John Lewis
Depends
Confidence: Medium
This is a UK department store, not a software product . the decision is whether to shop there.
New check
Comparison
John Lewis vs Marks & Spencer
John Lewis and Marks & Spencer both land on Depends.
Marks & Spencer
Depends
Confidence: Medium
Buy if you want quality UK clothing or food and accept a mid-to-premium price.
| Compare | John Lewis | Marks & Spencer |
|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Depends | Depends |
| Best for | UK homeware and furniture buyers | UK shoppers wanting quality basics |
| Who it's not for | Anyone buying software . this is a shop, not a tool | Bargain hunters |
| Privacy | No known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.10 | Major 2025 ransomware attack by Scattered Spider halted online orders; services later restored. |
| Support quality | Multiple service and returns complaints | Review snippets too thin to score |
| Public sentiment | Long-time fans like product quality and price matching, but recent reviews flag customer service and returns problems.¹ | Shoppers praise quality and a brand revival but often call it overpriced, and the 2025 hack dented online-order trust. |
| Biggest gotcha | Price promise criticised when it failed to drop prices to competitors' levels12 | Online orders were suspended after the 2025 cyberattack; check current service status before relying on delivery |
Pick John Lewis when
- UK homeware and furniture buyers
- Big-ticket electricals with price-match peace of mind
- In-store browsing plus click-and-collect
- Gift shoppers wanting established brands
When John Lewis is not a fit
- Anyone buying software . this is a shop, not a tool
- Buyers who dread slow returns and support queues
- Non-UK shoppers needing local availability
Pick Marks & Spencer when
- UK shoppers wanting quality basics
- Food hall and gift buyers
- Workwear and homeware shoppers
- Shoppers valuing an established brand
When Marks & Spencer is not a fit
- Bargain hunters
- US shoppers until the Nordstrom rollout lands
- Anyone needing guaranteed online delivery post-breach
- Budget grocery shoppers
Sources
- John Lewis Reviews | Trustpilot UKuk.trustpilot.comreview
- John Lewis service reviews | Reviews.ioreviews.ioreview
- Review of John Lewis - Disgusting Customer Servicetripadvisor.comreview
- Beware of John Lewis when buying a cameradpreview.comreview
- Has anyone used John Lewis? (UK)reddit.comreview
- John Lewis Price Promisejohnlewis.comofficial
- Prices at John Lewisjohnlewis.comofficial
- Never Knowingly Undersoldjohnlewis.comofficial
- Click and Collect | Customer Servicesjohnlewis.comofficial
- Secure by Design | John Lewis Partnership Engineeringengineering-principles.jlp.engineeringsecurity
security
news
news
- John Lewis Partnership Approaching 100 Years - What Now?cleo.rutgers.edunews
- John Lewis Mishandling Data? (MoneySavingExpert forum)forums.moneysavingexpert.comreview
- Marks & Spencer - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.orgofficial