Number of Seats/Users: EKM offers discounts based on the number of users or seats. A higher volume typically leads to a better discount structure, especially for enterprise-level usage.

Commitment to a Long-Term Contract: Discounts are often provided to companies that commit to using the service for a longer period (e.g., 1-year or 3-year contracts). A longer commitment shows EKM that the company is serious and willing to invest in the platform long-term.

No Active Discounts: Companies that are not already receiving other active discounts may have a better chance of qualifying for additional discounts from EKM. EKM reserves discounts for new customers or those not currently under promotional pricing.

Volume or Usage Commitment: EKM offers discounts if you agree to a minimum amount of usage or transaction volume. This could be based on data storage, transactions, or other metrics tied to how much you will use the platform.

Enterprise-Level Negotiation: Companies that qualify as “enterprise” due to their size or complexity (e.g., having large teams, multiple departments, or geographical presence) may be eligible for additional discounts from EKM. Such companies are often in a position to negotiate for better pricing.

Early Renewal or Prepayment: EKM often offers discounts if you renew early or prepay for the entire contract period. This is a common approach to securing a lower price.

Here at Spendbase our internal data shows that EKM is seen as a solid “getting started” eCommerce tool, but with some clear trade-offs around reliability, scalability, and value for money.

From what Spendbase clients share with us, the main positives cluster around:

• Ease of use
• Simple to set up for first-time online sellers
• Drag-and-drop page editing and plenty of templates

• Good fit for small or early-stage UK-based stores

• Onboarding & support (at the beginning)

• UK-based support is appreciated, especially during launch
• Account managers are helpful for basic technical and design questions

At the same time, our internal data flags several recurring pain points that directly impact cost and ROI:

• Reliability & downtime
• Site outages during peak periods (for example, Christmas)
• Card payments not working without clear alerts, leading to lost sales

• Past issues with email hosting stability

• Functionality limitations

• Basic shopping cart and missing advanced features
• Weak SEO capabilities reported
• Restrictive layout/design and inventory management, especially as stores grow

• Many clients eventually feel they “outgrow” the platform and move to more robust tools

• Pricing & perceived value

• Fees can increase sharply as sales rise, sometimes while stock is low
• Some clients feel “locked in” to higher-cost plans
• More reliable infrastructure sometimes requires paying extra

From a Spendbase discount and optimization standpoint, this typically leads us to:

• Push for:
• Better pricing tiers for low-stock or seasonal businesses
• Commitments around uptime and payment processing stability

• Clear separation between core functionality and paid add-ons

• Advise clients to:

• Treat EKM as a starter or early-growth solution, not always a long-term home
• Monitor conversion drops that may be tied to outages or payment issues
• Reassess cost vs. feature set once inventory, catalogue size, and traffic scale

In short, EKM tends to work best for simple, early-stage stores. As complexity and revenue grow, Spendbase clients often see a widening gap between what they pay and what they get, which is exactly where structured discounts and contract reviews make the biggest impact.