UK. WHSmith today officially unveiled the largest store in its extensive UK airport estate at London Stansted Airport. The store is the first to combine the retailer’s traditional offer of news, books and convenience products with a comprehensive technology and accessories range from its InMotion brand.
The Moodie Davitt Report was the sole travel media in attendance, getting first-hand reaction to the expansive new store and exclusive interviews from WHSmith Travel Managing Director Andrew Harrison and MAG Airports Retail Director Ben Green.
The ambitious opening, featuring wide, easily navigable aisles and multiple self-service tills for a speedy exit, showcases a best-in-class store design from WHSmith, with a bespoke wrap-around LED fascia complemented by in-store digital signage.
The 6,000sq ft airside shop site combines the space of an existing WHSmith store with an adjacent former Dixons store. It forms part of WHSmith’s programme to introduce its InMotion brand to former Dixons Travel airport store sites and other locations inside UK airports.
“The customer is able to enter it easily, they’re able to navigate easily, they’re able to understand what the different sections offer, and importantly in today’s airport environment, it’s very easy for them to pay and get out. I think the quality we have delivered with this store is world-class.” – WHSmith Travel Managing Director Andrew Harrison
The Stansted concept store is designed to provide passengers with all the travel essentials they need for their journey, from bestselling books, gifts and food and drinks, to an extensive range of technology and electrical accessories in the InMotion section from premium brands including Apple, Bose and Samsung.
The Moodie Davitt Report was introduced to some of the knowledgeable InMotion staff, who are tasked with delivering a superior customer experience with regular live product demonstrations and giving travellers one-to-one advice on selection.
With traffic rapidly returning to the London Stansted terminal, already more than 2,600 passengers are passing the new stores across peak hours, and that number will rise to more than 5,200 when the airport returns to full capacity.
“They wanted to make it the best version of WHSmith the store could possibly be – it’s always slightly better than the previous one and that continuous improvement is really important” – MAG Airports Retail Director Ben Green
Harrison, who previously held a variety of senior roles for MAG Airports Group across 15 years and became the Managing Director of the WHSmith Travel business earlier this year, said: “This stunning new store offers the very best in travel retail, with a tailored one-stop-shop solution that will really enhance passengers’ journeys as they travel through the airport.
“We know that while it’s the destination that matters to our customers, it’s their journey that matters to us, and we’re proud to provide a superior customer experience in this store through our live product demonstrations to entertain the whole family ahead of their flight.”
He added: “We’ve segmented the store in a way that people can shop it easily and the digital fascia enables us to promote the different products and offers front of store.
“I’m proud of how we’ve been able to create real definition in the store. The customer is able to enter it easily, they’re able to navigate easily, they’re able to understand what the different sections offer, and importantly in today’s airport environment, it’s very easy for them to pay and get out. I think the quality we have delivered with this store is world-class.”
Speaking about the fast-developing InMotion brand, which is already present in multiple UK airports, with more openings to come, Harrison said: “Introducing InMotion as a brand has been a massive strategic step for WHSmith in airports and makes us an authoritative player in the consumer electronics market. With what we’ve done [on InMotion] with airports in the US and the UK, that means a massive platform for growth across the rest of the world.”
Underlining the WHSmith faith in the InMotion brand, the company will invest about £18 million (US$24.2 million) in capex and working capital relating to the 30 InMotion stores opening in the UK in the year ending 31 August 2022.
Green revealed to The Moodie Davitt Report that there are currently 53 capital projects under development at London Stansted, all involving retail or F&B and scheduled to open by the Summer of 2022.
Giving his reaction to the new WHSmith store, he said: “This fantastic new store and concept, combining the best of WHSmith and its travel essentials offer with the exciting new InMotion technology brand, will make airport shopping even easier for our passengers by bringing together an extensive range of products all under one roof.
“We have enjoyed a long and successful partnership with WHSmith at the airport, and this innovative new store will take our relationship to another level.
“The opening is perfectly timed as travel restrictions ease and we welcome more passengers back to London Stansted. We look forward to working together and providing the best possible experience for passengers before they take to the skies.”
Green described the speed of opening the store from conception to delivery in just five months as “incredible”. Reflecting on what WHSmith brings to the retail scene at MAG-owned airports, which also include Manchester and East Midlands, he said: “They have a real can-do attitude, delivering change and delivering it quickly. They do not see problems, they see opportunities.
“They do not try and execute projects cheaply, they invest properly to get it right and bring forward an airport retail experience that really works for the current environment.
“So I think WHSmith has got a real ambition to own that essentials retail category in travel, and therefore everything they are doing is in line with that vision. And that creates a powerful store like you’ve seen today.
“They wanted to make it the best version of WHSmith the store could possibly be – it’s always slightly better than the previous one and that continuous improvement is really important.”
Our extensive interviews on the travel retail strategies of WHSmith and MAG Airports with Andrew Harrison and Ben Green will appear across The Moodie Davitt Report channels soon.
