John Lewis has published impressive Christmas figures, with sales for the five weeks to 29 December 2012 totalling £684.8m, up 14.8% compared with last year.
Electricals and Home Technology sales were among the biggest drivers for the department store giant, with sales up 30.9% on last year. Fashion, including Beauty, was 10.4% up and Home increased by 6.2%.
In line with other retail giants, online sales made a big impact this year - with sales up a whopping 44.3% on 2011. The website now accounts for a quarter of the total John Lewis business.
Andy Street, Managing Director of John Lewis, said in a statement: "In an economic climate which continues to be volatile, to have achieved these results is testimony to the strength of the John Lewis brand and the commitment of all our Partners to give outstanding service.
"The success of our online operation and our pre-eminence as an omni-channel retailer cannot be underestimated. Sales at johnlewis.com broke through the £800 million milestone during December supported by an excellent performance from our Click and Collect facility which allows customers the flexibility to buy online and collect from John Lewis and Waitrose outlets.
"Above all, our success can be attributed to the inspiring and innovative products we offer our customers coupled with their trust that we will always provide the best quality and value and will always fulfil our 'Never Knowingly Undersold' promise."
Nick Hood, business analyst from Company Watch, told Huff Post UK: “John Lewis continues to flourish despite talk that festive season sales across the retail sector have been no better than acceptable as consumers finally rein in spending. While its sales will have been boosted by the messy demise of Comet and the knock-on effect of the Amazon tax scandal, the performance is truly remarkable and a triumph for the UK's premier retailer.
“We rate its overall financial health at 76 out of a possible 100, confirming the chain has plenty of resource to continue to upgrade their stores and their online offering to enhance still further what is clearly one the UK's most positive customer experiences."