1. Introduction to EKM
Choosing the right platform for your online store is akin to choosing the physical foundations of a high street shop. Get it right, and you have a solid base upon which to build, scale, and welcome thousands of customers. Get it wrong, and you may find yourself restricted by walls you cannot move and a layout that frustrates your visitors. Which why it’s best to do research on platforms like EKM before making that commitment.
In the UK eCommerce landscape, EKM has long been a familiar name. For over two decades, it has served as the launchpad for thousands of British businesses taking their first steps into digital retail. But is the EKM platform still the best choice in a market now dominated by global giants like Shopify and WooCommerce?
This article provides an honest review of EKM. We will explore what the platform is, weigh its pros and cons, and see how it stacks up against the competition. Whether you are considering launching a new store or feeling the limitations of your current setup, this guide will help you decide if EKM is right for you—and how experts like SEO Tailor can help if you decide it is time to migrate to something more scalable like Shopify.
2. What Is EKM?
EKM (formerly known as EKM Powershop) is a cloud-hosted EKM ecommerce platform based in the UK. Founded in 2002, it holds the distinction of being the first cloud-based eCommerce solution in the UK, predating even Shopify.
You can visit their site at https://www.ekm.com/.
Historically, EKM was developed to make selling online accessible to everyone, removing the technical barriers that existed in the early 2000s. Today, it is owned by the ClearCourse Group, a significant player in the software and payments sector.
The platform is positioned as a user-friendly, all-in-one solution. It is particularly popular among small to medium-sized UK businesses who want a “local” option with UK-based support. It often serves as a modern alternative for businesses moving away from desktop-based legacy software like Sellerdeck, offering a similar sense of familiarity but within a modern web browser environment.
3. Key Features of EKM
The EKM platform is designed to be a complete “store in a box.” It aims to provide everything a merchant needs without requiring third-party plugins or complex coding.
- Cloud-Based Dashboard: Store management happens entirely in your web browser. There is no software to install or update on your computer.
- Payments and Shipping: It comes with built-in integrations for major payment gateways (including PayPal, Stripe, and Opayo) and shipping couriers (Royal Mail, DPD, etc.), simplifying the logistics of getting paid and delivering goods.
- Theme Library: Users can choose from a range of responsive themes. While not as extensive as some competitors, these themes ensure your store looks acceptable on mobile and desktop devices.
- Marketing Tools: Basic SEO features, email marketing integration, and loyalty points systems are available natively within the dashboard.
- Integrations: The platform connects with essential business tools like Google Analytics, various marketplaces (eBay/Amazon), and accounting software like Xero or QuickBooks.
- Add-ons: Features like “Evolution Mode” (where EKM’s team tweaks your site for you), abandoned cart recovery, and product upsells are available, though access often depends on your pricing tier.
4. Pros of Using EKM
For many businesses, EKM ticks the right boxes, especially in the early stages of growth.
- Fully Hosted SaaS: Being Software as a Service (SaaS) means EKM handles the hosting, security, and PCI compliance. You don’t need to worry about server maintenance or bandwidth limits.
- Easy Setup: It is designed for non-technical users. The setup wizard guides you through adding products and setting up payments, allowing you to launch relatively quickly.
- UK-Centric Support: One of its strongest selling points is its UK-based support team. For British merchants, having a support line in the same time zone (and usually an account manager on higher plans) is a significant reassurance.
- Automated Tools: Features like the “Obsolete Product Redirect” help manage basic housekeeping automatically, which is useful for smaller teams without an SEO specialist.
- Mobile-Ready: All templates are responsive, ensuring that customers on smartphones can browse and buy without major usability hurdles.
5. Cons of Using EKM
However, as businesses mature, the limitations of the EKM ecommerce environment can become apparent.
- Limited Customisation: Compared to the open canvas of WooCommerce or the flexible Liquid code of Shopify, EKM can feel restrictive. If you want a truly bespoke design or a unique customer journey, you may hit a wall.
- Smaller App Ecosystem: While EKM has extensions, its marketplace is tiny compared to Shopify’s App Store. If you need a specific niche feature (e.g., a complex booking system or advanced subscription model), it might simply not exist for EKM.
- Scaling Costs: To access advanced features or lower transaction fees, you are often pushed into higher monthly pricing tiers.
- Design Flexibility: Branding agencies often struggle with EKM because they cannot manipulate the code as freely as on other platforms. This can result in stores looking somewhat generic or “template-y.”
- Not Enterprise-Ready: For high-volume, complex businesses requiring ERP integration, headless architecture, or international multi-store setups, EKM typically lacks the necessary infrastructure.
6. EKM in Context: How It Compares to Other Platforms
To truly understand the EKM platform, we must view it alongside the market leaders.
EKM vs Shopify
Shopify is the global standard for SaaS ecommerce. While EKM offers a similar “hosted” experience, Shopify operates on a different scale.
- Apps: Shopify has thousands of apps for every conceivable function; EKM has dozens.
- Analytics: Shopify’s data reporting is deeper, helping you understand customer lifetime value and acquisition costs better.
- Mobile: Shopify’s mobile checkout is arguably the best in the world, optimised across millions of stores for maximum conversion.
EKM vs WooCommerce
WooCommerce is an open-source plugin for WordPress.
- Freedom: WooCommerce allows you to change anything. EKM is a “walled garden” where you can only change what they allow.
- SEO: With WordPress as a foundation, WooCommerce offers superior control over content marketing and technical SEO.
- Maintenance: EKM wins on ease of use here; WooCommerce requires you to manage your own hosting and plugin updates.
Many growing stores eventually outgrow EKM because they reach a point where the platform stifles their marketing or operational ambitions.
7. When EKM Is Right for Your Business
EKM is not a bad platform; it is simply a platform with a specific ceiling.
Best Use Cases:
- Startups: Small businesses launching their first store who want a “hand-holding” experience.
- Low Tech Burden: Owners who want to “set and forget” the technical side and just focus on shipping parcels.
- Standard Catalogues: Retailers selling simple products without complex variants or customisation options.
Limitations Prompting Migration:
Once you need advanced marketing funnels, deep integration with a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system, or a brand experience that wins awards, EKM usually stops being the right tool for the job.
8. Signs It’s Time to Consider Migrating From EKM
How do you know when you have outgrown the EKM ecommerce solution?
- Stagnating Sales: Your traffic is growing, but your conversion rate is flat or dropping, suggesting the user experience isn’t keeping up with customer expectations.
- SEO Frustrations: You want to implement advanced schema markup or restructure your URLs for better rankings, but the platform won’t let you.
- Automation Needs: You are spending hours on manual tasks (like syncing stock or emailing customers) that should be automated by apps.
- Integration Blocks: You want to sell on a new channel (like TikTok Shop) or use a specific review platform, but there is no integration available.
- Design Envy: You look at competitors on Shopify and realise their sites look faster, slicker, and more professional.
9. Migrating From EKM to Shopify (or Other Platforms)
For ambitious brands, moving to Shopify is often the logical next step. Shopify offers the same “hosted” peace of mind as EKM but with vastly superior scalability.
Benefits of Migrating to Shopify:
- Global Ecosystem: Access to world-class developers, designers, and apps.
- Conversion-Optimised: Themes built specifically to turn browsers into buyers.
- Marketing Power: Advanced tools for email flows, SMS marketing, and social commerce.
Overview of Migration Steps:
- Data Export: Exporting all products, customer data, and order history from EKM (usually via CSV files).
- Mapping URLs: Crucially, mapping every old EKM URL to the new Shopify URL structure to preserve SEO rankings.
- Design Rebuild: Creating a new, modern storefront on Shopify 2.0 architecture.
- Testing: rigorous testing of payment gateways, shipping rules, and data integrity before going live.
10. How SEO Tailor Helps with EKM Migrations
Migrating a store is major surgery. Get it wrong, and you risk losing data and your Google rankings. This is where SEO Tailor excels.
As experts in eCommerce migrations, SEO Tailor specialises in moving businesses from legacy or restrictive platforms like EKM to scalable solutions like Shopify.
Our Migration Services Include:
- Data Integrity: We ensure all your product variants, images, and customer histories are transferred securely.
- SEO Continuity: We create a comprehensive 301 redirect map. This ensures that if a customer clicks an old link in Google, they land seamlessly on the correct page on your new site, preserving your hard-earned SEO authority.
- Design & UX: We set up your new Shopify site with a focus on User Experience (UX) and conversion rates, not just aesthetics.
- Custom Integrations: We help connect your new store to your ERP, CRM, or marketing tools.
- Ongoing Support: We don’t just hand over the keys; we provide training and ongoing support to help you master your new platform.
Working with specialists minimizes downtime and eliminates the stress of “doing it yourself,” allowing you to focus on running your business while we handle the technical heavy lifting.
11. Final Verdict: Is EKM Right for You?
The EKM platform has served the UK market well. It remains a solid, reliable choice for small businesses that prioritise UK-based support and simplicity over advanced features. If your turnover is modest and your needs are simple, EKM is a perfectly capable home for your business.
However, for ambitious brands targeting growth, international expansion, or market dominance, EKM is likely a stepping stone rather than a final destination. The limitations in customisation, app availability, and design flexibility eventually become bottlenecks.
In contrast, Shopify offers a ceiling that is virtually impossible to hit. It scales from zero to billions in revenue. If you find yourself frustrated by what you can’t do on EKM, it is almost certainly time to move.
Evaluate your current eCommerce platform and contact SEO Tailor for a free migration consultation or an SEO and performance audit for your online store.