How is WHSmith still trading?

[good96]

Another two stores closed today - one near to me! I’m really surprised that the high street business is actually still trading!!! All overpriced stationery, books and cards that you can get much cheaper from other retailers or online..

As someone who is in education, I’d probably spend at least £5k there a year on stationery and books back in the days but now it’s soo extortionate!!

The rail station and airport ones probably make their profits.

The one in Waterloo station charges £1.80 for one packet of softmints...the same I pay for a 4 pack from Tesco. And it's always heaving with commuters.

The one in a high street near me (which also houses the town's main post office) is closing shortly, with no replacement planned.

I got some proper bargains in the online sale. All 70% off. So maybe they do the bulk.pf their trade on discounted stock.

All due to the single shop at Euston Station I'm sure. It's always heaving.

I avoid it unless I want to go to the Post Office which I think is the only reason our local one still stands .
The Self Check Outs are a pain and any 3for2 I've had don;t apply the special offer , I'd never buy a load of things unless I could double check each stage of the reciept .

My DD had a work experience there , she had to sort through the confectionary , so much out of date ! (But still over priced )

Went into our local one with dcs before going back to school. It just seemed so grubby and scruffy. Two oldest dcs said they’d rather go to Asda as it’s cheaper. I used to love browsing in there at Christmas, I’d get fancier stuff for stockings as it was always more high end stuff you didn’t mind paying for. Now it’s just over priced tatt a lot of the time.

Beacsue it's keeping the Post Office hostage.

I’m amazed too, it must be the train station ones that are keeping the high st ones going.

Although I went into our local one this week for the first time in ages and OMG it was so great, all the pens to try out, all the stationery you never knew you needed… it was like a jumble sale, radio screeching too loud and the 2 staff were in the corner poking a conker wondering it was a hedgehog so I had to use the self checkout (don’t mind that hugely)…. But the nostalgia of going in and looking at all the pens was so novel! You don’t get that on Amazon - or in the train station Smiths!

They certainly missed a trick when Woolworths went out of business but yes they are on their way out I'd say.

At least 4 or 5 times they havent had the book i wanted even when its in the book chart. so i ordered from Waterstones (we dont have a local one) and the latest book i wanted i ordered from Amazon after checking our local WH Smith and Tesco first yet again. The only two places in our town that sell books.