How do WH SMith stay in business?

[nickyboy]

Classic twitter account. Post your WH Smithcrap carpet pictures here
https://twitter.com/WHS_Carpet

Joking aside, it does seem to be a business that has lost its way, just like Woolies did. Unfortunately in an increasingly fragmented retail environment, a shop has to stand for something to get customers to buy. I can't see WH Smith surviving in the long term on magazines and stationary (which is cheaper in the specialist stationary stores anyway)

 

[Leaway2]

Back to WHSmug, the fact that they scan my boarding card at airports, just to buy a magazine/newspaper, really irks me.
What are they doing with that information?

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I am glad the John Menzies name ceased to exist due to the amount of people who mispronounced it and said it as it was spelt.

We always called it 'John Mingiss'.

 

[MarkF]

I am glad the John Menzies name ceased to exist due to the amount of people who mispronounced it and said it as it was spelt.

We always called it 'John Mingiss'.

I'd have mispronounced it, but then I once tried to buy a bus ticket to "Dez Moynes"

 

[asterix]

Back to WHSmug, the fact that they scan my boarding card at airports, just to buy a magazine/newspaper, really irks me.
What are they doing with that information?

No idea. I will ask next time it happens. Maybe you can refuse?

 

[nickyboy]

Back to WHSmug, the fact that they scan my boarding card at airports, just to buy a magazine/newspaper, really irks me.
What are they doing with that information?

Is it something to do with VAT? Most UK airports have mixed Domestic and International departures. Maybe Intl departure customers count as Intl sales and as such the input VAT (when WH Smith buy the magazine) is not remitted to HMCE

 

[Leaway2]

Is it something to do with VAT? Most UK airports have mixed Domestic and International departures. Maybe Intl departure customers count as Intl sales and as such the input VAT (when WH Smith buy the magazine) is not remitted to HMCE

Maybe, but if it is, they don't pass it on!

 

[BigonaBianchi]

No bike kit in there either

 

[threebikesmcginty]

[QUOTE 2699842, member: 259"]I dunno. All the shops do it though - I usually get some stuff from Boots for my wife from the airport Boots and you have to hand over your boarding card.[/quote]

Funnily enough I was contemplating saying 'no' yesterday to the request for my boarding card but my inner rebel ran away and hid.

 

[asterix]

Funnily enough I was contemplating saying 'no' yesterday to the request for my boarding card but my inner rebel ran away and hid.

Yes, there is something about airports these days that makes you think the slightest step out of line and you will be put up against a wall and strip-searched. And that's just for starters..

 

[Beebo]

Is it something to do with VAT? Most UK airports have mixed Domestic and International departures. Maybe Intl departure customers count as Intl sales and as such the input VAT (when WH Smith buy the magazine) is not remitted to HMCE

It's very odd, for instance at T5 in Heathrow i I buy a packet of crisps and a coke in WHS they will ask me for my boarding card, but if I buy the same crisps and drink at Pret they dont ask.

 

[Alex H]

[QUOTE 2701677, member: 259"]British Cheese eating surrender monkeys![/quote]

FTFY

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pret_a_manger

 

[Leaway2]

Somebody once told me it was marketing. Destination + purchase type. If this is true and if so what they can deduce from it, I don't
know.

 

[asterix]

It could be that W.H. Smith are actually a front for the SIS. That would explain it.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

It could be that W.H. Smith are actually a front for the SIS. That would explain it.

Silicon Integrated Systems Corp. doesn't explain much at all...