WHSmith’s AI-powered shopping assistant ‘IMo’ has landed at Melbourne Airport.

WHSmith has launched IMo, a new AI-powered retail assistant that the travel retailer says is designed to help travellers make faster, more confident purchasing decisions in busy airport environments.

The pilot, delivered in partnership with Melbourne Airport, The Mercurius Group and AI Consulting Group, is now live at its InMotion stores in Melbourne Airport Terminal 1 Pier B Airside and Terminal 3 Mezzanine.

“IMo reflects our continued focus on innovation within travel retail and our commitment to enhancing the customer experience,” said Carl Hargrave, Australia Managing Director at WHSmith.

“In an airport environment, customers are often time-pressured and making quick, high-intent purchasing decisions, so there is a real opportunity to support them with clearer, more immediate guidance.

“As technology evolves, we see a clear opportunity to integrate digital solutions that complement our store teams and make shopping easier and more intuitive for travellers.”

IMo is a digital assistant that is always available, product-informed, easy to use and designed to help passengers and customers quickly find the right product for their needs.

Accessible via a QR code, IMo allows customers to chat with an AI assistant directly from their phone while browsing in-store.

By asking a few quick questions, customers can receive personalised product recommendations based on their individual needs – effectively helping to reduce friction and improve confidence at the point of purchase.

The name IMo was chosen as a subtle play on both InMotion and In My Opinion, which WHSmith says reflects its role as a ‘helpful, knowledgeable guide for customers navigating tech choices’.

The name IMo was chosen as a subtle play on both InMotion and In My Opinion.

The focus is to analyse customer behaviour, and to gain a deeper understanding of how travellers interact with AI in a live retail setting, the questions they ask, and where digital tools can genuinely improve decision-making in the moment.

With the backing of Melbourne Airport, IMo has been amplified across six billboard sites, alongside strong in-store signage and shelf-level QR touchpoints that encourage engagement at the moment of decision.

As the pilot progresses, insights such as learnings on passenger engagement and interaction patterns will help inform the future role of AI within WHSmith’s retail network.

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