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Did John Lewis lead the customer into online or follow the customer online. A bit of both; but both paths come with the similar costs.

John Lewis has long offered customer orders (in store/by phone) and home delivery for some products (and as a service for customer's own shopping in store).

When customer ordering was extended to become self service online for a broader range, immediately an expectation was set that online would be a high quality offering; there was a reputation to protect and that reputation is likely to have forced some online capability based on an expectation from in-store customer ordering.

Some of the subsequent investment may have been gold plating, inefficiently executed, or chasing the customer unnecessarily, but clearly some needed to protect revenue and reputation. Should there have been a better balance between investment in online channel and investment in unique product development? With hindsight, yes.

John Lewis is not alone in deciding to be comprehensive and competent online with far reaching consequences that we now see, although others like Tesco have been a bit braver in exiting the online channel for general merchandise.

A significant opportunity for distinctiveness and efficiency in online has never been realised: John Lewis and Waitrose should be working together with online, not independently. John Lewis van for a bulk delivery of drinks and glassware for a party? Yes please. Waitrose van to deliver a new tablet as part of my grocery offer in a 1 hour slot in 2 days time and pick up my John Lewis return? Yes please. Would people pay for this convenience? Sometimes yes. Are these currently possible? No. Shared login to both websites? No.