Decoding ACoS, TACoS, ROAS: Amazon Advertising Metrics

ACoS — or Advertising Cost of Sale — is a vital metric for Amazon advertisers and sellers. However, the world of Amazon metrics can be confusing, especially when it comes to understanding the differences between ACoS, TACoS, and ROAS, and determining which one is best suited for monitoring your brand's performance. In this article, we will delve into these metrics, explore their purposes, and guide you in making informed decisions.

ACoS vs. TACoS vs. ROAS

ACoS, TACoS, and ROAS are metrics that provide insights into your advertising efforts and their impact on your sales and revenue on Amazon. Let's take a closer look at each metric to understand their distinctions and applications.

ACoS

What is ACoS?  

ACoS, or Amazon Advertising Cost of Sale, is a metric that measures the effectiveness of your ad spend by tracking how much money you earn from advertising. The ACoS formula is:

Ad Spend ÷ Ad Sales

ACoS reflects the direct relationship between your ad spend and sales, revealing the ratio of dollars made in sales for every dollar spent on advertising. For instance, a 100% ACoS signifies breaking even, while a percentage below 100% indicates a profit, and anything above 100% suggests spending more on advertising than earning in sales.

Why is ACoS Important?  

ACoS is crucial at the campaign level, as different campaigns may have varied target ACoS. Branded campaigns typically have higher ACoS because they aim to attract new customers, while non-branded campaigns tend to have lower ACoS due to reduced competition and higher purchase intent.

It's important to note that ACoS solely reflects ad performance and the resulting sales. While it provides valuable insights into your advertising effectiveness, it doesn't account for your overall sales picture.

TACoS

What is TACoS?  

TACoS, or Total Advertising Cost of Sale, provides a comprehensive view of your Amazon business by considering all sales, regardless of whether they originated directly from advertising or not. To calculate TACoS, use the following formula:

Ad Spend ÷ Total Sales

TACoS encompasses your entire sales performance on Amazon, taking into account both ad-driven and organic sales. It allows you to assess the holistic impact of your advertising efforts on your overall brand performance.

Why is TACoS Important?  

TACoS offers a complete picture of your Amazon business. While your advertising may result in a higher ACoS, your overall TACoS might be low due to successful organic search conversions. For example, you could have a 39% ACoS but a 20% TACoS, indicating how your advertising performs within the broader context of your account's performance. Remember, while advertising on Amazon is crucial, you can generate sales from external sources as well.

ROAS

What is ROAS?  

ROAS, or Return on Ad Spend, is another metric focused on advertising performance rather than overall sales performance. ROAS is essentially the reverse of ACoS, dividing your ad revenue by your ad spend instead of vice versa:

Ad Revenue ÷ Ad Spend

ROAS is still commonly used in Amazon reporting, as it is a familiar metric within the digital advertising world. Like ACoS, ROAS examines the outcomes of your advertising efforts. However, it quantifies how much revenue you generated for every dollar spent on advertising, indicating the inverse of ACoS, which emphasizes spending.

Why is ROAS Important?  

ROAS is an essential metric that highlights the success of individual advertising campaigns. Different campaign types have distinct target ROAS values. Retargeting campaigns, for example, should achieve a high ROAS (but low ACoS), while prospecting campaigns focused on acquiring new customers may have a low ROAS (but high ACoS).

Choosing the Right Metric  

Determining whether to use ACoS, TACoS, or ROAS depends on the specific purpose and scope of your analysis. In general, ACoS and ROAS are best suited for monitoring individual campaigns, while TACoS offers a holistic measurement of your Amazon brand's performance. Employing all three metrics in your reporting provides a comprehensive understanding of your brand, ranging from individual campaign performance to overall sales.

Conclusion

Navigating the world of Amazon metrics can be challenging, but understanding ACoS, TACoS, and ROAS is essential for effective advertising and brand management on the platform. ACoS helps you evaluate ad spend efficiency, TACoS provides a complete view of your business performance, and ROAS assesses campaign success. By leveraging these metrics appropriately, you can make informed decisions to optimize your Amazon advertising strategies and maximize your brand's profitability.

If you need assistance in navigating the complex realm of Amazon metrics, the Marketplaces Team at Blue Wheel is here to help. Contact us for expert guidance and support.