On location: Largest InMotion store globally opens at London Heathrow Terminal 5

UK. WHSmith-owned InMotion, the leading airport technology retailer, has officially unveiled an eye-catching new store in Heathrow Terminal 5. At 3,400 sq ft, the flagship space – which has been refurbished at a cost of around £1.35 million (US$1.68 million) in converting from a former Dixons store – is now the largest InMotion shop globally.

The Moodie Davitt Report has been on the ground at the UK’s number one travel hub today to bring you reaction and images from the new shopping experience.

A bright LED fascia running across 36 metres will attract the attention of passing shoppers, and provides the ability to highlight deals in-store

The new store is one of 30 InMotion-branded stores which will open in UK airports by the Summer of 2022, after WHSmith won several consumer technology concessions in 2021.

Customers visiting this best-in-class store in T5 will find the latest technology products and accessories, including tablets, digital cameras and headphones. There is also an extensive range of travel accessories, such as adaptors, portable chargers and cases.

At the entrance to the store’s experiential zone, WHSmith Travel Managing Director Andrew Harrison demonstrates the interactive features of a large digital screen

The offer includes products from globally-renowned brands including Apple, Samsung, Sony, Nikon, GoPro, Beats by Dr. Dre, Bose and Fitbit. There is also an extensive range of own-brand InMotion products.

The technology products are brought to life in-store for customers with an engaging experiential zone, which includes a listening booth allowing the trial of noise-cancelling headphones.

There is also a pop-up events space for product launches and brand competitions, interactive LED screens and live product demonstrations.

Representatives from the new InMotion store, WHSmith and Heathrow perform the ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier today

WHSmith Group Creative Director Phil Ridge is responsible for WHSmith store design worldwide and plays a leading role in pitches and tenders for the WHSmith airport business in Australia, the Middle East and Europe.

He told The Moodie Davitt Report: “Obviously, experiential is one of the elements that Heathrow wants to see more of, and I think we have certainly delivered on that front with this store. What we see here, we want to include more of in other retail locations where space allows.

Travel accessories have a prominent place in the store, alongside InMotion own-brand electronics products

“The are many digital elements across the store that allow us to create something different for people to see every time they come through the airport. And with the main experiential zone, the plan is to change it every eight to 12 weeks, so if a passenger was flying through here at Christmas, maybe then again at Easter and then the summer, through those periods they would see a very different experience here.”

He added: “This is the blueprint now for some of our larger new stores and refurbishments. This is the kind of concept that we want to deliver in the bigger spaces.”

“With what we have in the US and the UK, we are already the largest tech travel retailer in the world. Our aim is to be not just the largest but also the best and with this kind of effort and with this kind of concept, we now want to take it to the rest of the world” – WHSmith Travel Managing Director Andrew Harrison

A striking feature of the store is a bright 36-metre width LED fascia that aims to create an engaging visual impact for passing travellers in T5, with digital signposting of the products, services and offers available.

A striking area for Google products is one of the standout visual highlights of the store

WHSmith also said that visitors to the store will benefit from “a superior customer service experience” from the InMotion team, who are armed with comprehensive product knowledge to help shoppers make their purchase choices.

WHS Smith Travel Commercial Director Ben Carrington said the transfer of experienced airport retail staff from the previous Dixons stores to the InMotion business has been an important factor in delivering this key pillar of InMotion strategy. He said the same of significantly increasing the number of staff on the shopfloor compared to the previous tenant.

The LED fascia regularly changes colour, as it highlights different key brands and their products inside the store

“Our approach to training and service is about selling the solution of the product rather than the product itself,” he added.

Asked what he is most proud about in terms of what has been delivered with this new store, Carrington replied: “It’s a year ago today that Dixons announced their exit from the UK airport business, so I think it’s the speed with which we have delivered a concept as strong as this one that is impressive.

Discussing the strategy behind the exciting new InMotion store format are, left to right, WHSmith Travel Managing Director Andrew Harrison, WHSmith Travel Commercial Director Ben Carrington, Moodie Davitt Report Senior Business Editor Mark Lane and WHSmith Group Creative Director Phil Ridge

“In that year, we’ve built a business model, built a new customer proposition and have this great look and feel of store you are standing in today. We’ve opened 28 of 30 stores in 12 months and I think that’s a phenomenal achievement in that space of time. And the customer feedback and the landlord feedback we’re achieving is testament to that.”

WHSmith told The Moodie Davitt Report that it will have invested a total of about £18 million (US$22.6 million) in capex and working capital relating to the 30 UK airport InMotion stores by the time the opening programme is completed.

An interactive Sennheiser experience inside the store which shows the remarkable effectiveness of its products. On the screen you can select different types of background noise such as planes taking off before cancelling the noise with the premium headphones.

WHSmith Travel Managing Director Andrew Harrison said: “We’re delighted to have opened our largest and most remarkable InMotion store yet at Heathrow Terminal 5, marking the latest milestone in our partnership with the airport that spans over 75 years.

“Technology is an increasingly essential part of our customers’ journeys and, within this new flagship store, we’re making it easy for people to experience the latest tech and get the support and advice they need to help them choose the perfect product for their journey.”

He added: “We have received great feedback from passengers travelling through Heathrow and the team looks forward to welcoming more customers to this fantastic new store over the coming months.”

Harrison revealed to The Moodie Davitt Report that the InMotion brand will initially spread its footprint outside its US and UK strongholds to seven additional airport locations. As reported, the first has already opened at Dublin, with more to follow at airports in Gothenburg, Milan, Stockholm and across Australia in the coming months.

He said: “With what we have in the US and the UK, we are already the largest tech travel retailer in the world. Our aim is to be not just the largest but also the best and with this kind of effort and with this kind of concept [as seen in the new Heathrow store], we now want to take it to the rest of the world.

Wellbeing technology and other related products are strongly-featured in the store. WHSmith Travel Commercial Director Ben Carrington said he sees big future growth for this category inside InMotion stores.

“The more people that see the InMotion brand across different airports across the globe, it will give them more and more confidence of buying tech [sold by InMotion] in airports.

“When we look across the store here today, we are seeing a very diverse range of customers, with appeal to both males and females, which is exactly what we’re aiming for. We want this to be accessible to everybody both with the way the stores look but also in terms of the product line-up and the way we display excellence in product knowledge and deliver great customer service.”

Heathrow Retail Retail & Property Director Fraser Brown (left) and WHSmith Business Development Director Spencer Sheen (right) discussed with Mark Lane the vital importance and longevity of their partnership, which stretches back to 1947

Heathrow Retail & Property Director Fraser Brown said: “We’re thrilled to have InMotion’s largest store globally opening at Heathrow, along with a further seven inline stores, two pop-up stores and five digital vending machines in our terminals.

“This new partnership will ensure our passengers have access to the latest technology on offer from one of the world’s leading tech retailers, just as international travel takes off again.”

WHSmith has a growing international business with over 580 stores, primarily inside the world’s leading airports. The retailer acquired US business InMotion in 2018, and the brand now operates over 120 stores in travel environments.

We will bring you full interviews with Andrew Harrison and Fraser Brown in the coming days. 

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