Top 10 Amazon PPC Mistakes That Kill Your Profits
Running Amazon ads seems easy: you launch a few campaigns, set some bids, and wait for sales to roll in.
But the truth is, most of them spend their money on Amazon PPC without even realizing it.
Why? Because small mistakes add up. And when your ads aren’t optimized, you’re basically paying Amazon to show your product to the wrong shoppers.
Now, let’s go through the 10 most common PPC mistakes, how to fix them, and how expert eCom Managers handle each one correctly.
- Running Campaigns without a Clear Goal
Problem:
Most sellers plunge into PPC without knowing what they aim to achieve: visibility, sales, or ranking?
Without a clear goal, your campaigns are without direction.
Solution:
Define one goal per campaign:
- Brand Awareness → Sponsored Brand or Video Ads
- Sales → Sponsored Products
- Retargeting → Sponsored Display
How eCom Managers Handle It:
They always start with a PPC strategy map that aligns campaign types with business goals.
Why Amazon Is Better:
Unlike most ad platforms, Amazon allows you to tailor your campaigns to different stages of the buyer journey-all within one dashboard.
- Disregarding Search Term Reports
Problem:
Most sellers focus only on the keyword level and miss what customers are actually searching for.
You may be paying for irrelevant clicks without even realizing it.
Solution:
Review search term reports every week. Find irrelevant queries and add them as negative keywords.
How eCom Managers Handle It:
They make negative keyword updates part of their weekly workflow to ensure zero wasted clicks.
Why Amazon Is Better:
With Amazon, you can access exact search term data that isn’t available on platforms like Meta Ads, which don’t rely on user intent searches.
- Overloading Campaigns with Too Many Keywords
Problem:
Putting 100+ keywords into one campaign dilutes your budget; no keyword gets enough data to optimize.
Solution:
Focus on 10–20 targeted keywords per campaign. Let Amazon’s algorithm learn and optimize around them.
How eCom Managers Handle It:
They start small, then expand only when the data proves what’s working.
This improves ACOS and helps to scale profitably.
Why Amazon Is Better:
Amazon’s keyword insights show which search terms directly drive conversions, not just clicks.
- Not Testing Match Types
Problem:
Using a single match type, such as “broad,” can cause your ads to trigger for unrelated searches.
Solution:
Use a mix of exact, phrase, and broad match to balance discovery and control.
How eCom Managers Handle It:
They test several match types for the same keyword and only keep those that convert profitably.
Why Amazon Is Better:
Amazon’s matching type data is updated in real time, thus making optimization faster and more reliable than Google Ads.
- Neglecting Auto Campaigns
Problem:
Most auto-campaigns launched often run without much attention, resulting in the loss of valuable data.
Solution:
Use auto-campaigns for keyword discovery, not for scaling.
Then move high-performing terms to manual campaigns.
How eCom Managers Handle It:
They treat auto campaigns like a data-mining tool, checking the reports each week to extract new keywords and ASINs.
Why Amazon Is Better:
Amazon’s auto-targeting leverages AI and shopping data to find the best placements-insights that no external PPC platform can replicate.
- Poor Campaign Structure
Problem:
Mixing branded, competitor, and generic keywords in one campaign confuses Amazon’s algorithm and wastes spend.
Solution:
Separate campaigns by:
- Branded keywords
- Competitor keywords
- Category keywords
How eCom Managers Handle It:
They follow a clear naming and structure system, which makes reporting and optimization easier.
Why Amazon Is Better:
Amazon allows for multi-layered campaign organization and provides the flexibility to test, track, and scale with clarity.
- Not Adjusting Bids
Problem:
Static bids don’t perform well in a constantly changing marketplace; costs fluctuate daily.
Solution:
Use dynamic bidding-let Amazon adjust your bids up or down based on the likelihood of conversion.
How eCom Managers Handle It:
They closely monitor ACOS and set bid rules to automatically lower bids for weak keywords and raise them for strong ones.
Why Amazon Is Better:
Automation of Amazon bids depends on actual purchase data, not engagement metrics.
- Product Targeting Ads – Skipping
Problem:
Most sellers focus only on keywords, missing out on ASIN-based targeting that can get ads directly on competitor listings.
Solution:
Use Product Targeting Ads to appear next to competing or complementary products.
How eCom Managers Handle It:
They identify top competitor ASINs to target and siphon traffic from, increasing their visibility.
Why Amazon Is Better:
Amazon lets you show your ad directly on product detail pages, where buying intent is highest.
- Not Monitoring Core Metrics
Problem:
If you’re not tracking ACOS, CTR, and conversion rate, you’re guessing, not optimizing.
Solution:
Weekly review reports focus on performance-based optimization.
How It’s Handled by eCom Managers:
They use analytics tools such as Helium 10, Jungle Scout, and the Amazon Advertising Console to monitor campaigns in real time.
Why Amazon Is Better:
Amazon’s reporting links ad performance to real product sales for clear ROI.
- Not diversifying ad types
Problem:
Relying on one ad type limits visibility and reach. Solution: Use a combination of Sponsored Products for Conversions, Sponsored Brands for awareness, and Sponsored Display for Retargeting—video Ads to engage.
How eCom Managers Handle It:
They’re creating full-funnel advertising strategies that drive shoppers through the journey from awareness to purchase. Why Amazon Is Better: With Amazon, all its ad types are integrated, and you can reach shoppers across search results, detail pages, and retargeting placements within a single ecosystem.
Final Thoughts:
Amazon PPC isn’t about spending more; it’s about spending smarter. Long-term winners are sellers who take the time to understand the system, build campaigns properly, and then optimize them consistently. That is why the work of an experienced e-commerce Manager makes all the difference, as they understand the data, avoid such mistakes, and help you grow profitably.
Are You Wasting Ad Spend on Amazon? Download our Free PPC Audit Checklist and discover where your money is leaking — before your next campaign goes live.