123.TV
123.TV (1-2-3.tv GmbH) operates a German live-auction shopping platform broadcasting 24/7 via TV, web, and mobile apps, serving over 2 million registered customers — predominantly female buyers aged 45+ — across Germany and Austria with a reverse-auction format where prices drop until a bid is placed.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersGrünwald, Germany
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What 123.TV does
123.TV (legal entity: 1-2-3.tv GmbH), founded in 2004 and headquartered at Bavariafilmplatz 7 in Grünwald, Germany, operates one of the DACH region's longest-running LIVE-Commerce platforms, combining traditional television broadcasting with interactive online and mobile auctions. Its core product is a reverse-auction shopping format — products start at higher prices that fall in real time until a participant places a bid, at which point all bidders who engaged pay the same lowest successful price. The platform broadcasts 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and distributes content across four channels: a dedicated TV channel reaching over 40 million TV households in Germany and Austria, a web live-stream at 123.live, native iOS and Android applications, and a standard e-commerce shop. Its technology stack combines a proprietary live-streaming auction platform, mobile applications, and e-commerce integration with DHL-powered fulfillment.
The company serves two distinct customer segments. The primary end-consumer segment consists of value-seeking, entertainment-oriented buyers aged 45 and over (predominantly female), who engage with the gamified auction experience and average more than 30 purchased items per year per customer. The secondary segment comprises brand partners and manufacturers — across fashion, jewelry, watches, beauty, home goods, collectibles, and more recently health/wellness — who gain access to 123.TV's 40+ million TV-household reach and 12 million annual digital visitors as a distribution channel. The platform manages over 25,000 different articles at any given time, with approximately 10,000 new items introduced each year.
The revenue model is fundamentally transaction-based: 123.TV captures the margin between wholesale product cost and the final (lowest) auction price across all winning bidders, with all winners paying the same final price regardless of when they bid. The "all-pay-the-same-lowest-price" mechanic creates fairness perception and urgency that drives bidding behavior. Supplemental revenue streams include the standard e-commerce shop, a dedicated 24h-Deals section, and a Sale category. Pricing for consumers is straightforward: €6.95 standard shipping per order, free shipping above €99, free returns within 30 days, and a referral program offering €10 vouchers to both referrer and referee. Fulfillment is handled through a core logistics partnership with DHL. Management includes CEO Björn Behlau, CFO Felix Engler-Eisenbarth, and a team of directors covering finance, operations, merchandising, legal, marketing, and IT functions.
123.TV firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- 123.TV
- Legal name
- 1-2-3.tv GmbH
- Website
- http://www.1-2-3.tv
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- 123.TV (1-2-3.tv GmbH) operates a German live-auction shopping platform broadcasting 24/7 via TV, web, and mobile apps, serving over 2 million registered customers — predominantly female buyers aged 45+ — across Germany and Austria with a reverse-auction format where prices drop until a bid is placed.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
123.TV industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Live Shopping / TV Auction Retail
- NAICS
- General Merchandise Retailers (455)
- SIC
- Retail-Variety Stores (5331), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Auction-based Generalist Marketplaces (CRAFAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Shopping & Direct-Response Broadcast Networks (MPABAAAL), Online Closeout & Liquidation Marketplaces (CRAEAFAF)
Keywords
Where 123.TV is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Grünwald
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
123.TV business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Auction Transactions: The core revenue model is based on a reverse auction format where products are offered at falling prices until a bid is placed. All winning bidders pay the final (lowest) price, creating a gamified shopping experience. Revenue comes from the margin between wholesale/product cost and final selling price, plus all bidders pay the same final price regardless of when they bid.
- Product Sales: Direct merchandise sales across diverse categories including fashion, jewelry, watches, beauty, home goods, and collectibles. Revenue generated from product markup on wholesale goods sold through the auction and shop platforms.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Shipping |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Free Shipping Threshold |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
123.TV product offering
Product offeringCore offering
123.TV (1-2-3.tv GmbH) runs a multi-channel LIVE-Commerce platform that broadcasts live auctions of consumer products 24/7 across TV, web, mobile app and streaming. In the reverse-auction format, prices fall continuously until a customer bids, and all winning bidders pay the same final lowest price, creating an entertainment-driven shopping experience for a primarily 45+ German-speaking audience. The company also operates a standard online shop and a dedicated Sale section offering more than 25,000 articles across fashion, jewelry, watches, beauty, home, garden, culinary and collectibles categories.
Product overview
123.TV operates as a live auction-based shopping platform (LIVE-Commerce) combining a multi-channel approach across TV, web, streaming, and mobile app. The core product offering consists of three main components: (1) 123.live LIVE-Shopping — the live auction platform where products are sold through real-time bidding, with all winning bidders paying the lowest successful price; (2) the standard 123.live Online-Shop — a traditional e-commerce storefront with products across fashion, jewelry, watches, beauty, home, garden, and culinary categories; and (3) the 123.live Sale section — featuring discounted and reduced-price items. The platform also offers a mobile app for iOS and Android, 24h-Deals for time-limited offers, and a reminder/favorites service for registered customers. Products are organized into main categories including Mode (fashion), Schmuck (jewelry), Uhren (watches), Dekoration & Heimtextilien (home decor/textiles), Beauty, Gesundheit & Wellness (health/wellness), Haus & Garten (home/garden), Kochen & Kulinarisches (cooking/culinary), and Sammlerobjekte (collectibles). The company claims over 25,000 different articles in its portfolio and reaches over 40 million TV households plus 12 million digital visitors in Germany and Austria.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- 123.live LIVE-Shopping A live auction-based shopping platform where customers participate in real-time bidding during live TV and streaming broadcasts, with products sold to all winning bidders at the lowest successful price. Targeted at German and Austrian consumers aged 45+ and brand partners.
- 123.live Online-Shop A standard e-commerce storefront offering products across multiple categories including fashion, jewelry, watches, beauty, home goods, and collectibles, with daily changing offers. Accessible at www.123.live/shop for registered customers in Germany and Austria.
- 123.live Sale A dedicated discounted products section featuring reduced-price items across various categories including fashion, watches, home textiles, beauty, and jewelry. Available at www.123.live/sale.
- 24h-Deals Time-limited daily deals and special offers available for 24 hours, providing customers with exclusive discounted pricing on featured products. Accessible at www.123.live/verpasst.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 2 million registered customers with >30 items purchased per customer per year
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use 123.TV
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
123.TV technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
123.TV partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- DHLcoreDHL serves as the logistics partner for all order fulfillment, shipping, and returns processing. The partnership enables simple logistics integration for 123.live operations, ensuring reliable delivery across Germany and Austria.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
123.TV competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- QVC: QVC is the global leader in TV and digital live shopping, operating multi-channel commerce across TV, web, and mobile with a broad product assortment. While U.S.-headquartered, QVC's broadcast model, audience engagement mechanics, and 24/7 live programming mirror 123.TV's core operations.
- eBay: eBay pioneered online auction-based marketplaces for generalist consumer goods. While 123.TV's model is live/TV-based rather than online-only, both share an auction DNA and compete for value-seeking shoppers in collectibles and used categories.
- Otto Group: Otto is one of Europe's largest e-commerce and distance-retail groups, operating multi-category online shopping at scale in Germany. It is a broad incumbent competing for the same DACH consumers across many of 123.TV's product categories.
Direct peers
- HSE (Home Shopping Europe): HSE is Germany's other major TV shopping channel and live commerce platform, broadcasting across TV and digital channels with a comparable product assortment and audience. It is the most direct competitor to 123.TV in the DACH live-shopping market.
- Channel21: Channel21 is another German TV shopping channel broadcasting across DACH with a similar multi-product assortment and live-shopping format. It competes with 123.TV for both TV household reach and brand-partner manufacturers.
- Juwelo: Juwelo is a German TV auction channel specializing in jewelry and gemstones sold via real-time live auction shows, the same falling-price auction format 123.TV uses. It is a direct niche competitor in the DACH jewelry auction space.
Emerging players
- Whatnot: Whatnot is a digital live-auction marketplace (collectibles, fashion, electronics) with a younger-skewing audience. It is an emerging threat applying the auction mechanism 123.TV pioneered on TV to digital-native consumers.
- TikTok Shop: TikTok Shop is a rapidly scaling live and social commerce platform, particularly strong with younger demographics through short-form video. It represents an emerging threat to 123.TV's audience and product discovery model.
- Amazon Live: Amazon Live brings live-shopping streams to Amazon's marketplace, offering interactive video shopping at scale. It is an emerging digital live-commerce competitor that could pressure 123.TV's reach and brand-partner relationships.
Regional players
- Bonprix (Otto Group): Bonprix is a DACH-focused fashion and lifestyle retailer (part of Otto Group) operating via catalog, web, and app channels. It competes with 123.TV's fashion category through established distance-retail expertise and a similar regional customer base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
123.TV social profiles
Digital presence123.TV financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
123.TV leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
123.TV funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors6 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
123.TV M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about 123.TV
What does 123.TV do?
123.TV (1-2-3.tv GmbH) runs a multi-channel LIVE-Commerce platform that broadcasts live auctions of consumer products 24/7 across TV, web, mobile app and streaming. In the reverse-auction format, prices fall continuously until a customer bids, and all winning bidders pay the same final lowest price, creating an entertainment-driven shopping experience for a primarily 45+ German-speaking audience. The company also operates a standard online shop and a dedicated Sale section offering more than 25,000 articles across fashion, jewelry, watches, beauty, home, garden, culinary and collectibles categories.
Is 123.TV a public or private company?
123.TV is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was 123.TV founded?
123.TV was founded in 2004. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is 123.TV based?
123.TV is headquartered in Grünwald, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does 123.TV make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Auction Transactions are the primary driver. The others are product Sales.
Who are 123.TV's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are QVC, eBay and Otto Group. Direct peers are HSE (Home Shopping Europe), Channel21 and Juwelo. Emerging players are Whatnot, TikTok Shop and Amazon Live. Bonprix (Otto Group) is listed as a regional player.
Does 123.TV have an API?
No public API is recorded for 123.TV.
What industry is 123.TV in?
123.TV's product category is Live Shopping / TV Auction Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAFAAAC, Auction-based Generalist Marketplaces, with a secondary code of MPABAAAL, Shopping & Direct-Response Broadcast Networks. Its NAICS code is 455 and its SIC code is 5331.