Free checklist

Weekly Profit on Ad Spend review checklist

A short ops ritual so Return on Ad Spend dashboards do not hide margin leaks. Run it every week before you raise budgets.

Checklist

01
Compare account Profit on Ad Spend vs Return on Ad Spend
If Return on Ad Spend is up and Profit on Ad Spend is flat or down, margin mix or refunds are eating the win. Do not scale on Return on Ad Spend alone.
02
List bottom Profit on Ad Spend SKUs with spend
Sort by ad spend × low Profit on Ad Spend. Fix COGS, exclude with X labels, or cut bids — do not ignore high-spend losers.
03
Check refunds and adjustments
Confirm refunded orders retracted or adjusted conversion values so Smart Bidding is not trained on phantom profit.
04
Scan A/C/X label drift
New bestsellers and promo SKUs should move zones. Confirm X exclusions still match Merchant Center filters.
05
Revisit target return on ad spend / Profit on Ad Spend targets
After major sales or cost changes, recompute break-even bands and buffers before next week’s budget.
06
Note one action for next week
Write a single owned action (exclude SKU set, fix COGS batch, raise A-campaign budget). Rituals fail when they end in observation only.

Keep the ritual under 30 minutes

You do not need a full finance close. You need to catch SKUs and campaigns that look healthy on revenue but fail on profit — then act with labels, bids, or COGS fixes.

Frequently asked questions

Who should own the weekly Profit on Ad Spend review?

Whoever can change bids and feed labels — usually the performance marketer, with finance validating COGS monthly.

How is this different from a MER review?

MER is blended marketing efficiency. This checklist is operational: SKU Profit on Ad Spend, refunds, and labels that change Google Shopping this week.