WHSmith is named the worst high street shop

WHSmith, which is one of the oldest names in British retailing having been founded in 1702, has been lodged in the bottom two for the eighth consecutive year, with shoppers now panning it for customer service and value as well as for the standard of its stores.

Earlier this month the retailer which has 1,442 stores, generated annual profits of £140 million last year and employs 14,000 people, was slammed after it was spotted selling single tube of toothpaste in a hospital shop for £7.99.

Critics accused the retail business of cashing in on the sick by hiking up prices at the shop in Pinderfields General Hospital in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.

The same 75ml tube cost just 80p at Tesco - 898 percent cheaper - and a £1 in Boots.

Two years ago, the Swindon-based retailer pledged to cut its prices in hospital stores, after Dewsbury MP Paula Sherriff criticised it for pricing items on sale in hospitals higher than those sold in their high street branches. Since then, its policies are supposed to mean that hospital sites cannot inflate prices above those on the high street.

WHSmith scored just 58 out of 100 in the new poll by watchdog Which? rating behind Clintons, Sports Direct and Evans.

One customer told Which?: “I find WHSmith very expensive and its stores need updating,” while another said: “I always use the self-service tills because the staff are rude.”

Another shopper summed up the retailer’s troubles, branding it “hugely inferior to what it was in the past”.

Which? asked more than 10,000 shoppers about their shopping experience at 100 major retailers, and found that Lush, Savers and Smyths Toys were the highest ranking shops; a huge leap for three retailers that didn’t even manage last year’s top 10.

Customers praised the smells of Lush stores, the prices at discount cosmetics store Savers, and the “friendly and cheerful” staff at Smyths Toys.

Last year’s top two, Toolstation and Richer Sounds - a winner at last week’s Which? Awards - are now in fourth and sixth place, respectively.

Wheelchair users ‘cannot get round many WH Smith stores’

Despite only dropping by two percentage points, John Lewis, which finished joint third in 2017, falls to 10th place - its worst ranking since our annual survey launched in 2010.

Price proved to be a deciding factor for many consumers - particularly when it came to everyday essentials - pushing stores like Savers up the rankings.

Ben Clissit of Which? said: “It is clear that our traditional high street is changing and while this is bad news for some retailers who have struggled to adapt, others have seized the opportunity to make their mark.

“Our findings show that if retailers can strike the right balance between good value, quality products and first-class customer service, shoppers will keep coming back to their stores.”

The survey found that customers also favoured retailers that offered a sensory experience or specific expertise that is simply not available to them online.

Getting top marks in this year’s entertainment category was Waterstones, despite the rise of e-books and the popularity of online retailers like Amazon. People who gave it a high score commented on the stores’ pleasant surroundings as well as the recommendations from friendly staff.

The Which? survey also asked shoppers what they liked about shopping in-store and found that customers value being able to touch, feel and try on items before purchasing (82%), being able to take purchased items away (74%) and being able to ask questions of staff (39%).

Meanwhile, describing their bugbears of shopping in store, shoppers said they are put off by crowds (49%), queueing (49%) as well as the behaviour of other shoppers (38%).

A WHSmith spokesman said: “Only 184 people commented on WHSmith as part of this survey. We serve 12 million customers each week, and despite a challenging retail environment we continue to open new shops, and to maintain our presence on the UK High Street.”