What percentage of Cotswold Company's sales come from online channels?

The company did 80% of its £123 million ($163 million（約260億円）) in sales online in its latest fiscal year.

How many consumers currently use AI chatbots for shopping?

More than a third of consumers in the U.S., U.K. and France use tools such as ChatGPT or Microsoft's Copilot for product ideas or comparisons.

Large Language ModelsJapan Times TechJul 2, 2026Jul 2, 2026, 16:00 JST

Cotswold Company prepares for AI shopping bots as chatbot use grows

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3 Key Points

What happened
The Cotswold Company, an upscale English furniture maker, is preparing its business for a future in which artificial intelligence—including agentic AI that could act as a personal shopper—shapes how customers discover and buy products. The company did 80% of its £123 million ($163 million（約260億円）) in sales online in its latest fiscal year.
Why it matters
More than a third of consumers in the U.S., U.K. and France already use tools such as ChatGPT or Microsoft's Copilot for product ideas or comparisons. For a business that has tracked the shift from catalogs to websites, AI-powered shopping assistants represent a new frontier—and Chief Executive Officer Ralph Tucker stresses the importance of being there and excelling at it to keep pace with where customers go.
What to watch
The company is in the early stages of AI readiness. Tucker, who joined in 2020, frames this as a first-mover opportunity, suggesting that businesses which adapt quickly to agentic AI may gain a competitive edge in customer engagement.

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FAQ

What percentage of Cotswold Company's sales come from online channels?: The company did 80% of its £123 million ($163 million（約260億円）) in sales online in its latest fiscal year.
How many consumers currently use AI chatbots for shopping?: More than a third of consumers in the U.S., U.K. and France use tools such as ChatGPT or Microsoft's Copilot for product ideas or comparisons.

Japan Times TechRead Original Article

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