Even the best-structured campaigns leave some (or even most) products behind. They get impressions and spend, but never meet the required ROAS or profit targets. Instead of pausing them immediately, an Underperformers campaign gives these items a second and final chance under controlled conditions.
This approach helps identify whether products truly can’t perform or simply didn’t get enough algorithmic support in the main campaign. It also reveals valuable insights — if a large share of underperformers comes from one category or brand, you know where to improve your main structure.
Underperformers campaigns are ideal for advertisers who already run advanced, performance-driven structures like ROAS or POAS campaigns. They’re especially useful for ecommerce brands that want to separate weak performers, test them with limited budgets, and refine their main campaign setup based on real data.
When creating Underperformers campaigns, your goal is to isolate products that have received enough spend or impressions but didn’t meet expected performance (either by ROAS or POAS).
Before segmenting:
ROAS-based benchmark:
Products that fail to reach your lowest campaign ROAS target (e.g., below 200%).
Example tiers:
POAS-based benchmark:
Minimum ad spend:
Most brands start with one simple campaign, but you can expand if needed:
Before starting the setup, make sure to define clear thresholds that determine when a product becomes underperforming.
