WHSmith Opens Checkout-Free Store at LaGuardia Airport

Retailer WHSmith on Tuesday (Feb. 15) announced in a LinkedIn post that it has opened its first checkout-free store in LaGuardia Airport in New York.

It’s the first WHSmith location in the U.S. — other stores across the country use the InMotion and MRG branding — and uses Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology, which was first used at Amazon Go stores.

“This newly-opened store is the first WHSmith to open in the U.S. and offers travelers a fast and convenient checkout-free shopping experience using Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology,” the company wrote in its LinkedIn post. “With just a tap of a credit card, customers can enter the store, pick up their desired items, and leave. We look forward to welcoming many new customers to the store.”

Related: Travel Retailer Hudson Offers Amazon’s Just Walk Out Tech

In December, travel retailer Hudson became the first company in its industry to offer Amazon’s palm recognition service, Amazon One. The technology is available at the Hudson Nonstop store at Dallas’ Love Field Airport.

Just Walk Out gives travelers two different ways to pay: either by inserting a debit or credit card or by hovering their palm above the Amazon One device at the store’s entrance. First-time Amazon One users can sign up at the enrollment kiosk outside of Hudson Nonstop to connect a credit or debit card with their palm signature before entering the store.

Travelers who’ve already enrolled in Amazon One through Amazon Go, Amazon Books, Amazon 4-star, Amazon Fresh, Amazon Pop Up or Whole Foods will not need to enroll.

Hudson has two Hudson Nonstop stores using Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology, including its most recent location at Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW). Amazon said in September it was going to experiment with Just Walk Out at Whole Foods stores in Washington, D.C., and California.

Also Read: Grabango Adding Checkout-Free Tech to MAPCO Stores

Earlier this week, checkout-free technology platform Grabango partnered with convenience store chain MAPCO to add checkout-free operation to its locations across the southeastern U.S.