Otto to Close Eight Call Centers, Cutting 480 Jobs in Germany

The online retailer cites economic pressures and declining demand for phone-based customer service as reasons for the closures.

Otto will shut down eight of its 13 customer service locations in Germany by August 31, 2025, affecting 480 employees.
The impacted locations include Leipzig, Alzenau, Bad Salzuflen, Bochum, Niederzier, Kassel, Stuttgart, and Nürnberg.
The company attributes the decision to increased competition, weak economic conditions in Germany, and reduced reliance on phone-based customer support.
Approximately 700 employees will remain at the five retained locations in Magdeburg, Neubrandenburg, Hamburg, Dresden, and Erfurt, with additional support from external partners.
Otto plans to offer affected employees severance packages or opportunities to transition into a transfer company for retraining and job placement.