OTTO – The Chronicle

Digital Native Palina Rojinski becomes the online presenter of OTTO
At the official start of the season OTTO is, for the first time, introducing a new face, separately from the catalogue cover - the German TV presenter and actress Palina Rojinski.

New OTTO Management Board
On August 1, 2012, Dr Michael Heller, Marc Opelt and Petra Scharner-Wolff are appointed as Members of the Management Board within the company OTTO’s new leadership structure. Alexander Birken, Member of the Executive Board, Multichannel Distance Selling Otto Group, is Spokesman of OTTO.

10 years of Lascana
In 2012, the successful LASCANA lingerie and swimwear label celebrates its tenth anniversary.

Start of OTTO Beauty
Since December customers can find online at www.otto.de / beauty beauty and cosmetic products. The product line includes beauty products from the segments color cosmetics, skin care, body care and natural cosmetics.

Online satellite of LASCANA
LASCANA, OTTO's successful lingerie and swimwear shop now has an online satellite for internet-savvy customers with lascana.de.

Mobile Shopping
At m.otto.de, mobile customers can now use their smartphones to access the entire OTTO range and order directly.

A virtual catalogue
The mytrend Winter catalogue combines printed catalogue pages with the web shop by integrating Augmented Reality technology.

New iPad app
OTTO releases the ‘OTTO-Kataloge’ iPad app to coincide with the launch of the iPad in Germany. iPad users can select the catalogue of their choice, scroll through, zoom in, and order directly – all OTTO at their fingertips.

Mr Brigitte wins Facebook modelling contest
In the Facebook modelling contest, users surprisingly vote ‘Brigitte’ the winner: a young man dressed as a woman. OTTO reacts with community spirit and humour, and gains thousands of new Facebook fans plus several awards.

OTTO runs numerous specials and promotions to celebrate its 60th anniversary with employees and customers.
 
OTTO now has its own Facebook fan page and Twitter account.
With schlafwelt.de, OTTO launches a new online specialty shop for everything related to a good night’s sleep.

In the ‘Two for Fashion’ blog, two fashion experts report for and with OTTO on trends and news from fashion capitals like New York, Hamburg and Berlin.

Launch of the 3D OTTO Store for Microsoft Windows Vista. The online range is expanded to more than 500,000 items.

For the first time OTTO publishes three instead of two main catalogues in a year.

To mark the 10^th anniversary of otto.de, OTTO announces the expansion of its web shop into a one-stop shopping platform. In addition, otto.de is now widely barrier-free, making it more accessible for people with disabilities.

OTTO offers customers order delivery within a time window of three hours.

OTTO Versand changes its name to OTTO. From now on, OTTO is used only for the individual company, while the Otto Group refers to the group of 123 major subsidiaries. The name change reflects the successfully accomplished development into international trade and services group.

Customers can now virtually try on merchandise at otto.de.

Otto Versand enables mobile ordering for the first time on mobile phones with WAP technology.

The specialty shop otto-office.com goes online.

On August 17^th , Otto Versand celebrates its 50^th anniversary and sends its customers airborne birthday greetings: a hot-air balloon shaped like a catalogue tours Germany.

The Otto catalogue is published in full online. With ecologically optimised textiles, Otto Versand becomes a pioneer in the market for sustainable products.

Otto Versand offers a selection of items online for the first time on its webshop otto.de.

Otto Versand becomes the first mail-order company to present its range on an interactive CD-ROM.

24-hour delivery is now available for most items. All customer service centres can be contacted via one phone number.

Customers can now order from Otto Versand at weekends and at night.

Customers can have selected items delivered to their home within 24 hours.

The slogan " Otto... find’ ich gut " (Otto ... I like it) becomes a household saying, and remains so for decades.

Otto Versand founds its own delivery company, independent of the German postal service.

The newly founded Hanseatic Bank allows Otto Versand customers to buy on credit.

In addition to the main catalogue, there is now a special offer for young people: the Post Shop Magazine.

Items by prominent designers like Nina Ricci, Christian Dior and Pierre Balmain make their debut in the Otto catalogue.

Customers can now call 61 10 81 to order by phone - thanks to integrated data processing. 

Bicycles, porcelain, and electric appliances become part of the product range.

Customers who collectively order for their neighbours, friends, and relatives get a 5-percent discount.  

The first machine-printed catalogue comprises 28 pages and offers an expanded selection of products. Besides shoes, the range now includes briefcases, raincoats, and trousers.  

The first catalogue is hand-bound and consists of 14 pages with photos glued in. The 300 copies of the edition presents a range of 28 pairs of shoes.

Under the heading " Vertrauen gegen Vertrauen " (trust for trust), Otto becomes the first mail-order company to introduce payment by invoice.

Werner Otto founds Werner Otto Versandhandel in Hamburg . At first it has three employees and is based in two small buildings in Hamburg-Schnelsen.