OTTO’s sales increase by 13%

The platform business on otto.de also continued its dynamic growth trend; it now has 3,500 brands and partners, as well as an ever-expanding range of sustainable products.

In the last financial year (2021/22), the OTTO single entity generated sales of 5.124 billion euros, according to IFRS, equating to a 13% increase relative to the previous year (financial year 2020/21: 4.5 billion euros). With the pandemic in its second year, the company therefore positioned itself again as a reliable seller, as well an attractive shopping destination for customers and a driver of the successful development of online retail in Germany in general.
In line with this trend, the number of active customers rose from 9.9 million in the 2020/21 financial year to 11.5 million in 2021/22. Growth was also bolstered by an increase in the number of marketplace partners from 1,000 to 3,500 in the last financial year; this number is continuing to rise. Since 2020 OTTO has allowed interested brands and retailers to offer their own ranges on otto.de in exchange for commission. In total, customers can now find over ten million products in the otto.de shop.

For comparison: there were just one million products in 2018.

The ever-growing importance of OTTO’s activities as a platform operator in the dynamic online business is also reflected in the gross merchandise value (GMV). In addition to the company's own retail and commission business, this key figure also incorporates the volume of sales generated by partners on the otto.de platform. In the 2021/22 financial year, OTTO achieved a GMV of 6.972 billion euros. This corresponds to a 24% increase on the previous year (financial year 2020/21: 5.9 billion euros).
“We are pleased not only about our continued success as a retailer and platform operator, but also that more and more retailers and brands want to partner with us to develop their own online businesses. This endorsement underscores our role in the market as a platform with fair conditions and a clear stance,” explains Marc Opelt, Chairman of the Management Board of OTTO (GmbH & Co KG).

Even more climate action and eco-friendly packaging

OTTO intends to invest even more heavily in its corporate responsibility strategy over the coming years. As part of this, half of all shipping bags will be swapped for WILDPLASTIC by the end of the year. WILDPLASTIC is made of plastics that have been recovered from nature by certified organisations and collectors. In countries without their own recycling schemes, our collection campaigns ensure that these valuable materials don’t end up in the environment to start with. The collected plastic is then sorted, cleaned and processed into granulate, which can be used as an alternative to virgin plastic. OTTO is aiming to make all of its packaging recyclable, biodegradable or reusable by 2025. This goal is borne out in the product range too: customers can find more and more sustainable products in the shop – there are currently over 500,000. The first closed-loop fashion collection, the OTTO Circular Collection, is also scheduled to become available in summer 2022. The items are completely recyclable and do not add to textile waste, as they can be processed into new fabrics instead.

Next-day delivery

Many of these products are reaching customers quicker than ever. Thanks to improved warehouse logistics, more than 700,000 items that are ordered by 8 p.m. on one day can be handed over to customers the very next day at no extra fee. These include fashion items (e.g. jeans, shirts and hoodies), household electronics (e.g. coffee machines, irons and hair dryers) and multimedia items (e.g. tablets and smartphones). OTTO now also offers overnight delivery on jewellery, beauty products and selected items from the Home & Living and DIY ranges, bed linen and tools, subject to product availability.
The exact delivery time – regionalised and personalised – is displayed on otto.de in real time before the order is placed. Customers can see what time their items will arrive on the scheduled delivery date via the OTTO and Hermes apps. If desired, all parcel shipments can be easily redirected to an alternative delivery address or a Hermes ParcelShop at short notice using the app. Direct delivery to a ParcelShop is also possible through the next-day service.