WH Smith to sell off high street branches

[strawberrythiefleaf]

Was just reading about WH Smith selling off their fledgling high street stores while keeping their more profitable 'travel' stores (airports, train stations, etc).

For reference: news.sky.com/story/wh-smith-in-secret-talks-to-sell-historic-high-street-arm-13295955

The main reason why the travel stores are so profitable is because of how grossly overpriced most of their items are, and the fact that most people don't have any other convenient options in those travel locations.

I refuse to purchase most things from a travel WH Smith because of how expensive they are.

But is this the only way for a business to succeed now? To hike the prices up so much? What could a potential purchaser do to save the high street arm of the business?

Our small local branch is awful. Really narrow aisles so you get stuck behind people browsing, cluttered layout, huge till space but nobody ever serving there, so you have to use a temperamental machine to pay. Huge piles of cheap chocolate but only a small range of stationery. I very seldom shop there, as it tends not to have the item I want available. And I wouldn’t even bother looking for books in there, I’d go to an independent bookshop, or Waterstones.

But there is a big branch in the city that has always been great for stationery, huge range. Dc like going at the beginning of the school year to stock up. I will miss that. But I don’t think stationery is profitable enough if everyone else is buying online. Let’s face it, Paperchase had nicer stationery and cards, and they couldn’t keep going either.

Not surprised. WHSmiths is very expensive. I needed to get some school supplies, but their prices were almost double other retailers.
Likewise magazines are pricy, and since my quilting magazine has stopped with the 'freebies' (often useful templates, etc) I just don't bother anymore, as the patterns I can find online. For books I'd rather go to a book shop. Sweets are more expensive than in the pound shop, similarly printer supplies and SD cards etc all far more expensive, than online. They've basically priced themselves out of the market. I think Boots will be going the same way, given Superdrug and similar discount stores are cheaper.

The Range have a similar stationery range for much less money. Waterstones have a much larger selection of books (and what you can't find there, Amazon will have it). Almost everyone buys revision guides second-hand online. There are card shops with much cheaper cards, again, at a lower price. Hobbycraft may be expensive, but has every craft item under one roof at similar prices to WHS. Magazines are mostly a thing of the past - if I want inspiration, I go on Pinterest, if I want go-to guides, I go on Youtube or find a free blog, if I want information, the whole internet is my friend.

I honestly can't think of a single thing to buy from there anymore, so the model, for me, is outdated.

What will happen to the Post Offices if W H Smiths closes their shops? Nearly all Post Offices are in Smiths now. Will Post Offices disappear like bank branches?
Are there still Smiths in most stations? It closed in my nearest large station.

Are they?
Round my way post offices are in convenience stores.

Round here the town POs are all in WHS, the village ones in convenience stores.

They're selling off their "fledgling" high street stores? Does that mean that the well established ones will remain? I've been going to ours for about 40 years!

The only way they have survived at airports etc is down to being a monopoly. Not a good business model and I’m surprised it doesn’t breach competition laws.

Yep, I would not like a giant bar of Cadburys with my envelopes 😝

You'd have to know about it in the first place, I suppose. I've bought fairly niche magazines in the past but only after seeing them on a newsagents shelf in the first place.

I rotate which magazines I read for my hobby, so a subscription doesn't suit me. I like going to WHS and just picking a random mag that I like the look of.

In the past when I subscribed, I always ended up in a train station wanting something to read for the journey while the magazine was at home (worked away during the week with lots of travel).

These days, I have a kindle library subscription which includes various magazines. I’m pretty sure that hasn’t helped WH Smith either!

I have to do that in the supermarket as my local branch of Smiths doesn't even stock magazines anymore. Just newspapers.

@AnAlpacaForChristmasPleaseSanta are you sure the magazines aren't just down the back in a dusty dark corner?
Because that's where they seem to be putting them in many stores.

@Needmorelego Yes unfortunately so. I never go in there these so it's not really an issue but I had some time to kill in town so thought I'd get a magazine and a coffee but went to where they were always situated and it's now just a stand with newspapers and then masses of full price paperback books, some of which came out years ago.

Funnily enough the one thing I did manage to find in a dusty, dark corner was a member of staff on his phone who grunted "don't do em, they don't sell" at me and went back to TikTok or whatever he was frantically scrolling. So with my local one at least it's like they actively want to close down.

@AnAlpacaForChristmasPleaseSanta oh dear.
Some branches really are like a bad comedy sketch 🙁