WHSmith North America has implemented a suite of cloud-based solutions from Aptos to enhance inventory management and support data-driven decision-making throughout its retail network.
To strengthen its market position, WHSmith is concentrating on growth in North America, supported by a robust pipeline of new store openings.
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With expansion as a primary objective, the company has partnered with Aptos and embraced cloud technology to enhance the speed, agility and efficiency of its retail IT infrastructure.
It has adopted the latest iterations of Aptos’ merchandising, warehouse management (WMS) and sales audit applications, moving from an on-premises setup to a cloud-based SaaS [software-as-a-service] framework.
It has also integrated Aptos Analytics to obtain a detailed overview of its enterprise data.
WHSmith North America IT chief information officer and senior vice-president Joshua Bellendir stated: “WHSmith North America is charting an exciting path forward — and that path requires a technology foundation that is scaleable and modern.
“Having relied on Aptos’ merchandising, WMS and sales audit solutions for years, we recognised the significant benefits of migrating these applications to the cloud while also enhancing our capabilities with Aptos Analytics.”
Post-implementation, WHSmith North America has already witnessed immediate enhancements in data processing speeds, facilitating faster access to information for decision-making processes.
Cloud adoption has improved system stability, delivering consistent performance across operations.
Bellendir added: “By embracing a SaaS-first approach, we can accelerate innovation, reduce on-premise infrastructure costs and seamlessly scale to support new locations, formats and channels as needed.
“Aptos’ merchandising, warehousing and analytics solutions work together to provide precise visibility into inventory levels and demand. With these capabilities, we can strategically position products closer to where they are needed, ensuring strong on-shelf availability. This not only enhances the customer experience but also can drive measurable business results.”
March 2025 marked the completion of WHSmith Group’s sale of its UK high street division to Modella Capital for £76m on cash and debt-free terms.
The strategic move followed January 2025 announcements regarding potential sales of its UK high street business.
WHSmith operates as a travel retailer with more than 1,700 outlets in 30 countries worldwide.
The company’s expansion in North America included the acquisition of InMotion in 2018 and Marshall Retail Group (MRG) in 2019. Both are key players in airport and casino-resort retail sectors.
With more than 340 speciality stores across airports and resorts in North America, WHSmith aims for further growth through new store openings.
