NEXT STOP: RETAIL #2: Podcast with Jörg Heinemann about live shopping and loading times
“Jörg Heinemann, what happens when you throw shopping, entertainment and artificial intelligence into a blender and then press start?”
Our preview of NEXT STOP: RETAIL Our new Podcast for the retail sector Live. The idea: We bring our stage to where it wouldn't normally be – right into the heart of businesses. Our mobile podcast studio tours all over Germany. A new episode is released every week, in which we meet with decision-makers from the retail sector. We listen, ask questions, and talk about what really drives the market.
In episode 2 of NEXT STOP: RETAIL We meet someone who shakes up the market day after day: Jörg Heinemann (LinkedIn), Innovation Evangelist at OTTO, not only has an impressive industry portfolio (spoiler: carp shop included), but also a clear stance on trends, technologies and what really counts in trade: relevance.
Our mobile podcast studio stopped at the OTTO Campus this time, and rarely has there been so much packed into one episode:
Episode #2: Podcast with Jörg Heinemann, Innovation Evangelist at OTTO
It's hard to believe, but true: Jörg's first venture revolved around bait and carp. What began as a school project became a long-term startup. Today, he's one of the most prominent voices when it comes to future trends in the retail sector. And he does so with a clear goal: to make complexity understandable without losing sight of reality.
In conversation with our host Julia Greven It's precisely this combination that matters: a hands-on mentality meets a hunger for innovation. Jörg takes us behind the scenes of OTTO's initiatives, from live shopping to the vision of "agent commerce" with intelligent assistants.
Highlights from the episode with Jörg Heinemann:
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Social commerce is not a platform issue.
It is not about, wo shopping is not the main activity. WhoThe sense of community, the interaction, the inspiration – all of this can be conceived (also) on your own platform. OTTO shows how it's done. -
Making good use of charging time? Absolutely! With in-car shopping content.
Yes, you read that right: OTTO is bringing live shopping to the displays of new car models. Anyone who doesn't want to just wait while their electric vehicle is charging can discover, compare, and buy products. -
AI as a strategic lever
Whether it's chat assistance at live events, product advice via AI, or new ways to access the product range through conversational interfaces: OTTO is rethinking commerce. Not as a tech gimmick, but as a response to changing user behavior. -
From teleshopping to JOYN streaming
Shopping formats that function like entertainment. OTTO is bringing videos to media libraries and streaming platforms and testing immersive shopping experiences. Not to ride trends, but to help shape the future.
Why is this important?
Because the question for retailers is not whether they will change, but only how quickly.
Jörg sums it up perfectly: "If something suddenly catches on, things can move very, very quickly. And if I don't have anything ready to go, I'll quickly run into a problem."
The result is not only a look behind the scenes at OTTO, but also an appeal to all retailers to stop hesitating. Try it. Network. Learn.
Listen now, subscribe and spread the word:
What's behind NEXT STOP: RETAIL?
NEXT STOP RETAIL is the new one RETAIL NXT Podcast.
We're on a journey to meet the key figures shaping the retail landscape, from large corporations to medium-sized businesses and startups. It's not about polished pitches, but about honest, open dialogue. If you want to know what works and what just sounds like a pipe dream, you've come to the right place.
Want to experience it live? RETAIL NXT 2025!
Do you want to meet Jörg live?
Then come to the RETAIL NXT Conference on September 30th and October 1st, 2026 in Bad Vilbel near Frankfurt.
There, retailers, brands and creators meet to exchange ideas, for new inspiration and genuine conversations, and Jörg brings one or two exciting formats to the stage: The RETAIL NXT 2025 program.