Williams-Sonoma reported results from two shopping assistants on its earnings call. Customers who use Olive, its assistant on the Williams Sonoma site, buy at three times the rate of those who do not. Olive launched last year. Otto, a second assistant, went live across the Pottery Barn brands in August. Otto suggests furniture room by room and coordinates items such as a sofa and a rug. It can book a design appointment or pass the shopper to a Pottery Barn designer. Most Otto conversations end without a human stepping in. Chief technology and digital officer Sameer Hassan credits the company's own customer data. CEO Laura Alber said AI cannot replace the tactile parts of the business but can improve supply chain and inventory work. Comparable sales and revenue both grew year over year.
What changed
Personalized visits generated about two times average revenue a year earlier.
- 3x conversion rate with Olive
- 70%+ of Otto chats resolved without staff
- personalized visits: 9x average revenue
- comparable sales up 6.2%
Sources