John Lewis director of selling operations Nat Wakely said: “An 11.4% increase is a pleasing and very creditable result. It shows that our customers are thinking seriously about Christmas and coming into our shops to find all they need for entertaining family and friends and for finding the perfect gift.”

The department store’s electronics and home technology department recorded particularly strong sales, soaring 29% year-on-year, with the iPad 4, mini iPads and new “app toys” flying off the shelves.

John Lewis debuted its latest Christmas TV ad over the weekend. Nearly 8 million viewers saw the ad during X Factor on Saturday night and it has had almost 500,000 views on YouTube. The music track on the ad, Gabrielle Aplin’s cover of ‘The Power of Love’, went straight into the iTunes chart at number eight within 24 hours of the advert first being aired.

John Lewis marketing director Craig Inglis said: “It is clear from the incredible reaction in the social media that our Christmas advert has once again struck a chord with the nation. We didn’t think it was possible for the response to be bigger than last year’s success but the volume of comments suggests that is exactly what has happened”.