Stop Wasting Ad Spend on Engaged Buyers

Ad budgets are precious commodities, especially in the competitive eCommerce space. Yet, many online retailers unknowingly drain their resources by retargeting customers who are already engaged. These are customers who use branded keywords or direct traffic methods to return to your store, users who likely would've come back regardless of your ad spend.

The issue? Misallocated budgets, inflated CPCs, and fewer opportunities to attract new customers.

But there’s a way to fix this, and our latest infographic dives into how. This blog post will guide you through the key takeaways from the infographic and show how TrafficGuard can optimise your campaigns for better performance.

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Why Returning Loyal Customers are Hurting Your ROAS

It might sound counterintuitive, but focusing ad spend on already engaged buyers can do more harm than good. Here’s why:

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1. Ad Budgets Get Drained 

Many eCommerce retailers spend significant amounts indirectly targeting these loyal customers through branded keywords. This results in little-to-no incremental sales - as the conversion would have occurred organically -consuming a chunk of your budget.‍

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2. Automated Bidding Adds to the Problem 

Tools like Performance Max (PMax) and Target ROAS (tROAS) prioritise conversions, favouring returning buyers who convert easily. However, this increases cost-per-click (CPC) as these platforms optimise to maximise only the easiest wins. According to TrafficGuard's data, automated campaigns like PMax or Shopping can inflate CPCs by up to 5X, by cannibalising branded search campaigns.

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3. Missed Opportunities for New Customers

By letting ad spend spiral on returning customers, you miss the chance to reach fresh, high-value customers who could unlock greater lifetime value (LTV) for your business.

The result? Higher Cost-Per-Acquisition (CPA), a shrinking LTV-to-Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) ratio, and reduced growth potential.

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How TrafficGuard Can Make the Difference

What if you had a clearer picture of your ad performance and could redirect spend toward net new customers instead? That’s where TrafficGuard comes into play. Here’s how TrafficGuard solves the problem:

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1. See the Full Picture 

TrafficGuard’s click-level data allows marketers to map a user whilst maintaining GDPR compliance - providing a complete view of every step in the buyer’s journey. You'll know when customers are already engaged, helping you avoid unnecessary ad spend.

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2. Cut the Waste 

By identifying loyal returning buyers and limiting ad delivery for these users in Search, PMax, and Shopping campaigns, TrafficGuard reduces spend on these clicks.‍

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3. Redirect Smarter

TrafficGuard influences Google’s algorithms to focus on net new buyers with real purchase potential. It’s not about cutting costs; it’s about reallocating your ad investment to bring in new customers.

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4. Boost Profits 

Reinvest your savings into acquiring fresh customers while improving key metrics like ROAS, LTV, and CAC.

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Key Stats Worth Noting

TrafficGuard’s recent findings highlight the scale of misallocated resources in eCommerce advertising:

• 8-1% of eCommerce ad spend is wasted on buyers who are already engaged. 
• Automated bidding inflates CPCs by 5X on platforms like PMax and Shopping. 
• Reinvesting wasted spend can drive more new buyers without increasing your overall budget.

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Bonus Tip: Reclaim Control of Remarketing

Remarketing is a critical strategy in eCommerce, but tools like tROAS often ignore important tweaks you make to your remarketing lists. A smarter solution lies in using shadow campaigns and smart bid strategies to regain control. This strategy ensures that your campaigns align with your ideal spending priorities, delivering better results without increasing your budget.

The Outcome? More active buyers, higher efficiency, and no extra costs. Simple tweaks like these can compound into big wins for your ad performance.

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Preventing Wasted Spend with Ecommerce Click Fraud Protection

Ad fraud in eCommerce is another major contributor to wasted ad spend. The rise of fake clicks on eCommerce ads and bot traffic has become a challenge, further driving up CPCs and draining budgets unnecessarily. Incorporating click fraud prevention tools alongside TrafficGuard's proactive ad management system ensures that:

• You prevent bot traffic on eCommerce sites. 
• Ads only reach real, valuable users. 
• Fraudulent clicks no longer eat into your budget. 

Fraud protection combined with smarter ad allocation is a must for businesses that want to maximise ROAS. 

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See How TrafficGuard Can Transform Your Campaigns

It’s time to stop wasting ad spend, and start seeing better results. Reclaim your eCommerce advertising budget and direct your efforts toward finding new buyers who can grow your business.

Check out the full infographic here and discover how TrafficGuard for eCommerce can help you achieve your goals efficiently. 

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Want to see TrafficGuard in action? Sign up today and start optimising your campaigns

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