Buying guides
Our buying guides give general advice about buying and caring for a wide range of products, as well as information about in-store services. Browse the list of buying guides.
Guarantees, service plans and helplines
Guarantees
We always honour the manufacturer's guarantee period where offered; these are usually one year unless otherwise stated. Please see individual product pages for details.
In addition to the first year manufacturer’s guarantee on large electrical domestic appliances, computers, non-portable hi-fi equipment, DVD players/recorders and camcorders, we provide a second year service guarantee at no extra cost. On John Lewis own brand large electrical appliances (except microwaves), the guarantee is for 3 years, and it's 5 years on all TVs
What does the guarantee cover?
Our guarantees provide full cover against mechanical breakdown through normal use. This means that if your item develops a fault during the guarantee period, we'll arrange for it to be repaired free of charge, including all parts and labour. Your guarantee is transferable with ownership, so if you give or sell the item to someone during the guarantee period, it's still covered.
Large domestic appliances include the following ranges of products: washing machines, tumble dryers, washer dryers, dishwashers, fridges, freezers, fridge freezers and cookers (excluding microwaves).
How does it work?
During the guarantee period, if your product develops a fault that needs to be repaired, look for visible signs of the breakdown and consult the fault-finding guide in the manufacturer's handbook, if any.
If that doesn't resolve the issue, please contact your local John Lewis shop and talk to one of our Partners. You’ll need to provide us with details of your item, including the model number and date of purchase. You’ll find all of this information on our original receipt – this acts as your guarantee, so please make sure you keep it safe.
If we can’t repair your item, we’ll replace it with an item of equivalent specification. If no equivalent product is available we‘ll discuss an alternative settlement with you, and we’ll always do our best to make sure that you’re satisfied with the outcome.
What’s not included
There are some specific exclusions from our guarantees, as follows:
- Repair costs caused by external factors such as computer viruses, faulty software, fire, theft, and weather (including lightning damage)
Accidental damage, for example if your item has been dropped. You may find that this type of damage is covered by your household contents insurance policy - Image ghosting or screen burn. These can appear on a screen that’s left operating for a prolonged period with either a still image or a channel constantly displaying a logo
- Pixel spots. These are tiny dark or bright spots that may become visible on a screen
- Digital television picture affected by any of the following: a misaligned or unsuitable aerial, climatic conditions, geographic location, poor quality or low strength broadcast signal
- Consumables such as batteries, ink cartridges, storage media, rear projection television bulbs, fuses, light bulbs etc
- If the product has been used commercially or for business purposes (with the exception of computers)
- Data loss
- Cosmetic items such as cabinet trim, scratches, dents, corrosion or colour where the function of the product is unaffected
- Unblocking drainage channels in refrigeration equipment
- Frozen food loss as a result of the product breaking down
- Any loss suffered as a result of not being able to use the product, or any loss over and above the purchase price of the original item
Servicing, inspecting or cleaning of the product; and failure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and/or installation guidelines - Deliberate damage or neglect of the insured product
- Please note that our guarantees provide services for goods bought and used in the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands
Computer repairs
If you have a Samsung or Toshiba laptop, or an Apple Mac, and your machine is still under guarantee, we now offer a convenient free collection and repair service. To arrange a repair, you can either take your computer to the Technical Support Area in one of our shops, or call our helpline on 0844 693 1799 (call charges will depend on your telephone provider. Please check with your operator for exact charges), and we'll help diagnose the problem. If your computer needs a repair, we can then arrange for it to be collected from and returned to an address of your choise.
Service plans
If you wish, you have the opportunity to buy a (John Lewis Service Plan) on many electrical products, in order to cover repair costs once the manufacturer's guarantee has expired. The Service Plan also acts as insurance to cover repairs needed because of accidental damage, not usually covered under the guarantee.
Please note that extended warranties or service plans are also available from alternative providers such as manufacturers and insurers. Your household contents insurance may also provide cover against accident, fire or theft .
You can buy a Service Plan from us at the same time as you purchase the electrical item, or if you prefer, you can wait and buy it within 30 days of purchasing the item. If you do decide to delay purchase of a plan, then you'll need to buy it by phone or by downloading an application form. Get further information here, or call 0844 871 7771 with details of your purchase and your credit or debit card details to hand. You can cancel the John Lewis Service Plan policy without penalty in the first 45 days of taking it out.
Technical support
If you have any queries or problems with an electrical or technology product, call our JL technical support line on 0844 693 1799 (call charges will depend on your telephone provider. Please check with your operator for exact charges) or email technical support@johnlewis.com from 8am to 9pm weekdays, 8am to 8pm Saturday and 10am to 6pm Sundays – calls are charged at a local call rate. To help us handle your query promptly please have your model number available.
We offer access to a 90 day helpline when you buy a new desktop or laptop computer from John Lewis. The service is available for a period of 90 days from the date you make your purchase, and you can call the helpline on 0870 600 0060 from 8am to 9pm weekdays, 8am to 8pm Saturday and 10am to 8pm Sundays - calls are charged at a national call rate.
When you buy a computer from us, we also offer a variety of computer installation and start-up tuition services from £49.50. Find out more.
f you need help with any other product on our website, please email our Customer Service team or telephone on 08456 049 049, any time between 7am and midnight, 7 days a week.
Prices at John Lewis
All our prices include UK VAT but exclude delivery charges. Standard delivery is currently free on all orders over £50 as in our shops, but we do charge for next and named day delivery. If you order online and collect from our shops (available on selected items), then delivery is free regardless of order value. Find out more about our click & collect service.
Our online prices are the same as in John Lewis shops, although occasionally you may find a lower price in one of our shops if they're matching the price of a local competitor, or online if we have a johnlewis.com special offer.
Our Never Knowingly Undersold commitment means that as we match prices nationally, prices in our shops and online will go down (and up) accordingly. The prices in our catalogues are the same as in our shops at the time of going to press, but may be subject to change during the life of a catalogue.
If you see or buy a product online and find it cheaper with a high street competitor (whether or not they also sell online), as long as their service conditions are comparable, then we’ll match that price for you or refund the difference. Comparable service conditions include factors such as:
delivery charges and timescales
guarantees provided free or at a charge
fitting or installation services, including accreditation of fitters, scope of workmanship, materials used and timescales
If you’ve already purchased the product online, please make sure you report the price match within 28 days of receiving it. If you’d like to buy the product but want us to price match first, please check that you’re providing the most up to date information you can obtain when you submit your claim.
You’ll need to complete this form to submit your price match. We’ll be asking you for full details of the product, the competitor and their prices, so please do check that you have this information to hand before you begin to complete the form.
Please note though, that we won’t refund the difference in price paid if you could have bought the product more cheaply with an online-only retailer: examples of these include Dixons.co.uk, Amazon and Play.com ,who sell only through their websites or mail order and not via high street shops. We also don’t match competitors who are in administration or closing down.
Read more about our Never Knowingly Undersold promise
Waitrose wine: The offers and promotions that are available in our shops do not necessarily apply to Waitrose Wine Direct and vice versa.
What do we mean by Clearance?
There are 3 kinds of Clearance bargains:
Reduced for clearance - Goods we no longer wish to stock, such as discontinued lines or colours
Special buy - These products offer exceptional value. We can sell them at such keen prices because we've obtained discounts from suppliers on one-off ranges for a limited period
Seconds - These items are hand-selected from production. They may have minor imperfections, but this won't detract from the overall beauty or function of the product
Like all goods we sell, Clearance bargains offer a keen combination of quality and value. All our usual services apply during Clearance, including free standard delivery on orders over £50.
Buying John Lewis gift vouchers
You can buy and use John Lewis gift vouchers online and in our shops. Buy up to £250 worth of vouchers in multiples of £5 or £10, and have them despatched to any UK postcode for a small charge, together with a card and gift message. Buy John Lewis gift vouchers here.
You can also buy them by phone, calling Voucher Express on 0871 384 6750, Monday to Friday, 9.00am - 5.00pm.
If you wish to visit one of our shops, or buy gift vouchers using your John Lewis or Waitrose account card, find your nearest John Lewis shop here.
If you’d like to place a corporate order for gift vouchers, our Solutions for business is here to help. Find out more.
Using John Lewis gift vouchers online
Shop as usual on the website and then proceed to checkout. During checkout you'll be asked to enter two codes for each voucher you wish to spend:
The 10 digit serial number on the bottom right of the voucher;
And the 7 character online security code underneath the scratch-off panel.
For multiple gift vouchers, enter one set of voucher codes at a time.
After entering in the gift voucher codes, your order will be automatically updated with credit to the value of the voucher(s). If there's any balance to pay, you can use a debit or credit card or your John Lewis account card in the usual way. If you do not spend the full value of the voucher(s), the remaining credit will be stored in your johnlewis.com online account and can be used towards your next purchase on johnlewis.com.
If you find that your voucher is not accepted at checkout, check the serial number and online security code you have entered and try again. If you continue to experience any further difficulties, email our Customer Service team or call us on 08456 049 049 between 7am and midnight, 7 days a week.
Please note: Gift vouchers can only be used online once, and they cannot be used in our shops once the holographic panel has been scratched off. If your gift vouchers are accidentally damaged, contact our Customer Services team. If you have to return goods you've purchased online using gift vouchers, then in most instances we will credit your online shopping account against further purchases. You may also return goods to any John Lewis shop. This does not affect your statutory rights.
Using John Lewis e-vouchers online
Shop as usual on the website and then proceed to checkout. During checkout you'll be asked to enter two codes for the e-voucher you wish to spend:
The 10 digit serial number off the e-voucher;
And the 7 character online security code.
After entering in the e-voucher code, your order will be automatically updated with credit to the value of the e-voucher. If there's any balance to pay, you can use a debit or credit card or your John Lewis account card in the usual way. If you do not spend the full value of the e-voucher, the remaining credit will be stored in your johnlewis.com online account and can be used towards your next purchase on johnlewis.com.
If you find that your e-voucher is not accepted at checkout, check the serial number and online security code you have entered and try again. If you continue to experience any further difficulties, email our Customer Service team or call us on 08456 049 049 between 7am and midnight, 7 days a week.
Please note: e-vouchers can only be used online once, and they cannot be used in our shops or by phone. If you have to return goods you've purchased online using e-vouchers, then in most instances we will credit your online shopping account against further purchases. You may also return goods to any John Lewis shop. This does not affect your statutory rights.
Promotion codes and discounts
If you acquire a coupon, discount or promotional discount code offered by johnlewis.com, it's valid for use online only at johnlewis.com, and not in our shops or by phone, unless otherwise stated.
The following conditions apply:
For the promotional code to be valid, a valid product must be added to your basket.
Only one promotional code can be used per transaction.
If you have more than one promotional code, you may place separate orders.
Orders must be made prior to 23:59 on the closing date.
No cash alternative is available.
All offers are subject to stock availability.
All other John Lewis terms and conditions apply.
Swatches service
This is a free online service to help you choose the right fabric, colour and texture for your new sofa or chair. If you're choosing upholstery that's made to order, we'd strongly recommend you order a swatch before you commit to your choice.
For an individual sofa or chair, you can order every colour swatch available for it, but if you like the look of more than one model, you’ll need to place separate orders for each. These will be posted to you or to any UK address by our suppliers in around 5 working days.
We also provide a swatch service for curtain and blind fabrics in our made to order section. You can order up to 6 swatches at a time and they'll be posted to you within 5 working days.
These free services are only available in the UK. We’re sorry, but the service doesn’t include samples of leather upholstery (though you can view these in our shops), nor does it include curtain fabrics which don't form part of our made to order selection – again, please ask in our shops.