Frequently asked questions

EcomStream optimizes the cost and performance of payment solutions for retailers and brands. That means reviewing what you pay your PSP, benchmarking it against current market rates, identifying performance gaps like authorization rates and routing, and closing those gaps through renegotiation or a structured RFP process. Every engagement is handled personally, from first analysis to final result.

Most payment consultants maintain commercial relationships with PSPs and acquirers alongside their merchant work. That creates a structural conflict of interest that affects the quality of the advice, whether or not it is made explicit. EcomStream works exclusively for merchants. There are no PSP relationships, no referral fees, no commercial ties to any payment provider.

Some advisors focus on cost reduction alone. That is often only part of the picture. Authorization rates, routing logic, and 3DS configuration are reviewed where relevant, because a merchant who has reduced PSP costs but is still leaving conversion on the table has only solved half the problem.

No. EcomStream works with retailers and brands across a wide range of sizes. The starting point is a minimum annual payment volume of around 10 to 15 million euros processed through a PSP, because that is where the commercial leverage exists to negotiate material improvements. You would expect larger merchants to have negotiated better deals, but often they have not. That gap tends to be where EcomStream finds the most significant upside. If you are unsure whether your volumes qualify, the free diagnostic will make that clear.

There is no upfront fee and no fixed retainer. EcomStream charges only on results achieved, as a percentage of the savings or performance improvements delivered. If there is no measurable improvement, there is no invoice. The fee structure means EcomStream’s commercial interest and yours are identical throughout the engagement.

Cost savings of 20 to 25 percent on PSP fees are not unusual. Where performance is also in scope, authorization rate improvements can have a revenue impact that exceeds the cost saving itself. Results vary by contract, volume, and PSP, which is why the engagement starts with a diagnostic rather than a promise.

Being live with a PSP is exactly the right moment to optimise. The contract terms you signed at onboarding were based on projected volumes and a negotiating position that has likely changed significantly since. Most merchants renegotiate for the first time only when their contract is up for renewal, which means they overpay for years before that point. There is no requirement to wait for a renewal window to open a commercial conversation with your PSP. Most merchants are surprised by what an independent review uncovers, both in terms of the savings available and the commercial mechanics. These are things a PSP will never proactively share.

A good relationship with your PSP is not the same as a fair deal. PSPs are commercially sophisticated organisations that maintain warm relationships while quietly optimising their own margin at your expense. The account manager who answers your calls promptly is not the person setting your pricing. When rates are questioned, PSPs are well practised at providing arguments for why the current pricing is justified, keeping the conversation away from a genuine renegotiation. EcomStream uncovers what the relationship obscures. After an engagement the commercial terms reflect the competitive rate, not the terms your PSP set at onboarding and has had no reason to revisit since. The relationship continues. It just operates on equal footing for the first time.

EcomStream treats all client data as strictly confidential from the first conversation. PSP invoices, contract terms, transaction data, and any commercially sensitive information shared during the engagement are never disclosed to PSPs, acquirers, or any third party, regardless of whether a formal NDA is in place. A mutual NDA can be put in place at the start of the engagement. The PSP does not need to know that EcomStream is involved unless the client chooses to disclose it.

A cost optimization engagement typically runs from four to eight weeks from diagnostic to renegotiation outcome. A payment RFP takes longer, usually three to four months depending on the number of PSPs in scope and the complexity of the integration requirements. Interim engagements are scoped individually based on the specific need.

To run the initial diagnostic, EcomStream needs access to recent PSP invoices, the current contract including pricing schedules, and basic transaction volume data by payment method and market. No internal resource is required beyond providing that information. EcomStream handles the analysis, the benchmarking, and the negotiation.

The starting point is always a forensic review of current invoicing against the contract. PSP invoices are deliberately complex. Scheme fee markups, incorrect interchange classifications, pricing tiers that should have been applied automatically, these are structural issues that compound over time. EcomStream benchmarks current rates against the market, identifies every optimization lever, and builds the commercial case for renegotiation. Where performance is also reviewed, authorization rates, routing configuration, and retry strategy are assessed alongside cost to give a complete picture of the commercial upside.

No. A PSP reporting on its own authorization performance is not a neutral source. The metrics they share are typically presented without market context, without a breakdown by payment method, and without visibility into how routing decisions are affecting outcomes. EcomStream benchmarks authorization rates against market data and reviews the PSP’s routing logic, retry strategy, and 3DS configuration independently. In most cases there is room for improvement that the PSP has no commercial incentive to surface.

Yes. A payment RFP is one of EcomStream’s core services. This covers defining the requirements, shortlisting PSPs, managing Q&A sessions, negotiating the contract, and supporting the final selection. Onboarding support is available where needed. A well-structured RFP also creates the opportunity to address new market developments with strategic impact, new business models, market expansion, regulatory change, ensuring the merchant is fit for what comes next. At the end of the process, either a new PSP takes over the contract, or the existing one has been held to a significantly higher standard to keep it.

Interim engagements are typically for retailers who need senior payment expertise in-house for a defined period, either to cover a gap in the team, to manage a specific project such as a PSP migration or market expansion, or to provide oversight during a period of significant payment change. Ramon Helwegen takes on the role directly, embedded in the client’s operation for the duration of the engagement. Scope and duration are agreed upfront.

You will sell more and pay less.