Puma and Adyen have expanded their partnership to overhaul payment systems and retail operations across the Asia Pacific region and further afield.
The collaboration between the sports brand and the financial technology platform has seen Puma shift from fragmented, market-specific payment providers to a unified commerce platform managed by Adyen. This transition covers both online and in-store transactions, spanning flagship stores and high-traffic events such as Formula 1 Grand Prix races.
Unified platform
Prior to 2020, Puma's operations involved multiple payment providers across its various markets. This arrangement created inefficiencies, contributed to fraud risks, caused delays during payment reconciliation and led to inconsistent customer experiences as Puma scaled internationally. By migrating to Adyen's platform, Puma has streamlined backend processes, enhanced the accuracy of reporting, and accelerated the opening of new stores and event-based retail setups in markets including Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and across Europe.
The move reflects a broader trend, with global retailers increasingly looking to consolidate disparate payment systems into comprehensive platforms, aiming to improve operational efficiency and deliver consistent customer journeys across all channels.
Accelerated deployments
A key feature of the partnership has involved agile and remote rollouts of payment technology. In Australia, Puma deployed Adyen's point-of-sale terminals across 26 stores in less than a month, completing the process remotely and minimising the logistical and financial demands usually associated with physical installations, especially across geographically dispersed outlets. This deployment approach has subsequently been adopted in Singapore and other Puma markets across the region.
The technology's flexibility has allowed for rapid adaptation in response to changing market conditions and requirements. As retail environments continue to merge digital and physical shopping experiences, Puma's operations in Asia Pacific now rest on a single, unified platform, regardless of whether customers shop in-store or online.
Omnichannel customer experience
Puma is advancing its omnichannel offering to improve conversion rates and reduce missed sales opportunities by allowing seamless purchases and returns across multiple channels. Customers can buy products online and return them in stores, or make purchases in one store and have goods sourced from warehouse or other store locations, aiming to eliminate friction and enhance convenience in the buying process.
Central to this strategy has been the ability to quickly adapt to local customer payment preferences. Through Adyen's technology, Puma can readily introduce various payment methods, including credit cards, e-wallets, and Buy Now, Pay Later options, without requiring significant technical adjustments. This agility enables Puma to align its payment offerings with regional consumer behaviour.
Events and scale
Major international events such as Formula 1 races present unique requirements for retail operations, including swift setup and the capacity to process thousands of transactions efficiently within short timeframes. By leveraging Adyen's mobile technology, Puma is able to handle high-volume sales whilst maintaining customer flow, even in high-pressure event environments. The scalable payment platform supports fast configurations, essential for retail activities accompanying such large-scale sporting events.
"With Adyen, Puma is not only simplifying operations but also enhancing customer experiences on a global scale," said Ben Wong, General Manager, Southeast Asia & Hong Kong at Adyen. "Retail today is about agility, speed, and personalization. From F1 events to everyday store operations, our partnership with Puma is a clear example of how unified commerce can empower retailers to operate smarter, move faster, and adapt to rapidly changing market conditions. Whether it's enabling remote rollouts, supporting local payment preferences, or handling massive event transactions, we're proud to help Puma deliver a seamless experience that puts the customer first."
The shift towards unified commerce platforms is influencing how multinational brands address operational challenges and customer demands, with Puma's approach providing a template for other retailers in the accelerating transition towards integrated retail technology.
