WHSmith

Little compacted smiths at euston station, staff were lovely and very chatty we got what we needed for our train journey what else can u ask for

WHsmith — when I think of this name I think of receipt scattered everywhere near scan it yourself stores, too many branches, inconsistencies in stock and pricing — This store is the typical WHsmith.
They is actually 2 branches in Euston, hence is unnecessary, Whsmith it seems have branches at every airport, motorway services and major train station and it seems they arrogantly think they are needed, when honestly we don’t need a big chain, clogging up space in every single transport place.
The pricing and stock can be inconsistent too, a drink could cost £2 here at Euston, £3 at Manchester Airport and not be sold outside of any other travel establishment, hence you don’t really know what you are getting other than the obvious stuff, we all know WHsmith sells: newspapers, stamps, books to name a few.
They do have a reasonable sized food row with Urban Eat products.
They do have some scan it yourself tills but receipts were scattered along the till, and about 15 receipts over half an hour were just sticking out, I would of thought someone would of taken them or at least this would of simply been taken up and put in the bin, by the till operator, as this certainly doesn’t require a cleaner.
They is a small coffee shop in this store, it does look quite nice but they have a branch next store too and this really isn’t needed in a newsagents, instead they should opt for a coffee machine, which it would be nice to see, Euston is a busy, train station and quick coffee machines are something it lacks.
When I think of WHsmith, I think of inconsistencies, overpricing and it just being un-​needed as honestly they are everywhere, I hear they are building a branch in my living room now — I wouldn’t say to avoid this place at all costs, as honestly is is better than Sainsbury’s in the station, however I wouldn’t say to drop everything and visit here either, it is a place, just under the satisfactory line, which I feel deserves 2 stars.

I try to avoid WH Smith but somehow they seem to have a monopoly on train stations and airports in the UK where people are usually in a hurry. Usually I just want a newspaper. A simple enough transaction that should take about 10 seconds. But no. Here you will have to negotiate the maze from hell filled with other travellers and their wheelie luggage down a cramped passageway full of tat until the far back if the shop where you will encounter a shuffling queue leading to 4 ‘self serve’ checkouts crammed into the smallest space possible and a robot voice asking if you took a bag for £0.02 and then trying to sell you bars of chocolate for £1 like a cheap street hawker so a simple transaction becomes a multi stage obstacle course.
If you can manage to work the checkout, escape won’t be easy as you attempt to turn 180 and head to the exit but find a logjam of wheelie cases and a ‘manned’ till but no space to bypass. Finally you reach the exit, hoping you’re not late for the train and hoping to never return (but you know you will).
Worst store design and layout, customer service consideration and ‘retail experience’ combined.
What happened to the guy selling newspapers on a simple stand where you walk up, pick up or ask for the paper you want? Pay with a few coins and then off you go.

Maybe it is because I’ve spent too many years living in the frozen north where we socialise with whippets whilst wearing flat caps but I’ve become used to people behind tills smiling or even striking up a conversation. Or gasp not eyeing me with suspicion when I say thank you or wish them a nice day. Generally this tends not to happen in London, it’s just the way things are, I don’t think they’re being rude — I think it is just a different culture.
That said the staff in WHSmith at Euston station take it to a whole new extreme. Asking them a question such as ‘do you have second class stamps’ results in them recoiling in horror as if you’d just relieved yourself on their children’s birthday cake. They talk to the other staff at the till but ignore the large and growing queue of customers in front of them. The snort, when I dropped my purse and spilt everything in it, from one particular member of staff left me feeling like something that someone had walked through.
I bought some books in there yesterday whilst waiting for a train but I’d never step foot in there again, unless I was particuarly looking to feel humiliated. I’d let a tramp scrawl on my hand with their eye boggies, and read that during my wait, before stepping foot in there again.