Amazon PPC mistakes cost sellers thousands, sometimes before they even make their first sale. If you’ve ever set up ads and wondered where your money went, you’re not alone.
From poor keyword targeting to neglecting bid strategy, these small oversights can snowball into big losses. Worse, most sellers don’t even realize they’re making these mistakes until it’s too late.
In this guide, we’ll break down the top 5 Amazon PPC mistakes and show you exactly how to fix them. Whether you’re just starting or scaling up, these insights will help you stop wasting ad spend and start growing profitably.
1. Launching Campaigns Without a Strategy
Many sellers think turning on Amazon PPC means instant sales. So, they start with auto campaigns, set no limits, and hope for the best.
But Amazon PPC doesn’t work like magic. If you don’t plan first, you’ll likely overspend and get low-quality clicks. Even if you’re adjusting bids weekly, are you checking performance changes before and after those adjustments? Most sellers don’t, and the few who do find it time-consuming.
How To Fix It?
Set clear goals upfront. Are you aiming for more sales, reviews, or better rankings? Based on that goal, choose between automatic or manual campaigns. Begin with a small daily budget and use real data to guide your keyword testing. Then, build a simple tracker to monitor how campaigns perform five days before and after any bid update. That way, you’re improving with every change, not just guessing.
2. Using the Wrong Keywords
Using bad keywords is one of the most common Amazon PPC mistakes. Some sellers guess keywords or use broad terms that don’t match buyer intent.
For example, selling a “kids water bottle” and using the keyword “bottle” will waste money. You’ll show up in the wrong searches and get clicks that don’t convert.
Instead, use keyword tools like Helium 10 or Amazon’s Search Terms Report to make smarter decisions, and apply niche keyword strategies like those shared in this Amazon keyword guide. Look for long-tail keywords with clear intent. But also go beyond keywords. Consider what’s happening around your listing:
- Is your price competitive?
- Is your inventory healthy?
- Are your top competitors running aggressive promos?
Not knowing your retail signals, like pricing, inventory, and competitive positioning, makes your keyword strategy superficial. To win with PPC, your ads must match your retail reality.
3. Ignoring the Search Term Report
One huge Amazon PPC mistake is not looking at your Search Term Report. This free report shows what real customers typed before clicking your ad. Here’s how Amazon explains it.
If you skip this step, you’ll miss out on powerful data and probably waste money on bad terms. Even worse, if you don’t align your analysis with your product’s retail performance (inventory, pricing, review trends), you may keep investing in poor performers.
By checking this report, you can:
- Find high-converting terms to add as keywords
- Remove irrelevant terms with negative keywords
- See what’s really working in your campaign
Review your report weekly and align your findings with product pricing and stock levels.
4. Letting ACoS Run Wild
ACoS (Advertising Cost of Sale) tells you how much you’re spending to make a sale. Many sellers ignore it, or don’t even know what a good ACoS looks like.
Here’s a simple rule: If your ACoS is higher than your profit margin, you’re losing money.
For example, if your product sells for $25 and your profit is $8, an ACoS above 32% means you’re in the red. But that’s just one piece of the puzzle. If you aren’t dayparting, adjusting bids at different times of day or week, you may be missing low-ACoS opportunities. Dayparting isn’t just turning ads on or off. Done well, it means:
- Raising bids when your product converts best
- Lowering bids when conversion drops
- Increasing budgets only for high-performing campaigns
Check your ACoS often using tools like the Amazon Advertising Console or a PPC tracker. Lower it by cutting expensive keywords, using smart dayparting strategies, and focusing on what converts.
5. Forgetting to Optimize
Running PPC without regular review is one of the most common Amazon PPC mistakes. Many sellers launch campaigns and never check them again. Some even make bid changes weekly but never evaluate the actual impact.
How To Fix It?
Build a simple tracker to compare results five days before and after any bid update. This helps you spot what’s working. Skipping this step means you’re guessing, not optimizing.
6. Losing Retail Awareness
Another mistake? Running ads without understanding your product’s retail situation. Ads should support your stock levels, pricing strategy, and competition, not fight against them. If your price isn’t competitive or you’re low on inventory, ads won’t help. Instead, they’ll waste budget and hurt your brand.
Also, focus your ad spend on fast-moving or high-converting products. Promoting slow sellers often backfires. Use ads to fuel momentum, not force it.
Amazon PPC Mistakes Are Common, But Fixable
Every seller makes a few Amazon PPC mistakes in the beginning. That’s normal. But with the right tools, strategy, and guidance, you can avoid big losses and scale profitably.
At Brand Aventus, we help sellers like you build high-performing PPC campaigns that actually convert from keyword research to bid optimization and strategy refinement. We’ve got you covered.
Book your free consultation with Brand Aventus today and turn your ad spend into real, lasting growth.
