Choosing the right ad type on Amazon can dramatically impact both sales volume and profitability. We’ve analysed the full lifetime performance data for Sponsored Products (SP) and Sponsored Brands (SB) campaigns promoting a range of DIY products in the UK. Sponsored Display (SD) which was recently launched, is included for context but remains negligible in volume.
Lifetime Performance Overview
Key Insights on Sales Volume Sponsored Products overwhelmingly outperform the others, generating 8x more purchases and 8x more revenue than Sponsored Brands. The two main keyword-targeted campaigns alone account for the majority of results. Sponsored Brands provide a useful secondary contribution (114 purchases).
Key Insights on ACOS & Efficiency
- SP delivers the best balance: strong volume at a healthy 29.7% ACOS.
- SB trails with 57.2% ACOS overall, making it less profitable despite decent visibility.
- SD shows the lowest ACOS, but on tiny spend and volume. It is a recent addition so, it will eventually scale up in sales.
Which SP Campaigns Perform Best (Sales & ACOS)
SP Campaigns Ranked by Sales Volume
Keywords : 317 purchases, £13,955 sales → Top performer for sales volume.
Auto : 130 purchases, £5,686 sales.
ASIN : 112 purchases, £4,556 sales.
Defensive & Category campaigns: Low volume (29 + 11 purchases) but highly profitable.
SP Campaigns Ranked by Efficiency (ACOS / ROAS)
Defensive — 11.9% ACOS | 8.42x ROAS (best efficiency).
Category — 13.9% ACOS | 7.20x ROAS (excellent).
Keywords — 23.1% ACOS | 4.33x ROAS (best volume + efficiency balance).
ASIN — 37.0% ACOS | 2.70x ROAS.
Auto — 46.1% ACOS (needs optimisation).
Tip: Prioritise the two main keyword campaigns for scale and the Defensive/category campaigns for high profitability. Reduce reliance on Automatic targeting.
Which SB Campaigns Perform Best (Sales & ACOS)
SB Campaigns Ranked by Sales Volume
- ASINS — 68 purchases, £2,982 sales → Higher volume.
- KW — 46 purchases, £1,825 sales.
SB Campaigns Ranked by Efficiency (ACOS / ROAS)
- KW — 42.4% ACOS | 2.36x ROAS → Clear winner on efficiency.
- ASINs — 66.2% ACOS | 1.51x ROAS → Higher volume but significantly less profitable.
Tip: Optimise or scale back the ASINS campaign as its 66% ACOS drags overall SB performance. Use SB mainly for brand awareness rather than primary sales.
Final Takeaway & Actionable Advice
Sponsored Products remain the clear winner — delivering the vast majority of sales at a profitable ACOS. Sponsored Brands serve as a good supporting channel (especially the more efficient KW version), but they cost more per sale. Sponsored Display should stay on a minimal budget until it becomes a growing sales driver.
Quick Optimisation Plan:
- Allocate 70-80% of the budget to top SP keyword campaigns + Defensive/Category
- Shift the SB budget toward the SB Keywords campaigns.
- Monitor and tighten Automatic and ASINS campaigns to improve ACOS.
The data confirms that well-targeted Sponsored Products campaigns drive scalable, profitable growth. Test, measure, and double down on what works.
As an Amazon PPC agency, we analyse your ad campaigns and allocate your budget to the areas where you will get the best return. Contact us today!
