Staples Solutions
Headquartered in Amsterdam, Staples Solutions is the leading provider of workplace products, services and solutions to small, mid-sized, and large businesses in Europe. Through its integrated offering, Staples Solutions is the partner of choice to meet the diverse needs of the workplace of today and tomorrow.
Staples Solutions has wholly-owned operations across 10 countries and with its Global Alliance Partners worldwide, Staples covers 38 countries in EMEA. Worldwide, Staples offers solutions in 54 countries.
The project
The project that EcomStream engaged on with Staples Solutions focused on implementing a new pan-European payment solution, which was a critical part of the broader digital transformation project at Staples. The objective was to modernize and streamline payment operations across multiple European markets while ensuring a seamless customer experience and robust financial integration. This project was closely aligned with Staples’ ecommerce platform replatforming initiative, aiming to deliver a unified and scalable payment infrastructure that supports future business growth.
EcomStream collaborated with key stakeholders at Staples Solutions in negotiating the commercial contract with a new payment service provider (PSP) for its European business. The negotiation process required a thorough understanding of the European payments landscape, with a focus on securing favorable commercial terms while ensuring the solution met the company’s operational and compliance requirements. By leveraging its expertise in payments, EcomStream ensured that Staples obtained an optimized contract that balanced cost-efficiency with high-quality service delivery.
Beyond the contractual aspects, EcomStream played an integral role in the successful implementation of the new PSP. This effort involved end-to-end support, covering everything from front-end integration with the ecommerce platform to back-end connectivity with finance and reconciliation systems. EcomStream worked in close collaboration with an international, multidisciplinary team comprising product owners, software developers, UX designers, IT architects, and risk managers. This diverse team structure ensured that all aspects of the implementation were addressed, from user experience to technical architecture and risk management.
The project required meticulous planning and coordination across multiple departments and regions. EcomStream defined integration requirements and ensured that the payment solution was properly tested and aligned with the ecommerce platform replatforming efforts. Particular attention was paid to risk management and compliance, ensuring that the solution adhered to European regulatory standards and Staples’ internal security protocols.
Being part of an international team also meant that clear communication and cross-functional collaboration were essential. EcomStream acted as a bridge between various departments, ensuring that business needs were translated into technical requirements and that the IT architects and developers had the necessary insights to deliver a robust solution. The UX designers focused on creating a seamless and intuitive checkout experience for customers, while the risk managers ensured that the solution was secure and compliant with industry regulations.
Ultimately, EcomStream’s involvement helped Staples achieve a lean, scalable, and future-proof payment solution that supports its pan-European operations. The new PSP setup not only simplifies payment processes but also provides advanced reporting and reconciliation features, which are fully integrated into Staples’ financial systems. This allows for improved financial transparency and operational efficiency.
As part of the digital transformation project, the collaboration between Staples Solutions and EcomStream delivered significant business value. The optimized payment infrastructure is now better aligned with the company’s ecommerce platform and growth ambitions. It supports multiple payment methods across different countries, providing flexibility and scalability for future expansion.
The project serves as a strong example of how cross-functional teams and strategic partnerships can drive successful digital transformation initiatives, ensuring that organizations are well-equipped to meet evolving customer and market demands.
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“The Staples eCommerce team, for which I was responsible, consulted Ramon Helwegen in 2020 and 2021 for the contracting and set-up of a payment solution based on Adyen for the Staples Europe business. Thanks to his help and collaboration we managed to make it work and complete the eCommerce consumer and customer journeys.”
Ronald van Drunen
Head of eCommerce and Data Management B2B and B2C, Director, Staples Europe
