WH Smith

Everyone hates this place, yet folks still stop in for things while at Waverley Station.
Why?
Candy. That’s why.
I think that in my review of this WH Smith location, I must first state the obvious. Train station locations are always going to be more expensive than their counterparts in the city. Now with that out of the way, let me just say that I don’t actually hate this WHSmith location –despite its prices.
I’ve stopped in a few times, mainly for candy and drinks for my train rides. Their selection of snacks and drinks are great. For everything else? Good luck. This location is for quick pick-​ups of candy and reading material only. A non-​train station location may be be better suited for everything else you need.
But, the store is always clean and the staff is always nice (and busy). The self check outs are also nice and definitely needed at this location. Besides the price and selection, I have no real problem with this location. Mainly because I know what it is and isn’t. For what it is, it does a pretty good job at it. Snacks and reading material.
I’ll stop back in when I have to have a snack before a train ride. Which is pretty much every time I take the train.

Why design your store like a giant candy labyrinth? Wait, I just answered my own question.
This location is only really useful if you want a newspaper or a candy bar; otherwise there’s better options (literally in sight) for everything else. Although I must applaud the giant Wonka candy walls that bar access to certain aisles and prevent you from making a clean candy getaway.

Wait a minute, did I just get fleeced?
That’s the question I always ask myself when I’m stupid enough to end up buying something from this branch of Smiths! I know the rent in Waverley Train Station is probably extortionate but c’mon, is it really neccesary to make the customer pay every single penny of it? The chocolate, granola bars and crisps are seriously over-​priced but it’s the water that’s priced as if it was personally dug from a well by the staff that morning. I mean, £1.99 for a bottle of Evian?
The one saving grace, is the newspapers and magazines are priced the same as on the covers. But still, the phrase daylight robbery comes to mind.

Stuggsy has pretty much got it bang on here. You can slate it all you want, but WH Smith is now pretty much the only place in town you’ll find a comprehensive selection of mags that goes beyond the usual TV guides, girly fashion offerings, and «Awight Guv’nor» lad mags.
Practical Beekeeping, Fortean Times, Barely Legal Hermaphrodite Amputees, and Railway Enthusiast are just some of the specialist publications you’ll find within these walls, and you won’t get them anywhere else.
Stay away from the food, and you’ll realise that WH Smith does indeed serve a purpose.

WH Smith is expensive — I totally agree — but it pretty much has anything you could possibly want for your journey!
I often choose to go in here for a sandwich + magazine just because I know it’s reliable. The sandwiches are ok — nothing special but c’mon, it’s WH Smith. It can be really expensive if you go crazy! They normally have a good deal on when you get to the counter, either chocolate or a drink, and they almost always have a lunch-​deal too.
It was designed badly, however. It’s a train station, so everyone is going to have luggage. So I guess that’s why they decided to make the aisles REALLY NARROW.

All the reviews are spot on, this place is a money hell hole. But I’m going to look at look at what do do right, magazines!
Anyone who’s facing more than an hours trip on a train usually ends up in here looking for something to take there mind off the harrowing journey ahead. And since Borders has gone under, where else can you get this much choice? They stock Mortgage Strategy Magazine for god sake!!!
Rip off merchants, yes, but well equipped ones.

I two starred a Glasgow W H Smith for the same reasons as I’m two starring this one. Why change the habit of a lifetime? So here goes, guys — this chain is daylight robbery!
Outposted in railway stations like snipers, they’re shooting at a hurried, frenzied market of commuters who would rather pay 2 pounds for a 500ml bottle of water than be parched for an hour. Perfectly understandable that customers use it in desperation, but every time I’m in W H Smith my purse weeps. It weeps out pound coins to this putrid rip of a corporation because I have been a silly-​billy and caught myself short at the last minute.
The staff are always really nice in here and I feel sorry for them, knowing that they will bear the brunt of customer frustration regarding the inflated prices. They have a good selection of books in here that are, shock horror, the only items at a reasonably average retail price. But if you buy a Mars bar, you can kiss goodbye to your integrity since you know you shouldn’t have to pay a pound for a bar of chocolate! Unless you’re looking for a light read on the train, go to Boots or the supermarket! I can’t believe this shop is allowed to charge the amount it does!

Why is this shop so expensive? I don’t get it. Well I do. They are in a train station and hope you will wander in for your paper/​magazine and decide you need something to eat or drink. Well don’t do it! Everything is practically double the price it would normally be, a Mars bar is almost a pound! Buy your paper/​magazine/​book then wander over to Boots and get a meal deal. Or go to Marks and Spencers Food Hall, even that will be cheaper than this shop!

Located in Waverly Station this branch of WH Smith is extortionate, I guess it’s to be expected given that it’s located in a busy train station but they take the prices a little bit too far. A walkers bag of crisps are as much as 85p which is absolutely ridiculous! If you’re feeling peckish then forget it as you could find yourself forking out £4 for an old cardboard tasting sandwich.
I don’t understand why WH Smith have to charge so much more when Boots directly across from it charges the exact same price as all it’s other stores including the fabulous £2.99 meal deal. Don’t be caught out in this rip off WH Smith, if you need something urgently then head to Boots instead. The magazines are papers are just the same retail price but for anything else, do yourself a favour and don’t bother as it’s a rip off.