There’s something quite reassuring about seeing an old name not only survive but adapt, evolve and outright thrive. WHSmith — the quintessential British brand with a knack for keeping you stocked with everything from bestselling novels to emergency neck pillows — has once again proved it’s no relic of the past.
Now, on North American shores, it’s pulled off something rather elegant: a full-blown digital transformation without the fuss and flounder so typical of corporate IT projects. Yes, WHSmith North America has swapped dusty servers and patchy spreadsheets for a sleek suite of cloud-based solutions from retail tech stalwart Aptos — and if that sounds a bit dull, don’t be fooled. This is retail modernisation done right.
From Stationery to SaaS: A Retailer Reinvents Itself
For those unfamiliar with the WHSmith empire, it’s no mere corner newsagent. In North America alone, it is the proud parent of InMotion, the largest airport tech retailer on the continent, and the Marshall Retail Group (MRG), which brings a bit of sparkle to casino resorts and high-traffic terminals with more than 340 stores.
And with airport retail rapidly becoming a blood sport of inventory precision and split-second analytics, WHSmith knew it needed to trade in its retail jalopy for something with a bit more… lift.
Enter Aptos — the mechanics behind this digital tune-up.
Speed, Stability and the Sheer Joy of Not Crashing
The tech overhaul involved upgrading to Aptos’ latest merchandising, warehouse management and sales audit tools, all delivered via the cloud. Gone are the days of clunky on-premise systems and unreliable data transfers. In their place? Speedy insights, stable platforms and — dare one say it — a bit of elegance.
“We saw the difference immediately,” said Joshua Bellendir, CIO and SVP of IT at WHSmith North America. “Data loads zipped through. No more waiting for reports to crawl in at the speed of a fax machine. Decisions got faster. The business got smarter.”
Bellendir, a man more used to dealing with outages than outpourings of praise, called the Aptos rollout “one of the smoothest projects” of his career. That’s high praise in IT circles, where ‘smooth’ usually means ‘nobody cried’.
On-Shelf When It Matters: A Retailer’s Secret Weapon
This cloud-first approach isn’t just about tech for tech’s sake. It’s about putting the right products in the right place at the right time — a deceptively complex goal when your stores are scattered across some of the busiest, most unpredictable environments in North America.
“With Aptos, we’ve got precise inventory visibility,” Bellendir said. “We can put products exactly where travellers need them — before they realise they need them. That’s the kind of experience that keeps people coming back.”
It’s a clever game, really — anticipating demand before it arrives, then meeting it with unflappable consistency. Not unlike your nan having the kettle boiled the moment you step through the door.
No More Tech Turbulence: Scaling with Confidence
The retail world — particularly airport retail — is not for the faint of heart. Trends shift, foot traffic fluctuates, and shelf space is premium real estate. With a growing pipeline of new store openings on the cards, WHSmith needed tech that wouldn’t buckle under pressure.
“We’re not just building for today,” Bellendir added. “We’re laying a foundation that can flex and grow as our business does. That’s the beauty of the cloud — speed, scale and no more surprise downtime.”
Frankly, it’s refreshing to hear a retailer speak about technology with such clarity. No vague buzzwords, no digital smoke and mirrors — just solid, measurable results. It’s the kind of digital upgrade even your accountant could love.
Partners, Not Providers: Why Aptos Made It Work
The secret sauce, according to both sides? Communication. Trust. And perhaps a refusal to let the usual project hiccups derail the mission.
“This wasn’t just plug-and-play,” said Jeremy Grunzweig, GM at Aptos. “WHSmith knew where they wanted to go — and we helped pave the runway.”
It’s a tidy arrangement. WHSmith gets an IT ecosystem with more muscle than mess, and Aptos adds another feather in its cap as the go-to provider for retailers with ambition. You can read more about Aptos’ solutions at aptos.com.
The Verdict: Old Brand, New Tricks — and Still Leading the Pack
WHSmith North America’s transformation is a textbook case of how legacy retail doesn’t have to mean legacy systems. It’s a nod to tradition, yes, but also a firm grip on the future. After all, what’s the point of having 200 years of brand heritage if you’re not prepared to use it as a launchpad?
In the end, this isn’t a story about software. It’s about a retailer waking up, stretching its limbs and deciding it can still run with the digital natives — and maybe even lap a few of them along the way.
As WHSmith’s shelves grow smarter and its stores sleeker, one thing’s for sure: the old shopkeeper still knows how to surprise us.
By Anne Keam
