The British retailer that accidentally invented how we identify every book
In short: Before the global standard for identifying books existed, a London news vendor had to solve a logistical nightmare. In the 1960s, WHSmith spearheaded the creation of a unique coding system that eventually became the international ISBN, fundamentally changing how literature is catalogued worldwide.
In the 1960s, as the retail landscape shifted toward digital stock management, WHSmith faced a significant hurdle: they needed a reliable way to catalogue their vast inventory of books. To solve this, the company negotiated with The Publishers Association and hired Irish statistician Gordon Foster as a consultant. In 1966, Foster developed a nine-digit code known as Standard Book Numbering (SBN) to uniquely reference every title.
The SBN system entered public use in 1967. Its success was so profound that it was adopted by the International Organisation for Standardisation as ISO 2108 in 1970. This standard remained operational until 1974, when it was finally adapted into the ISBN (International Standard Book Number) system used globally today. It is a rare example of a private commercial necessity evolving into a universal infrastructure for global commerce.
The company's history is a study in adaptation and survival. Founded as a news vendor in 1792 by Henry Walton Smith and his wife Anna, it expanded during the railway boom of the mid-1800s, opening its first station stand at Euston in 1848. While it has faced modern controversies—including a 2015 VAT scandal involving airport travelers and 2023 minimum wage errors—it remains a dominant travel retailer, recently shifting focus away from the high street to prioritize airports and international markets.
Today, the brand is undergoing another evolution. In December 2023, the company began rebranding certain locations by dropping "Smith" in favor of "WHS," signaling a move toward a more streamlined corporate identity as it pivots toward its core travel and electronics businesses.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: WHSmith
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