Newsagents should check out the expanding range of WH Smith stores in Australia if they get a chance. This UK group is presenting a good alternative to the traditional newsagency model and the usual transit location model we have seen here in Australia. I mention transit locations as this is the focus at the moment of the WH Smith model here.
I’m off to New Zealand today for a couple of days of meetings and got another opportunity to check in with their Melbourne airport stores. The larger store, past immigration, is as impressive as ever – easy to shop, well zoned and easily managed with a lean employee roster.
If you get an opportunity check out one of their stores, especially a larger one when you get to see a fresh newsagency model in action.
I’d note that the WH Smith stores I have seen in Australia are different to what I have seen from many of their UK stores.