John Lewis move sat-navs online as in-store sales plummet ~ station of gear

Dan Smith 2017-10-12 11:10

British retailer sees major decline in sat-nav systems being sold in store as smartphone maps take over

British retailer John Lewis has decided to no longer stock increasingly outdated satellite navigation systems in-store, selling them online only as inbuilt and smartphone road maps become the norm.

Once an essential accessory for new cars, John Lewis’ annual retail report reveals that sat-navs are one of the items being ‘left behind’. The retailer’s decision is in response to declining sales over the last few years, with leading sat-nav brand TomTom reporting shrinking sales over the last decade.

• Best sat-nav apps

One of the reasons for the decline in external sat-nav sales is the increase in car manufacturers equipping navigation as standard in their vehicles. The availability of Google Maps on almost every smartphone is another factor in declining sat-nav sales.

Google Maps is free and comes as standard on most smartphones. It also updates traffic flow conditions on the road to give advanced warning to drivers about delays as they occur.

As a result of this easy access to navigation, sat-navs have become redundant for many motorists who now rely on either their phone or in their cars’ on-board system. As such, John Lewis made the decision to sell them exclusively on its online store since April this year.

Do you still use a sat-nav, or does your smartphone guide you on the road? Join the debate below!

Thank you for reading the article about John Lewis move sat-navs online as in-store sales plummet in blog station of gear If this article was helpful please bookmark this page in your web browser by pressing Ctrl + D on your keyboard keys.