Blackhawk Network (BHN) and WH Smith North America (WHSNA) Launch Gift Card Malls® in U.S. Airport and Casino Resort Marketplaces

Partnership brings expanded, curated and exclusive gifting options to shoppers in more than 300 standalone stores nationwide

PLEASANTON, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WH Smith North America (WHSNA), incorporating Marshall Retail Group—America’s leading specialty retailer in airport and casino-resort marketplaces—has partnered with global branded payments provider Blackhawk Network (BHN) to launch Gift Card Malls^® in airport and top casino resorts and shopping centers across the country. Through the partnership, WHSNA will become one of the first retailers in the U.S. to offer Gift Card Malls in airports through its chain of over 300 unique-banner airport stores. WHSNA also will offer Gift Card Malls in select casino resort gift, apparel and shopping areas.

“WHSNA is known for providing a specialized and carefully curated in-store shopping experience, which will now extend to hundreds of available gift card options,” said Steve Dekker, managing director, Americas, BHN. “BHN disrupted the industry when we pioneered Gift Card Malls in high-traffic retail locations, like grocery stores. Today, we are continuously improving upon existing offerings and further expanding our already vast network of retailers. As a leader in innovative gift card solutions, we’re excited to be partnering with WHSNA to help the group become the first U.S. airport retailer to offer third-party gift cards.”

Simplifying shoppers’ experiences, the centralized Gift Card Malls bring the convenience of hundreds of gifting and shopping options to WHSNA shoppers, including Visa^® and Mastercard^® prepaid cards, BHN’s award-winning and exclusive Original Content, such as Happy Cards^®, Local and Choice multi-store gift cards. By partnering with BHN, WHSNA has a dedicated team to optimize product mix and manage marketing promotions.

“Our partnership with Blackhawk Network has been a great success, and we are excited to add Gift Card Malls to our product assortment,” said Toby Keir, CEO of WHSNA. “Our teams at WH Smith North America work hard to streamline the overall customer experience, and we believe these convenient gift card offerings will be a helpful solution to travelers and shoppers in these locations. Blackhawk Network’s assortment of gift cards offer a wide range of options for any shopper, including those looking for prepaid cards to be used with airlines that no longer allow cash.”

About Blackhawk Network (BHN)

Blackhawk Network (BHN) is the leader in global branded payment technologies. We strengthen relationships between brands and their customers, employees, and partners by transforming transactions into connections. BHN’s portfolio includes: Gift Card & eGift products, promotions and distribution that grow revenue faster; Rewards & Incentives that build loyalty and acquisition and are integrated into today’s leading platforms; and Payments that enable businesses and customers to access and disburse funds in convenient and innovative ways. BHN’s network spans across the globe with over 400,000 consumer touchpoints. Learn more at BHN.com.

About WH Smith North America

WH Smith is a leading global travel retailer with over 1,700 stores across 30 countries worldwide. WH Smith North America, incorporating Marshall Retail Group (MRG) and InMotion, represents over half of the Company’s international store estate, with c.320 specialty retail stores located in airports and resorts across North America.

MRG prides itself on creating unique experiences for customers by developing distinctive retail store concepts that feature and highlight the local culture, community, and lifestyle of the cities in which they are located. InMotion Entertainment Group is the largest airport-based electronics retailer in travel locations globally, with more than 120 locations throughout the United States. With access and insight into the latest technologies for business and leisure travelers, InMotion offers lifestyle products and electronics that include a wide breadth of headphones, mobile power, Bluetooth speakers and travel accessories. Follow Marshall Retail Group and InMotion on LinkedIn.