Many reviews describe poor frontline conduct, with staff ignoring customers, heavy-handed security, and incidents customers felt were humiliating. Complaints often focus on high prices in travel and hospital branches and on being charged incorrectly at the till. Product concerns include food safety and stationery quality, such as out-of-date sandwiches and diary paper so thin that ink bleeds through. A smaller number of reviews praise named staff for quick, helpful service and fast fixes.
Examples from available reviews (Oct 2022 – Mar 2026).
Assistant Tom went above and beyond to find a missing Peppa Pig book.
“he was very polite and went above and beyond to find the book for me”
Accused of stealing and detained without explanation or apology.
“Accused me and my friend of stealing”
Items at airport branches are at least 33% more expensive.
“WHSmith in airports is a rip off”
Was charged multiple unauthorised amounts and still awaits refund.
“they still refuse to refund and say it's my bank's fault that they charged me 3 times”
Frontline conduct stands out as the main negative theme. Reviewers describe being ignored, spoken to abruptly or aggressively, accused of theft, and handled harshly by security. A smaller but steady set of reviews names staff who offered polite, proactive help and resolved problems quickly.
Many complaints focus on pricing, especially in travel, airport, and hospital branches. Reviewers mention premium mark-ups, items ringing up higher than the shelf price, and sale items scanning at full price. A few note fair convenience pricing, but those comments are rare.
In-store frustrations include long queues, too few staff, and, at times, branches that look dirty or poorly stocked. Digital and payment-flow issues come up less often, but include Reserve & Collect not working at Gatwick and trouble verifying online accounts. When they happen, these problems add to the in-store friction.
Several reviews point to defects and freshness issues, including diary paper so thin it causes ink bleed and sandwiches sold past their date. Customers also mention low-quality ready meals and packaging. Electronics and other return-related issues appear too, but less often.
Problems around refunds, cancelled pre-orders, and unauthorised charges come up repeatedly. Reviewers describe slow or no replies from customer service and payment disputes that stayed unresolved. A smaller number mention non-returnable e-gift cards and return policies they found unclear.
Most reviews describe negative experiences linked to staff behaviour, pricing, and product problems. Positive comments tend to centre on specific employees who fixed issues quickly or delivered standout service. Reviews show a sharp split between frequent poor store interactions and fewer strong positives.
For each review, the core experience based on original source reviews.
Sources: Trustpilot (40) · Reviews (20) · Reviews (1) · Quotes shortened · As of: March 2026
Attempted to charge £20 for cigarettes at London Waterloo.
“he tried charging me £20😡 What a joke!!!!”
Assistant was unhelpful and told customer to get a solicitor.
“no , get a solicitor to help”
Unprofessional staff refused to serve and were argumentative at Terminal 4.
“Very disappointed with the rude and unprofessional service at WH Smith, Terminal 4”
A staff member was ignorant and cigarette prices were extortionate.
“Appalling service by an ignorant member of staff”
Staff member believed they had given too much change and dispute remained unresolved.
“VERY WRONGLY Convinced She Had Given Me More Change Than She Should Have!”
Colchester store is dirty, poorly stocked, and understaffed since last year.
“the shop is so dirty and dusty”
Paid over £5 for two small drinks and will not return.
“It came to over £5?”
Company failed to respond to a serious complaint about a franchise manager.
“The sheer lack of response from this company over a serious issue”
Store is cheap and convenient for shopping.
“Cheap and convenient for shopping.”
Overcharges customers on cigarettes and many other items compared with elsewhere.
“They overcharge the recommended price...”
Reviewer alleges WHSmith is a scam and runs an abuse ring.
“WHsmith is a scam company”
Helpful assistant named Poppy at Crawley Mall aided the customer.
“she was very helpful her name was Poppy.”
Book recycling scheme accepted only 2 of 18 paperbacks despite good condition.
“only 2 were considered for return.”
Helpful staff member Amanda but store prices described as outrageous.
“Downside....outrageous prices!!!!!!!!!”
Reviewer reports racist treatment and rude customer service from staff Jackie.
“I had a terrible racist experience at the Royal Preston Hospital branch.”
Customer criticises high prices for cigarettes and EE SIM at Edinburgh Airport.
“Charged £19.49 for a packet of cigarettes”
Headphones failed to charge and return policy refused refund after 30 days.
“POLICY says if not returned within 30 days I might as well put them in the bin”
Reviewer says don't buy from them.
“All us nit what it seems don’t buy from them and keep their company going”
Customer accidentally bought non-returnable e-gift cards and feels uninformed.
“they're egift cards and non returnable.”
Reviewer struggled to verify an online account and prefers phone support.
“it's very frustrating when you can't verify it !”
As an avid reader and stationery enthusiast, I recently stumbled upon WHSmith while searching for a good online shopping destination to cater to my needs. To say that this brand has exceeded my expectations would be an understatement.
Their online store provides a vast range of quality products ranging from books, stationery and toys, satisfying my every need. I was particularly impressed by their selection of hard-to-find books that are usually not available in regular bookstores.
Navigating through the website is easy with all items clearly arranged in different categories which made finding what I needed effortless. The icing on the cake was their “Expert advice” section which provided helpful tips on various topics relating to reading, writing and studying.
Once I had placed my order at WHSmith's digital counter, there were no issues faced during delivery as it reached me well within time without any damages to the product packaged securely for transportation.
To summarize my experience: WHSmith’s customer service is top-notch with staff members always ready to assist me throughout the journey. Their user-friendly interface coupled with quality products make it one of my go-to destinations for purchasing stationery or catching up on reading material.
This page combines submitted experiences with public reviews from platforms such as Google, Trustpilot, etc. Recurring points are summarised without changing the content of reviews.
WHSmith is a UK retail chain selling books, newspapers, magazines, stationery, travel essentials, and convenience food. It runs high-street shops and travel outlets in UK and international airports and railway stations. WHSmith also sells books, stationery, and gift cards online, with services such as click & collect and in-store gift card sales. The business supplies corporate and travel retail customers and provides customer service for orders, refunds, and enquiries.