John Lewis stores let you buy a gadget, get half a year of free broadband

Retailers will try any number of stunts to get our feet in the door when they've got inventory to clear or services to push, whether they're offering straight-up discounts or giving away devices. UK retailer John Lewis would really, really like us to try its home broadband, so it's trying a related yet uncommon strategy: buy an internet-capable device by April 15th, 2014 and John Lewis will supply half a year of broadband for free, even at fiber optic speeds. As always, though, there's an asterisk at the end. Would-be customers need to sign up for a year-long service contract to qualify, so they'll be paying between £25 to £39 per month ($38 to $60) for at least another half-year. We doubt many will shift their laptop or tablet purchases just to get cheap data, but the promo may tip the balance for those experimenting with internet providers or wiring up a new flat.