The Ultimate Guide To John Lewis Membership
/John Lewis membership grants you certain benefits throughout the year. In this ultimate guide, I’ll break down the benefits of the loyalty scheme, answer all your FAQs and look at the John Lewis Partnership credit card.
John Lewis and MyWaitrose will be launching a combined card “soon” after a successful trial over the past few years. Make sure to join the mailing list (form at the end of this blog) so you’re kept in the loop.
How To Become A John Lewis Member
Head to the John Lewis Sign Up Page and register. You must be a UK resident, aged 18+ to join.
As John Lewis are trying to promote digital-only membership and decrease their environmental impact, you won’t be sent a physical card. But you can request one through your account if you wish.
You’ll be able to collect or redeem any rewards/receipts as long as you’re signed in when shopping at John Lewis (or you scan your card at checkout in-store). I’d suggest adding the card to your smartphone wallet (eg. Apple Wallet) too since they offer that function:
John Lewis App > Account > My John Lewis Card > Add To Wallet
Is John Lewis Membership Free?
Yes, membership is free. You don’t have to pay to become a John Lewis member. It’s a free loyalty programme.
Can I Add Receipts To My John Lewis Card?
No, you can’t add receipts to your John Lewis Membership account after the fact. You need to be signed in online or scan your card at the checkout to collect digital receipts.
Do You Earn Points As A John Lewis Member?
No, you don’t. John Lewis membership is a non-points earning loyalty programme. What tends to cause confusion is that you do earn points with the John Lewis Partnership Credit Card. I’ll talk more about the credit card below. So, if there are no points earned through the loyalty programme, you might be wondering…
What Are The Benefits Of John Lewis Membership?
In all, the benefits currently available are pretty lacklustre. Some of the better benefits (eg. Free Coffee/Cake and BeautyCycle were put on hold due to the pandemic):
Monthly Free Coffee And Slice of Cake - Currently on hold due to the ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic
BeautyCycle - Now Available Again - £5 off beauty products when you recycle 5+ empty beauty products at the same time
Rewards - Ranges throughout the year (eg. £100 Gift Card With Selected Electrical Products)
Random Competitions - Ranges throughout the year (eg. Win £1000+ Sonos Bundle)
Monthly Prize Draw - Every £1 Spent = 1 Entry (eg. £300 of LEGO Art Sets)
Member-Only Events - Eg. Virtual Masterclass
Digital Receipt Copies ‘Kitchen Drawer’ - Online & In-Store Receipts
Activate Rewards & Competitions at John Lewis > Rewards & Treats or In-App > Account > View Rewards & Treats
BeautyCycle - Accepted Empty Beauty Items
John Lewis Will Accept:
Beauty Jars
Caps (Including Glass)
Concealer/Foundation Tubes and Sticks
Eye Liner Pencils and Cases
Eyeshadow Tubes and Palettes
Hair Spray Bottles (Non-Pressurised)
Lip Beauty products (Tubes, Lipstick, Lip Balm)
Mascara Tubes
Shampoo/Conditioner Bottles and Caps
Tubes
John Lewis Won’t accept:
Aerosol Cans
Electronic Items (Eg. Hairdryers, Straighteners)
Hairbrushes
Nail Polish Bottles
Perfume Bottles
Toothbrushes
Can I Use My John Lewis Card In Waitrose?
No, you can’t use your John Lewis card in Waitrose. Similarly, you you can’t use your MyWaitrose card at John Lewis.
That said, at some point “soon”, John Lewis and Partners will be launching a combined Waitrose/John Lewis loyalty programme. Join the mailing list below so you’re notified when the new scheme launches.
John Lewis Partnership Credit Card Review
The John Lewis Partnership Credit Card is separate from their loyalty programme. With the Partnership credit card (Mastercard) you earn points which are auto-redeemed for £5 John Lewis/Waitrose Vouchers.
Earn 5 Points Per £4 Spent in John Lewis or Waitrose (+Rare Double/Triple Point Days)
Earn 1 Point Per £4 Spent Elsewhere
500 Points = £5 John Lewis/Waitrose Voucher
How does the John Lewis Credit Card compare to the competition? The points equate to 1.25% cashback on John Lewis/Waitrose spending and 0.25% cashback on spending elsewhere. The American Express MR Card, on the other hand, gets you 0.5%-3.4% cashback on all spending.
In other words, if you’re shopping in John Lewis or Waitrose, the Partnership card can give you a decent flat-rate 1.25% return but you can get a better return on spend with other cards if you redeem the points efficiently. When shopping elsewhere, the argument for using another card, like the American Express MR Card, is even more clear-cut.
Is John Lewis Membership Worth It?
Since John Lewis membership doesn’t involve point-earning, it’s really down to 'will you take advantage of any of the benefits listed above?’. Aside from their competitions and offers, which range throughout the year, you’re probably looking at BeautyCycle (although it can be a hassle), Kitchen Drawer (digital receipts for in-store/online purchases can be handy) and the Free Coffee/Slice of Cake (currently on hold due to the pandemic).
Whilst I’m clearly not that enthusiastic about their loyalty programme, there is one area where John Lewis really shines and that's product guarantees. On home/electrical products, John Lewis offer a free 2 year guarantee (5 years on TVs), where most manufacturers will only offer 1 year.
Buy an Apple product from John Lewis, for example, and it’s usually priced the same as the Apple Store. You’ll get the same 1 year Apple TV+ benefit and you’ll get an additional year of warranty free.
Have any questions about John Lewis Membership? Comment below for a fast response or message me on Twitter @AndrewYBlogs or Instagram @capitalmattersblog.
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