Omni Talk
Cotswold Outdoor CEO on Building Better Stores and Winning in Outdoor Retail | RTS 2026
Why It Matters
In a crowded outdoor market, delivering expert advice and reliable product availability differentiates Cotswold from price‑driven competitors, enhancing customer loyalty and margins. The “store of the future” experiments show how blending physical retail with digital content can boost sales, offering a roadmap for other brick‑and‑mortar brands navigating the omnichannel landscape.
Key Takeaways
- •International experience fuels hybrid retail strategies and leadership adaptability
- •Cotswold Outdoor doubled service focus, leveraging retail media for knowledge
- •SKU rationalization cut count 35%, boosting volume 40% during peaks
- •Dynamic pricing and value positioning improve competitiveness in outdoor market
- •Store‑of‑the‑future labs drive higher conversion, basket size, and NPS
Pulse Analysis
Jamie Christo brings more than two decades of trans‑continental retail experience, from UK department stores to Australia, South Africa and Canada. That global lens informs Cotswold Outdoor’s hybrid approach, blending disciplined UK processes with the laid‑back flexibility of Australian retail and the multicultural insights gained in South Africa. Upon taking the helm 18 months ago, Christo spent a month on the shop floor to reaffirm the brand’s service‑first DNA, recognizing that premium outdoor customers demand expert advice. To extend that expertise beyond the aisle, Cotswold launched a retail media network, pushing brand content through in‑store screens, email and social channels.
Operationally, the team tackled inventory bloat by slashing SKU count roughly 35%, concentrating on core brands such as Patagonia, The North Face and Rab. The tighter assortment delivered a 40% lift in volume during peak periods and freed warehouse capacity for online fulfillment. Simultaneously, Cotswold introduced dynamic pricing to align with market rates, positioning itself as a value‑for‑money option rather than the cheapest player. This pricing agility, combined with improved availability, helped the retailer post 3% comparable sales growth in a flat UK outdoor market and set a solid foundation for 2026. The “store of the future” concept serves as a living lab where visual merchandising, flexible fixtures and retail media converge.
In the South Cerny pilot, white‑boxed layouts and strategically placed screens increased conversion and average transaction value by double‑digit percentages, while NPS and CSI scores rose. Learnings from that experiment informed new locations in Bristol Clifton and Maryhill, accelerating rollout across the network. Christo notes that the toughest hurdle remains building an internal media‑selling capability and embedding the network into finance and planning processes. Nonetheless, the hybrid model of service and data‑driven engagement positions Cotswold Outdoor to lead UK outdoor retail in 2026.
Episode Description
In this Omni Talk Retail episode, recorded live at Retail Technology Show 2026 in London from the Vusion podcast studio, Chris Walton sits down with Jamie Kristow, CEO of Cotswold Outdoor Group, to discuss how the company is modernizing specialty outdoor retail through service, store innovation, and retail media.
Jamie shares how Cotswold Outdoor is leveraging its expertise-led store model to help customers shop confidently for premium outdoor gear, while also transforming the in-store experience through new formats, digital screens, and smarter merchandising. He explains how the company improved performance through sharper assortments, stronger availability, and a renewed focus on value.
The conversation also explores what it really takes to launch an in-store retail media network, why stores remain essential for high-consideration purchases, and how AI is reshaping pricing, search, and the future customer journey.
Key Topics Covered:
• Why service and expert advice still matter in specialty retail
• How Cotswold Outdoor created its “store of the future” concept
• Using retail media to engage shoppers and support brand partners
• Reducing SKU complexity while increasing availability and sales
• How sharper pricing strategy improved competitiveness
• The difference between online convenience shoppers and mission-driven store shoppers
• Why outdoor retail requires confidence, fit, and trust
• How AI is changing pricing, search behavior, and customer acquisition
• What retailers must learn as consumers shift away from traditional search
Thank you to Vusion for supporting Omni Talk Retail’s live coverage from Retail Technology Show 2026, and thank you to our listeners for joining us during the event.
#RTS2026 #RetailTechnologyShow #OmniTalkRetail #CotswoldOutdoor #RetailMedia #StoreOfTheFuture #OutdoorRetail #RetailInnovation #AIinRetail #Vusion
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