On Running scales premium experiences with one global platform

On’s growth is record-breaking. What began as an idea in the Swiss Alps has transformed into one of the world’s most successful premium brands for running shoes and performance gear in just a few short years. The CloudTec® sole was a true breakthrough. On now applies this same high standard to its entire brand experience.

On has invested heavily in its direct-to-consumer model for years. While e-commerce remains a core driver, its own retail stores are rapidly gaining strategic importance. These stores serve as physical spaces where the brand can show its meticulous attention to detail in new markets. The brand’s standard of premium execution has to hold, even when they scale rapidly.

Payments can easily become a strategic bottleneck. With every new market comes added complexity from local preferences, regulations, and risk profiles. Relying on isolated, standalone solutions risks stalling global growth in the medium term.

Together, On and Adyen built a setup designed to grow with the business. Our scalable, all-in-one solution for e-commerce and retail offers global coverage and broad, out-of-the-box functionality. 

It’s allowed On to scale fast globally, without short-term workarounds. Apple’s Tap to Pay on iPhone technology brings the checkout directly to where the buying decision happens, while Adyen Uplift continuously optimizes performance and m

itigates risk in the online checkout.

This agility also helps accelerate transactions, creating a more seamless experience for customers.

"The solution gives us the agility to roll out new technologies and keep pace with innovation."

Dario Beffa

Senior Lead Payments and Risk

1. Tap to Pay on iPhone

The most critical moment in-store is when a consultation transitions into checkout. With Tap to Pay on iPhone, payments can now happen directly where the customer decides to buy, eliminating unnecessary steps and providing a simpler checkout experience.

Being able to accept payments right on iPhone speeds up the checkout and creates a “wow moment” for customers. Store associates can stay fully engaged in the conversation, making the payment process a natural next step rather than a detour to a fixed counter or queue.

"Apple’s Tap to Pay on iPhone technology streamlines the payment process. No second device is needed, which ultimately speeds up the transaction," says Dario Beffa, Senior Lead Payments and Risk, On.

2. Adyen Uplift

In e-commerce, On leverages Adyen Uplift to optimize the entire payment funnel. As a pilot partner, On was involved in developing the solution from day one, gradually integrating the new AI-driven features of the Uplift suite into live operations since mid-2024.

This process is heavily supported by Protect. Previously, On relied on a complex matrix of manual risk rules, which we were able to significantly reduce. The system now responds dynamically to shopper behavior. If a transaction appears unusual, we can introduce targeted security checks directly into the payment flow.

Chargeback data and dispute outcomes feed directly back into the model. This allows the system to constantly learn from both fraud attempts and successful recoveries, feeding into an evolving system that minimizes False Declines and protects

revenue.

"By using Protect, we let AI do the heavy lifting of risk management."

Dario Beffa

Senior Lead Payments and Risk

By optimizing the checkout process with Adyen Uplift, On increased its global payment conversion by 0.85% within twelve months. At the same time, the fraud rate dropped by 0.17% because risk decisions are now made via precise, dynamic model-based assessments rather than a static rule book. In total, this combination secured over 71,000 additional successful transactions in the first year alone.

The impact is highly visible across both commercial and operational metrics. By leveraging machine learning, the manual effort required to maintain risk rules fell by 60%, as the models now handle this optimization almost entirely automatically. Fewer unnecessary rejections also mean fewer support tickets and a completely frictionless customer journey.

The difference is equally noticeable in daily retail operations. With Tap to Pay on iPhone, checkout is becoming simpler and faster across eight countries. Furthermore, PCI DSS compliance processes run more efficiently, and new configurations can be deployed cloud-first worldwide at a much faster pace.

On already uses cross-channel payment data to sharpen decision-making and refine its omnichannel strategy. The team analyzes whether in-store shoppers later buy online, how new store openings impact regional online sales, and how peak shopping hours can help optimize store schedules and staffing.

Long term, the goal is to break down remaining data silos to build a unified view of the customer journey. This foundation will enable cross-channel customer recognition and further strengthen fraud prevention.

Ultimately, this forms the foundation to power On’s ambitious growth, support the opening of numerous new retail stores, and bring that signature "running on clouds" feeling directly to the Point of Sale.

To see how this was rolled out during the Tokyo store launch, check out the Japan market entry case study.