Airport Experience® News - Retail & Services Issue 2025

Below: While some concessionaires have not found Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology to be worth the investment, Hudson has had success with the format with its Hudson Nonstop stores (O’Hare International Airport store pictured). The retailer’s 149th & Grand in John F. Kennedy International Airport delivers a strong sense of place with a focus on local products. Right: For WH Smith, hybrid and marketplace-style shops that combine travel essentials and specialty retail (The Bowery Bay Shops at LaGuardia Airport pictured)) are where the company is seeing the most value unlock, though there will always be a place for smaller footprint travel essentials stores.

compared to the traditional format. While frictionless shopping sounds appealing, most travelers aren’t fully comfortable with or accustomed to these technologies yet.” Instead, Bisset adds, self-checkout is a tech approach that “delivers the best balance of efficiency and customer adoption.” Hudson has had more success with its checkout-free concepts, according to Remoundos. “We have 18 Hudson Nonstop stores powered by Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology and plan to open two more by the end of 2025,” she says. “This concept is performing very well and is a valuable part of our portfolio.” For WH Smith, results have been mixed at its own iterations of these concepts,

including a full in-line store model at LGA and a small Just Walk Out adjacency unit at its Arts Market store in DCA. “In reality, we’re still educating the passenger and asking them to alter their traditional behavior and ‘get over’ the initial barrier to entry,” McOwan says. “There’s some interesting work now taking place with removing the barrier upon entry and using the technology upon exiting the store.” Onsite Retailers hasn’t implemented any checkout-free systems in its stores but has explored it. “While the concept is innovative and traveler-friendly, operators – ourselves included – are still assessing whether the significant investment required delivers a meaningful return,” Roberts says. “Factors like installation costs, integration with existing POS systems and operational complexity are all part of that evaluation.” In the meantime, Onsite Retailers has focused on rolling out self-checkout and contactless payment options in several locations and plans to expand those capabilities. “Technology continues to shape the future of airport retail: mobile checkout, self-service options and data informed merchandising are helping us better anticipate customer needs,” Roberts says, noting that today’s travelers expect speed and efficiency, which is where technology is a boon. “But travelers also value discovery and experiences,” Roberts adds. “So we’re seeing store environments being designed to offer more than transactions – to provide a lifestyle-driven experience that’s welcoming, reflective of the local culture, and meaningful, even if only for a few minutes during a busy travel day.”

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AX NEWS SEPTEMBER 2025