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7 Google Ads Mistakes Killing Your Electronics & Gadgets ROAS

The average electronics & gadgets store wastes 31% of their Google Ads budget on these preventable mistakes. Here's what to avoid—and how to fix it.

Electronics & Gadgets-Specific Google Ads Problems

Mistake #1: Amazon/Best Buy Comparison Drain

Shoppers click your ads to research specs, then buy from Amazon for Prime shipping or Best Buy for in-store pickup. You fund their comparison shopping.

$3,000-10,000/monthElectronics & Gadgets-specific

Example: 40% of product page visitors purchase same item on Amazon within 48 hours

Mistake #2: Spec-Sheet Research Traffic

Electronics buyers research specifications obsessively. Clicks on product searches often lead to spec research, not purchases.

$2,000-6,000/monthElectronics & Gadgets-specific

Example: '[model] specs' and '[product] vs [product]' queries convert at 0.6%

Mistake #3: Rapid Product Lifecycle Waste

Electronics products become obsolete quickly. Ads continue running for outdated products while new models launch without campaigns.

$1,500-4,000/monthElectronics & Gadgets-specific

Example: 20% of budget still on previous-gen products 3 months after new model launch

Mistake #4: Accessory Margin Trap

Accessories (cables, cases, chargers) have good margins but attract customers who already bought the main device. Limited conversion potential.

$800-2,500/monthElectronics & Gadgets-specific

Example: Bidding $0.60 on 'iPhone charger' when customers already have one

Mistake #5: Return Rate Revenue Loss

Electronics have 15-25% return rates due to buyer's remorse, compatibility issues, and defects. Your 3.5x ROAS becomes 2.6x after returns.

$2,000-6,000/monthElectronics & Gadgets-specific

Example: Reported $100K revenue, actual $78K after 22% returns

More Ecommerce Google Ads Mistakes

4

Running All Products in One PMax Asset Group

With a single asset group, Google optimizes for aggregate ROAS by heavily favoring your top 5-10 products. The rest of your catalog gets almost no impressions. Worse, low-margin products drag down profitability while appearing successful in aggregate.

$936 wasted on non-performing products

Fix: Segment products by performance tier: Winners (scale), Potentials (test), Underperformers (cut or fix). Create separate asset groups for each.

5

No Brand Exclusions in Performance Max

PMax claims credit for brand searches that would've cost $0.30 through a dedicated brand campaign. Without exclusions, you're paying 3-5x more for customers already looking for you.

30% of PMax 'conversions' may be cannibalized brand traffic

Fix: Add brand exclusions to PMax and run a separate Brand Search campaign with exact match keywords.

6

Poor Product Feed Quality

Missing GTINs, generic titles, no custom labels, and missing sale prices hurt your Shopping ad performance. Outdated products in feed

35% lost impression share

Fix: Include model year or generation in product titles (2025 Model, Gen 5)

7

Ignoring New vs Returning Customer Split

Your 5x ROAS might look great until you realize 70% of sales are repeat customers who would've bought anyway. You're paying to acquire customers you already have.

Overstated true acquisition ROAS by 2-3x

Fix: Segment reporting by new vs returning customers. Set up customer match lists and analyze true CAC.

Campaign Types to Avoid for Electronics & Gadgets

Not all campaign types work for electronics & gadgets stores. Here's what to skip:

Spec/comparison keywords

Research intent, low conversion

Previous-gen products without intent

Outdated, low conversion

Broad accessory campaigns

Low margin, often repeat buyers

What to Do Instead

Follow these best practices to maximize your Electronics & Gadgets Google Ads performance:

Standard Shopping (Current Gen Focus)

Budget: 45-55% • Target ROAS: 3-5x

Branded Search

Budget: 15-20% • Target ROAS: 5-10x

Deal/Sale Search

Budget: 15-20% • Target ROAS: 3-4x

Remarketing

Budget: 15-20% • Target ROAS: 4-7x

How Many of These Mistakes Are You Making?

Our audit scans your Electronics & Gadgets Google Ads account and identifies exactly which mistakes are costing you money—with specific fixes for each.

Results in under 3 minutes. $19.99 one-time.