Christmas ready: 5 retail POS revamps that stand out this festive season

A third of UK consumers do their Christmas shopping mostly or entirely online, compared to 22% who do it mostly or entirely in person.

 

That is a key finding from the ‘YouGov2025 Big Survey on Christmas – present shopping and giving’, published on 28 November, which also uncovered 32% of shoppers say their seasonal shopping is roughly equally done in person and online.

 

Firstly, these stats emphasise the need for retailers which sell in stores and online to think holistically about their operations this festive season. They need shop space which offers consistent messaging to that found online, and they need each component of their proposition to support the other – as people continue to shop across these channels.

 

It’s not new to say this is important all year round, but it is worth underlining it is absolutely vital at peak period when there’s so much at stake for the shopper. The consumer pain caused by an inconsistency here or a misleading message there ramps up at this time of year when stress levels are on the rise.

 

With Black Friday having been and gone, and it largely being an online affair with Adobe Analytics reporting British shoppers spend £3.8 billion online across the four days of Black Friday to Cyber Monday, I thought I’d dedicate this blog to the store.

 

Below, I’ve picked out five retailers that revamped the point of sale (POS) in store ahead of Christmas 2025, seemingly acknowledging the importance of a compelling and consistent customer experience (CX) during the busiest time of the year.

 

John Lewis opens up its counters

 

Department store chain John Lewis has completed a circa £10 million investment in its Bluewater shopping centre store, in Kent. And as well as the introduction of a ‘Gifting Emporium’ (which is a suitable arrival in time for Christmas), the biggest change to its home department for a long time, and a focus on premium beauty, the opening up of its counters is a potentially game-changing move.

 

By doing this customers can get closer to the products and can explore the new brands on offer, while also getting the chance to engage with staff in a less formal manner. It’s one small POS tweak that could have a large impact on conversions, and it is in keeping with executive director Peter Ruis’s department store CX modernisation plans.

 

Currys adds opportunities to connect

 

Also making some changes to facilitate more staff-customer direct engagement in stores is tech retailer Currys.

 

In the lead-up to the final quarter of 2025 – or the Golden Quarter as many retailers refer to it – Currys doubled the value of its ‘Cash for trash’ voucher. Now when consumers bring back old tech for recycling, they receive at least £10 to be redeemed on purchases of £50 or more.

 

It’s a great way to get people into store at peak period, especially as it can help them get a decent saving on a big ticket gift for a family member or friend.

 

Currys has also deployed electronic shelf-edge labelling across its store estate this year, recently completing the roll-out. The retailer said it will save staff hours and hours of price label ticketing work, freeing them up to approach customers on the shopfloor and navigate them through what can often be a complex buying journey. It could be a real winner this Christmas.

 

Primark trials inclusive new self-checkout

 

How many times do you hear people moaning about self-checkouts when you’re in stores? From my experience, there’s usually quite a lot of audible huffing and puffing – although that is mainly coming from me.

 

Fashion chain Primark is just one of an array of retailers continuing to innovate in this space though, and is currently trialling a proof of concept self-checkout in its York store that accepts BOTH cash and card. These machines in retail are usually card only.

The business will gauge how customers are using it, and can act accordingly in terms of potential deployment to the wider store estate. I thought this was a good example of thinking about the entire customer demographic at the retail POS – and not just assuming everyone wants to pay with their debit or credit card in the modern age.

Price Match promise at The Entertainer

 

In May, toy retailer The Entertainer opened what it is calling its first ‘Generation 5’ store.

 

The shop in Bluewater comes complete with a Price Match Promise, meaning customers won’t be able to find a better price for the same goods across the local area. There’s a distinct possibility that group CEO Andrew Murphy led this move, given his time as COO of the 'Never Knowingly Undersold' John Lewis prior to joining The Entertainer.

 

Such a customer proposition can bring peace of mind to shoppers as the spending levels ramp up in the Christmas rush, and with a whole range of the latest popular toys now added to its inventory, there are incentives for locals to visit The Entertainer for their gifts this December.

 

Sports Direct elevates POS CX with expert advice

 

Frasers Group’s ‘Elevation Strategy’ continued apace in 2025 and, as part of this ongoing refresh of its store estate, a new-look, three-storey 90,000 sq ft Sports Direct flagship has opened its doors in Liverpool.

 

A key feature of the space is the Sports Direct’s Running Concept, where customers can run on a gait analysis machine and receive personalised trainer recommendations based on their style and technique. There is also dedicated space for its Game brand that promises “extensive and expert knowledge to customers” related to the latest games and accessories.

 

Specialist product areas require that high level of staff expertise – especially at Christmas when many shoppers will be gifting and not necessarily up-to-date with the categories they're shopping. It’s great to see Frasers considering this element of the POS as part of its successful elevation strategy.

 

The POS is the heartbeat of the retail store. It’s where retailers need to be engaging with consumers, making transactions friction-free, and putting the capabilities in to ensure shoppers leave the premises happy and make plans to come back soon. It's an area where retailer investment needs to be ongoing.