Axomo Overview

Founded by Michael Marshall in 2015, Axomo is a corporate gifting platform based in Springville, Utah. It aims to help companies better connect with their employees through branded swag, with a specific focus on employee engagement and brand loyalty. Over the years, the platform has developed features aimed at simplifying swag inventory and automating reorder notifications.

Axomo is the proprietary brand engagement software of Namify, a US-based manufacturer of identification and branding items.

Main Features

Replenishment feature

Axomo has a stock alert feature where you will receive notifications when your swag stock is running low. The activation for this is straightforward: you just need to select a minimum stock threshold for your swag item and a reorder amount. This will then automatically opt you into the platform’s replenishment notification system. Once the inventory for an item falls to or below this threshold, Axomo automatically sends a notification to alert you to replenish the stock.

Custom feature development

One of the main features of Axomo is the feature request for users with swag stores. For this, you can set up a development consultation with the platform’s team, and they will provide you with a quote, depending on the feature that you requested. However, you need to know that this isn’t free! As a matter of fact, the minimum charge for any custom Axomo feature development is $1,200. So, if you wish to have a specific feature rolled out for your swag store, then you’d better be prepared to pay such an amount, or more.

Reports dashboard and analytics

Within the Axomo platform, you can see all the data relevant to your swag management campaign. This includes tools for monitoring budgets, tracking spending, and reviewing order history. You can also view and export reports that support cost control and centralized oversight of your swag-related expenses.

Pricing

Axomo has three plans that you can choose from. However, the exact prices for these plans aren’t publicly disclosed and will vary depending on your team size and needs, so you will need to get in touch with the Axomo team. Regardless of the lack of transparent prices, we’ll still break down the features under each plan, as well as discuss other fees you will need to pay if you partner with Axomo.

Non-Profit plan 

Axomo offers a free trial and a non-profit plan, which is exclusively available to K-12 educators, PTA organizations/school clubs, charitable 501(c) nonprofits, and startups with fewer than 10 active users. The plan has no subscription fee but requires a one-time setup fee of $1,000. It also supports unlimited items with no order minimums, enabling such organizations to offer branded gear without recurring subscription costs. Some other features included in this tier are logo manager, role-based user permissions, secure checkout, and reports dashboard and analytics. Onboarding and store setup assistance are also offered for users under this plan.

Essential plan 

The second tier, Essential plan, is priced at $1.47 per employee with an additional $1,000 onboarding fee. While discounts may be applicable if you have more than 500 employees, the fee for this tier is still quite costly. Think of it this way: the more employees you have, the more expensive this plan can get, as its price is dependent on the number of employees you have. 

As for the features, this plan offers budget management tools, promotional functionality, and optional warehousing with real-time inventory counts. A dedicated account manager will also be assigned to you if you’re under this tier, and you’ll also be given access to live chat support and international shipping. For your swag store, you’ll have the ability to mark up or resell items depending on your needs.

Axomo + 

Axomo+ includes every feature available in previous tiers and is suitable if you have an enterprise or a large team. Other additional features in this tier include corporate shipping accounts, store customization, and email styling. You will also be given custom product suggestions and designs for your swag, which can help with personalizing your swag for various recipients.

Extra fees

Since Axomo has a lot of extra charges and fees, we’ve also included them here for your easy reference.

Warehousing

Axomo has a monthly warehousing for your swag items stored in its facility. This fee is based on the average cubic footage that your swag takes up per month and is calculated by multiplying it by your warehousing rate. The charges apply regardless of whether you’re on a monthly or annual plan.

Processing fee

If you buy swag from Axomo with a credit card, the items will be subject to a 5% transaction fee, which will be deducted from your swag store’s weekly sales. For example, your swag item’s total price (including shipping and tax) is $200. Five percent of $200 is $10, which is what would be removed from your weekly sales. According to Axomo, you have the option to pass this fee on to your recipients or have it deducted from prepaid credits.

Shipping

For domestic and global swag shipments, there is a $1 + 3% handling fee on top of the costs charged by Axomo’s delivery service. This is because they work with third-party logistics partners such as UPS and the US Postal Service.

Swag store 

The Axomo platform has a one-time setup fee where you’d need to pay for logo digitization and other logistical costs related to the swag store.

International shipment handling

There is also an additional fee to have the platform handle the logistics for your international swag sends. Although for this, Axomo doesn’t state the specific amount or percentage.

Third-party swag

If you have swag items that you want to offer, but Axomo did not produce them, then you will be charged a 5% platform fee per transaction for such items—that is, if you choose to have them in your swag store. Now, if less than 85% of your swag store items are sourced through Axomo’s vendor network, then the fee will increase to 19%. For example, your store has 20 items, and only 16 are produced by Axomo. That’s below the required threshold, and the higher percentage fee would apply.

Digitized logos

Axomo offers three free digitized logos as part of the platform’s setup fee; however, each additional logo that needs to be digitized will be billed on your monthly statement. The price for this will be provided by Axomo itself.

Pros and Cons

In this section, we’ll go over some of the main advantages and disadvantages you need to know about Axomo.

Pros

✅ Non-profit plan: Axomo’s free trial for select organizations can be a good way to help them send swag at lower costs. However, other extra charges may still be costly, especially for organizations with tight budgets.

✅ Employee-focused swag: The platform offers a variety of swag options geared toward employee engagement, enabling you to provide branded swag to your teams efficiently.

✅ Gift card global coverage: Aside from swag, Axomo also offers gift cards with international options. This can make it easier for you to distribute rewards if you have remote teams and don’t want to deal with additional international shipping costs.

Cons

❌ Lots of extra charges and fees: A big downside to Axomo is that it has tons of extra fees. From warehousing and processing to international shipping and logos, almost every step of the swag process with the platform has an additional fee. Such costs will add up in the long run, which may be detrimental if you have a set swag budget. 

❌ Shipping done by third-party delivery services: Axomo’s shipments are handled through third-party carriers like UPS and the US Postal Service. This means shipping costs are not fixed and can vary depending on the carrier’s rates. On top of this, Axomo will charge you a $1 + 3% handling fee. All of these can make it harder to estimate final costs upfront.

❌ No order samples: Axomo doesn’t provide its users with order samples, and as such, you won’t be able to check the quality of your swag items before sending them to your recipients. This can cause issues, especially if your company is stringent with quality assurance.

❌ Usability challenges: Several users have complained that the interface of Axomo’s platform isn’t very intuitive, making it harder to navigate compared to other swag platforms.

Axomo is best for…

…  companies focused on employee engagement and appreciation 👍

Axomo’s platform is primarily structured around sending swag to employees. This makes it a practical option if your focus is on internal swag campaigns. The internal storefronts and customizable ordering can also support your ongoing employee engagement and recognition programs. However, the downside of this is that you will not be able to include other recipients such as clients, leads, investors, and partners, or leverage the platform for use cases like marketing events.

…  enterprises that want customized features 👍

If you have a special feature you want deployed for your swag store and you’ve got the budget for it, then Axomo may be a good choice. By requesting a feature from its consultation team, you can streamline or improve your swag management process. A cost of $1,200 or more will be charged depending on the complexity of your feature request, though, so be prepared.

…  K-12 educators, PTA organizations, charitable 501(c) nonprofits, and (certain) startups 👍

Axomo offers a non-profit plan with no subscription fee, designed specifically for qualified educational and nonprofit organizations. If you’re qualified, you can use the waived subscription fee for your other swag gifting needs. Do note, however, that there are setup and other fees that Axomo will still charge you for, so you’d still need to allocate a budget.

Axomo may not be a good fit for…

… teams managing swag for marketing events 👎

While Axomo covers core swag needs for employees, it isn’t exactly built with external-facing campaigns in mind. Marketing and event teams often need features like scheduled and planned swag sends and swag deliveries to events and warehouses, which are areas where Axomo’s platform is limited. As such, without these dedicated tools for events, if your team is working on conferences or trade shows, they may find it harder to manage and execute their swag campaigns efficiently.

… organizations that want to send swag to clients, leads, or other external contacts 👎

Since Axomo focuses mostly on employee engagement, it may be difficult to distribute swag to other recipients like clients, leads, investors, and partners. This is because the platform’s functionalities, like its reporting dashboard and analytics, revolve around employee data and recognition. If one of your objectives is to give a gift to a client or show appreciation to a partner, then the Axomo platform may lack the features to support such goals.

…  leaders looking for transparent and all-in prices 👎

Axomo’s cost structure includes several extra fees, including charges for warehousing, credit card transactions, logo digitization, and third-party product use, among others. This can make budgeting difficult, especially if you prefer flat pricing models or need to get internal approvals for total costs upfront. Accumulation of these costs can also create unpredictability over time, making it harder to estimate the actual long-term expense of using the platform.

…  businesses sending swag to international recipients regularly 👎

While international shipping is available, Axomo may still require you to pay for additional logistics coordination and handling depending on your swag’s destination. In addition, most of its swag items are delivered from its warehouse in Utah, increasing shipping costs and contributing to a larger environmental footprint due to increased carbon emissions and longer delivery distances. These factors make it less ideal if you prioritize economical prices and sustainability in your global swag programs.

Axomo’s platform is primarily designed around employee engagement and internal swag management. While it offers useful tools for such purposes, its focus means it may not fully support broader corporate gifting needs, such as client outreach, marketing events, or international distribution. In addition, its extra charges and lack of transparent pricing may be a downside when you need to know the upfront costs. As such, if you’re looking for a more versatile solution that covers a wider range of recipients and use cases with more transparent and all-in-one pricing, then you might find Axomo less suitable.

Looking for comprehensive swag solutions? Explore the best Axomo alternatives

Axomo isn’t the only player in the corporate gifting game. If you’re looking for a swag platform that supports gifting not only to employees but also to clients, partners, or other external recipients, offers transparent pricing, or has a better interface, then there are many alternatives you should definitely consider. Don’t let Axomo’s constraints hold you back; check out our list of Axomo alternatives.

Axomo vs PerkUp, the #1 platform for all-in-one pricing and comprehensive global swag and gifts

When it comes to managing corporate swag, both Axomo and PerkUp offer a range of features, but they greatly differ.

PerkUp has everything you need for a corporate gifting platform, offering a broader range of options, including branded swag, curated gifts, and gift cards, and supporting different use cases such as external gifting and marketing events. In contrast, Axomo focuses primarily on employee swag, which has no capability for external gifting, and a pricing model that can lead to additional fees. We discuss these differences in more detail in our comparison of Axomo vs. PerkUp. Dive into this side-by-side analysis to see why leading companies like ChowNow and Hiro trust PerkUp for their swag and gifting needs.