Q&A with Rachel White from Cotswold Trading

About Cotswold Trading

Cotswold Trading is a high-quality homeware and gift retailer based in the Cotswolds. The business began around 30 years ago as a bricks-and-mortar store in the village of Broadway and has since expanded to include a second store in Leamington Spa and a children’s toy shop in Broadway. Alongside its physical shops, Cotswold Trading has developed a strong online presence over the last 15 years, with a major focus on eCommerce in the past four to five years. The business offers around 4,000 products online, ranging from home décor to gift items, with a distinctly British and countryside-inspired style.

GFS Integration and Benefits

Since 2016, Cotswold Trading has partnered with GFS, integrating its services with the company’s Visualsoft eCommerce platform. This integration has transformed operations by providing seamless label creation, order tracking and parcel management through GFS Selector and GFS Seeker. The tools allow the warehouse team to generate shipping labels easily while the online team can track deliveries, handle customer queries and raise issues efficiently. This streamlined process has addressed previous pain points and improved transparency for customers.

Managing Delivery Challenges

Cotswold Trading uses a mix of direct pickups from carriers like DPD and services routed through the GFS hub. For international orders, DHL Express is the primary carrier due to its speed, though the business is exploring GFS International as a more cost-effective option. During challenges such as bad weather and postal strikes, the ability to switch carriers quickly, thanks to a varied courier mix, ensured orders still reached customers on time.

Seasonal Pressures and Customer Trends

The busiest period is mid-October to the week before Christmas, driven by strong sales in cards, calendars, decorations and gift items. Stock management and courier reliability are critical in this time. Although costs have risen across suppliers and delivery services, the business has noticed customers consolidating purchases into larger orders to save on delivery fees, leading to a higher average order value.