Where Luxury Meets Affordability: Odoroso GmbH, offering luxury beauty products at sensational prices

“Under the aspect of moral philosophy, we represent a business ethics that combines the Old Economy with the New Economy: respectful treatment, transparency, mutual support, and growth not at any price.”

 Odoroso GmbH is a luxury e-commerce company that has a permanent range of over 60,000 items in the areas of luxury beauty products such as cosmetics, hair care, and fragrances. The company's motto is to fulfill the majority of orders despite the luxury industry's exclusive and constrained distribution. Odoroso GmbH has improved communication between sales and purchasing to adapt rapidly to changes in the market, assuring consistent growth for the company. The company is led by trailblazing leader Anna-Maria Hoffmann, who is passionate about dynamism and flexibility. Under her leadership, Odoroso has established itself as a crucial partner for major global beauty platforms thanks to its competitive prices and extensive experience in purchasing.

Anna-Maria Hoffmann, CEO of Odoroso GmbH, spoke exclusively to The Silicon Review about how her company is shaping the future of luxury e-commerce and changing its scenario in profound ways.

Interview Highlights

Please provide a brief summary of the events that led to the founding of Odoroso GmbH.

When I was in college, I had to think of Robert Nozick's phrase: "Unlike in a socialist society, it’s risky in a capitalist society to start a new firm. One can't easily identify new entrepreneurial talent, and much depends on an estimate of future demand and the availability of resources, on unforeseen obstacles, on chance, and so forth."

As an economist, a follower of Libertarian Economic theory, and an IT enthusiast, I decided that for me, the New Economy and especially e-commerce represented the professional future.

As a junior management consultant in 1999, I noticed that more and more women were going online, but the offer was rather limited to men. So the idea was born to offer an online shop for active, professional, and innovative women: From luxury products like top fragrances to skincare to everyday products like toilet paper, Pampers, etc.

After the first phase of the e-commerce wave, I advised and founded several online stores, which is how Odoroso GmbH came into being.

Q. The luxury world plays by different rules than the rest of the retail world. As a pioneer in the luxury e-commerce industry, what are Odoroso GmbH’s key focus areas?

Odoroso GmbH is an online store that, due to its unique positioning in purchasing and corresponding conditions, already at the start of 2009 offered a full range of at least 5,000 high-quality perfumes, care, and cosmetic articles permanently at up to 50% off.

Q. Tell us about your luxurious range of collections. What top fragrances and care classics does Odoroso GmbH offer?

Now, 14 years after its inception, Odoroso.com has a permanent assortment of over 60,000 items in luxury cosmetics, haircare, and fragrances at top prices.

Our assortment is constantly expanded and updated; therefore, we have all the news about the top luxury brands such as Chanel, Dior, Shiseido, Estee Lauder, etc.

Q. How do you stay in sync with the changing tastes of your customers?

To be honest, this also includes a bit of knowledge of the market, the customer, and the psychology of the masses.

Our assortment is constantly expanded and updated.

All new products are immediately offered by us, and we respond to all customer requests. Thus, we have built up, as one of the few, an enormous product range.

Q. Could you tell us about the work culture at Odoroso GmbH?

My team comes from different countries and continents, that is, from different cultures with different ways of working, which we call in Germany "Arbeitsmoral".

Accordingly, the employees bring different qualities and a refreshing spirit of innovation, which are valuable for a company with our philosophy. This business philosophy is liberal and conservative at the same time and consists of two areas that come from the teachings of the Austrian School of Economics and the Chicago School of Economics.

In the spirit of our liberal economic philosophy, I place great emphasis on the personal responsibility of our employees and their intellectual abilities, so that my team is constantly developing and acts in an equally dynamic, responsible, and flexible manner.

Under the aspect of moral philosophy, we represent a business ethics that combines the Old Economy with the New Economy: respectful treatment, transparency, mutual support, and growth not at any price.

Q. Can you describe the trends for the next five years that will influence your industry?

As the current geopolitical trend shows, the tendency towards multipolarity can no longer be ignored, and accordingly, the beauty industry will also have to adapt to it to be more diverse, which means more multicultural and more adaptable. Not only customs, traditions, and morals differ, but also tastes, smells, etc.

Global retail sales in the beauty industry are growing strongly at an average of 7% annually between 2023 and 2028. China and the USA remain core markets, but newcomers such as India and the Middle East are emerging as new hotspots for the industry.

Product innovation and higher demand for products with scientifically proven efficacy are forecast to increase the market for grooming products from approximately $200 billion to $270 billion. Over the next five years, key trends in the industry will include a focus on new sales markets, mergers and acquisitions, and growth in wellness and self-care.

Anna-Maria Hoffmann | CEO

Anna-Maria Hoffmann holds a graduate degree in international business administration from the International School of Management in Germany. She has several years of professional experience as a management consultant in Germany and abroad.

Ms. Hoffmann is an online pioneer, having gained experience in eCommerce since 1998. Anna-Maria was also the managing director of a prominent online store in Germany from 2001 to 2008. Since then, she has successfully implemented various online concepts as a consultant and founded Odoroso GmbH.

In addition to her business pursuits, Anna-Maria is active in the fields of economics and political science, focusing on topics such as digital capitalism, economic freedom, internal security, geopolitical strategies, and globalization. She has taken classes at the Hochschule für Politik München/Ludwig Maximilians Universität München and holds attestations and certificates from the Cámara de Comercio, Industria y Servicios de Madrid and the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Anna-Maria is currently a candidate for a Ph.D. in Economic Science.

“We offer a permanent range of over 60,000 items in the areas of luxury cosmetics, hair care, and fragrances. Our assortment is constantly expanded and updated.”