If your business has relied on Sellerdeck for years, you are likely facing a pivotal moment. The platform that once served you well may now feel outdated, and you are exploring your options. A common path presented to users is a Sellerdeck migration to EKM. It seems like a logical next step, especially since it’s often recommended directly.
But as you consider this move, a crucial question arises: is migrating from Sellerdeck to EKM truly a fresh start, or is it just more of the same? This guide will analyse the move, compare it to a genuine upgrade, and help you decide the best path forward for your business.
What Is Sellerdeck?
Sellerdeck, previously known as Actinic, is a desktop-based ecommerce platform that has been a staple for many UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for decades. Unlike modern platforms, it’s a piece of software installed locally on your computer. You manage your store offline and then publish static HTML pages to a web server that you host and manage yourself.
What Is EKM?
EKM is another UK-based ecommerce platform. It operates on a subscription-based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model, meaning it’s hosted for you. EKM is designed to be a simple entry point into hosted ecommerce, primarily for small businesses. However, its simplicity comes with a trade-off: a limited ecosystem for themes and apps.
Sellerdeck and EKM Share the Same Owners
Here is a critical piece of information that many businesses overlook: both Sellerdeck and EKM are owned by the same parent company, ClearCourse. This is not just a trivial detail; it has significant implications for your business.
Because they are part of the same corporate family, their technology philosophy, business model, and product direction are closely aligned. Migrating from Sellerdeck to EKM is not a clean break. Instead, it’s more like moving from one room to another in the same house. You are still operating within the same ecosystem and bound by similar limitations.
Why Sellerdeck Customers Are Offered EKM
The recommendation to move from Sellerdeck to EKM is a strategic business decision by the parent company. The primary motivations are to retain existing customers within the ClearCourse group, keep the subscription revenue in-house, and minimise customer churn. By providing a managed “upgrade” path, they can guide users to another of their products rather than losing them to a more advanced, independent competitor.
Pros of Migrating from Sellerdeck to EKM
To present a balanced view, moving to EKM does have some immediate advantages over staying on an unsupported Sellerdeck version.
- UK-Based Support: You get access to a UK-based team, which can be reassuring.
- Familiar Structure: The platform may feel somewhat familiar to Sellerdeck users, making the transition feel less daunting.
- Basic Ecommerce Functionality: It covers the fundamental needs of a small online store.
- Easier than Rebuilding: It is presented as a simpler migration path than starting from scratch on a completely new platform.
- Simple Product Management: The interface is designed for users who are not overly technical.
However, these short-term comforts often come at the expense of long-term growth and flexibility.
Cons of Sellerdeck Migration to EKM
The initial ease of migration can mask significant underlying weaknesses that will hinder your business as it grows.
Limited App Ecosystem
EKM’s app store is very small. This means you have few integrations available for essential marketing tools, automation, advanced search, or loyalty schemes. You are restricted to the features EKM decides to build.
Restricted Design Flexibility
The platform is template-based with limited customisation options. It is difficult to create a unique brand experience or implement specific design changes. Your store will look similar to many others, and the design framework is not built to be future-proof.
SEO Limitations
This is a major drawback. EKM offers less control over crucial SEO elements like URL structures, metadata automation, and schema markup. Its blogging and content tools are also less powerful, making it harder to build organic traffic.
Payment Gateway Limitations
You have access to fewer modern payment options compared to other platforms. This can impact conversion rates and make it difficult to expand into international markets where different payment preferences exist.
Scaling Issues
EKM is designed for small catalogues and simple business models. It struggles with multi-store requirements, multi-channel selling (e.g., social media, marketplaces), and the demands of a growing business with increasing order volumes.
Sellerdeck → EKM vs Sellerdeck → Shopify
When you see the limitations, it becomes clear that a true upgrade requires looking outside the Sellerdeck/EKM family. Shopify is the world’s leading ecommerce platform, offering a genuine alternative built for growth.
| Feature | Sellerdeck → EKM | Sellerdeck → Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership | Same Group (ClearCourse) | Independent |
| Clean Break | ❌ | ✅ |
| Apps | Limited | 8,000+ |
| SEO | Basic | Advanced |
| Design | Restricted | Fully Customisable |
| Payments | Limited | Vast & Global |
| Growth | Capped | Scalable |
| Ecosystem | Small | Global |
| Innovation | Slow | Continuous |
Why Shopify Is the Best Choice for Sellerdeck Customers
Shopify represents a fundamental upgrade in technology, flexibility, and growth potential.
True Platform Upgrade
Shopify is not owned by ClearCourse and has a completely different, modern technology stack. It is a cloud-native platform with a global team dedicated to continuous innovation, ensuring your store is always on the cutting edge.
Huge App Ecosystem
With over 8,000 apps, you can integrate best-in-class tools for marketing, SEO, loyalty, subscriptions, shipping, accounting, and analytics. Whatever you need your store to do, there is an app for it.
Vast Payment Options
Shopify integrates with over 100 payment gateways, including Shopify Payments, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Klarna, and Clearpay. This allows you to offer customers their preferred way to pay, increasing conversions and trust.
Strong SEO Advantage
Shopify is built with SEO in mind. It provides clean URLs, a powerful built-in blog, automatic schema support, mobile-first themes, and an integrated redirect manager to protect your rankings during migration.
Better for Long-Term Growth
Shopify is designed to scale with you. It supports international selling, multi-channel commerce (social, marketplaces), a powerful POS system for physical retail, wholesale channels, and even advanced headless commerce via its robust API.
SEO and URL Structure – Why Shopify Wins
A major technical benefit of Shopify is its handling of SEO.
- Sellerdeck URLs:
/acatalog/product-name.html - EKM URLs: Often follow a similar, less SEO-friendly logic.
- Shopify URLs:
/products/product-name
Shopify’s clean URL structure is preferred by search engines. More importantly, its built-in redirect system allows you to map every old Sellerdeck URL to its new Shopify equivalent. This ensures you lose no traffic and all your hard-earned link equity is transferred seamlessly.
Cost Comparison
While EKM’s subscription may seem straightforward, a full cost analysis reveals Shopify often provides better value. The high monthly cost of hosting a secure Sellerdeck site can often pay for up to six months of a basic Shopify plan.
Shopify’s single monthly fee includes:
- High-speed, unlimited hosting
- Enterprise-level security
- Free SSL certificate
- Automatic platform updates
- Global Content Delivery Network (CDN)
- 24/7 expert support
Supported Versions for Migration
A professional migration to Shopify is possible from any version of Sellerdeck or Actinic, including:
- Actinic 6 & 8
- Sellerdeck 2013 & 2018
All your crucial data, including products, categories, customers, orders, images, and SEO URLs, can be preserved and migrated cleanly.
How Long Does Migration Take?
A typical migration from Sellerdeck to Shopify takes around 4–6 weeks. The exact timeline depends on the size of your product catalogue, the complexity of your design, and the number of custom features required.
Who Should Consider Sellerdeck Migration to EKM?
To be fair, there is a small niche of businesses for whom EKM might be sufficient:
- Very small stores with no plans for significant growth.
- Businesses that sell exclusively within the UK.
- Merchants who do not need advanced marketing or automation tools.
- Those making a decision based purely on finding the simplest perceived path.
Who Should Choose Shopify Instead?
Shopify is the superior choice for any ambitious business, including:
- Growing businesses that need a platform that can scale.
- SEO-focused stores that want to dominate organic search.
- Multi-channel sellers who want to reach customers everywhere.
- Brands with international ambitions.
- Business owners who want long-term stability and independence.
Sellerdeck Migration to EKM – Key Takeaway
Moving from Sellerdeck to EKM might feel like a step forward, but it’s a small step onto a platform with similar limitations and the same ownership. It is familiar but not future-proof.
A migration to Shopify is a true upgrade. It is a more powerful, flexible, and often cheaper solution that gives your business a modern foundation for genuine, long-term growth.
Considering Sellerdeck Migration to EKM? Explore Shopify First
Before you commit to a sideways move, let us show you what a real upgrade looks like. If you’re considering Sellerdeck migration to EKM, explore Shopify as a smarter alternative.
Contact us today for a:
- Free Store Audit
- Free Migration Plan
- Free SEO URL Mapping Strategy
- Free Demo Shopify Build
