If you’ve spent any time running Amazon PPC campaigns lately, you’ve probably noticed something frustrating: the platform doesn’t always have your best interest in mind.
What seems like a quick and easy campaign setup often hides a mess of default settings that can quietly drain your ad budget and sabotage performance.
This blog dives into the hidden layers of Amazon Ads in 2025.
We’re going to explore what’s really going on behind those default toggles, explain why so many advertisers feel misled or even betrayed by the current setup, and break down what you can do to regain control.
The focus here isn’t just on calling out the issues, although there are plenty, but on understanding the system well enough to work around it.
From targeting defaults to bid suggestions, we’ll unpack the most deceptive configurations and offer practical strategies to protect your spend and improve your campaign outcomes.
Let’s start by looking at how advertisers are feeling about Amazon Ads this year and why it’s become a growing source of frustration across the board.
In this article Ad Badger talks about:
Current State of Amazon Advertising
There’s a growing tension among advertisers in 2025 when it comes to Amazon Ads. What used to feel like a platform focused on growth and innovation now feels increasingly unpredictable — and, for many, frustrating.
Advertisers are no longer just “tweaking” their accounts — they’re having to fight against defaults that seem almost designed to hurt performance.
Many feel like they’re constantly backtracking, fixing things they never intentionally set in the first place. It’s not about strategy anymore — it’s about damage control.
That’s why the word “betrayal” comes up often in conversations. Amazon, a platform we rely on to drive meaningful business results, seems to have quietly shifted gears.
Small changes in defaults have led to big consequences — wasted spend, poor targeting, and a general feeling of being misled.
Even seasoned marketers are feeling caught off guard. The platform’s complexity has gone from challenging to manipulative, with defaults hidden behind toggles, tooltips, and buried settings.
The result? Confusion, inefficiency, and a creeping sense that the house always wins — unless you know exactly where to look.
Before we get into the specific defaults causing the most trouble, let’s unpack what makes them so sneaky in the first place.
Sneaky Defaults in Amazon PPC
So, what exactly are we talking about when we say “sneaky defaults”?
These are the pre-set campaign and ad settings that Amazon automatically applies — often without clear notice — when you launch or edit your campaigns.
They’re easy to miss and even easier to leave unchanged, especially if you’re moving fast. And that’s the problem.
These defaults might look innocent at first glance, but they can quietly drain your budget.
Maybe Amazon auto-selects a match type you didn’t intend to use. Maybe it applies suggested bids that are way too high. Or maybe it skips negative keywords altogether, giving your competitors free impressions on your dime.
Left unchecked, these defaults can cost advertisers thousands over time.
What’s more frustrating is how familiar this feels to anyone who’s worked in digital advertising for a while. These aren’t just oversights — they’re what many would call dark patterns.
Amazon’s defaults don’t scream “watch out.” They’re quiet.
They’re embedded in dropdowns, checkboxes, and “recommended” labels.
And if you don’t know what to look for, you’re likely to miss them. That’s why we’re shining a light on them — so you can take back control of your campaigns before your budget disappears into the void.
Specific Sneaky Default Examples
Let’s dig into some of the most common — and costly — default settings in Amazon PPC that can quietly undermine your campaigns if left unchecked.
Keyword Targeting Default Settings
One of the biggest traps lies in how Amazon handles keyword targeting.
When you’re building campaigns, Amazon often pre-selects all match types — broad, phrase, and exact — without calling much attention to it.
If you’re not careful, your ad could be triggering for broad and irrelevant searches when you only meant to go after high-intent, exact-match terms.
Broad, Phrase, Exact Match Issues
The issue isn’t just the selection — it’s how Amazon lumps them together in one ad group by default.
This makes it nearly impossible to track performance cleanly across match types.
You might find yourself wondering why your CPCs are so high or why irrelevant clicks are piling up, only to realize that a single ad group has been running across three match types with no control.
Keyword Groups & Related Keywords
Amazon also loves to suggest keyword groups based on “related” terms.
But these suggestions are often far too broad or loosely related, leading to keywords that don’t actually convert — or worse, eat up your budget with low-relevance traffic.
The suggested keywords often get bulk-selected into your campaigns unless you manually deselect them, which many busy advertisers might skip.
Suggested Bids Default Problem
Suggested bids are another deceptive feature.
Amazon offers “recommendations” for what you should pay per click, and guess what — they’re almost always high.
Why? Because higher bids mean more revenue for Amazon.
If you go with the default suggested bid, especially in competitive categories, you could be massively overpaying for traffic that doesn’t convert.
Negative Keywords Default Absence
And perhaps the most quietly dangerous omission? Negative keywords.
Amazon doesn’t prompt you to add them — in fact, there’s no default structure encouraging you to build them in.
That means unless you’re proactively filtering out irrelevant or low-performing search terms, your ads will continue to appear in all sorts of places you don’t want them to.
And that, again, translates to wasted spend and poor performance.
Strategies to Manage Defaults
So, how do you take back control from Amazon’s sneaky PPC defaults? It’s all about being intentional.
If you know what to look for — and what to avoid — you can keep your campaigns efficient, relevant, and profitable.
The first rule: never blindly accept Amazon’s “suggested” bids or keyword groupings.
When setting up your campaign, start with clear intent. Know which keywords you’re targeting and set bids based on your goals, not Amazon’s guesswork. Segment your match types (broad, phrase, exact) into separate ad groups. That way, you’ll be able to track performance more clearly and adjust your strategy based on real data.
When you segment properly, you’ll notice patterns quickly — for instance, broad match bringing in junk traffic, or exact match driving better conversions.
Campaign Setup Tips
When setting up a campaign, turn off everything you didn’t explicitly choose.
That includes suggested keywords, automated targeting (unless that’s part of your test), and any dynamic bidding settings Amazon sneaks in. Be deliberate.
Build a structure that’s easy to manage and scale:
- One match type per ad group
- Manual targeting (start there before testing auto)
- Ad group names that reflect the strategy (e.g., “Exact – Top KW”)
If you’re running campaigns in multiple marketplaces (like the US, UK, and DE), make sure each one has its own campaign structure.
Localization matters — keywords, search behavior, and even CPCs vary by country.
Testing and Negating Unwanted Keywords
Once the campaign is live, don’t just let it run — monitor what’s actually triggering your ads.
Run search term reports regularly to spot irrelevant queries.
Then, start building your negative keyword list. This is essential in both keyword campaigns and product targeting campaigns (yes, product targeting campaigns now also use keyword logic in some cases).
Don’t be afraid to negate aggressively. If something isn’t converting after a fair test period, block it. You’ll be surprised how much budget you can recover just by filtering out noise.
And always test. Try different bid strategies (fixed vs dynamic), A/B test creatives, and test match types independently.
But track your tests. The more intentional your process, the easier it is to make confident decisions based on performance, not hope.
Localization and Market Differences in Amazon Advertising
Selling internationally on Amazon isn’t as simple as copy-pasting your campaigns across marketplaces.
Every region comes with its own quirks — from language to search behavior to cost-per-click.
If you want to run high-performing campaigns across different countries, you have to think local.
Why Localization Matters in Amazon Campaigns
Localization isn’t just about translation — it’s about adapting your strategy to fit the expectations and habits of shoppers in a specific region.
A keyword that performs well in the US might barely register in Germany or the UK, even if it’s translated accurately. Customers use different words, search in different ways, and expect different experiences.
And then there’s competition. Your top competitors in one market may not even exist in another.
Ignoring those differences means missing out on growth — or worse, wasting money.
Understanding Keyword Variations, Search Volumes, and User Behavior by Country
Let’s talk keywords.
Even product titles and brand names might change. The same item might be called something entirely different in different regions, and that directly impacts your targeting.
Search volume for a term in the US might be high, but its localized version in France could be almost nonexistent.
You can’t rely on English keyword data to make decisions for non-English markets.
Beyond language, user behavior also shifts.
For example, shoppers in Germany may be more detail-focused and compare more before buying, while shoppers in the US may prioritize fast delivery or top reviews.
These insights should influence your ad creative and copy, not just your targeting.
Intentional Campaign Setup for Different Markets
One big mistake sellers make? Reusing the same campaign for every region. That almost always leads to irrelevant traffic and poor performance. Instead, structure your campaigns by country.
Start from scratch for each market — new keywords, new match types, and new ads that reflect regional shopping behaviors.
Use native speakers or localization experts to fine-tune everything, from titles to bullet points to ad copy.
Take Germany, for example. You’d want a German keyword set, German ad copy, and a landing page that feels natural to a German shopper.
P.S. That means separate campaigns — not just switching the marketplace flag.
It’s more work upfront, but it pays off.
You’ll get better click-through rates, higher relevance scores, and more efficient spending. Plus, you’re building trust with a local audience, which leads to better long-term results.
Adjusting Bids and Budgets Based on Geography
Finally, don’t forget that CPCs vary by market.
What’s expensive in the US might be cheap in Canada — or vice versa. That’s why geographic bid adjustments are crucial.
Set bids and budgets based on regional competition and expected returns.
If you’re launching in a smaller market with lower CPCs, you might be able to get great results on a tighter budget. On the flip side, some European markets are surprisingly competitive, so budget accordingly.
Localized performance also changes over time.
Monitor your data, and don’t be afraid to reallocate spend between countries if you notice one outperforming the others.
Managing Sponsored Product Campaign Defaults
Sponsored Product campaigns are often the first step advertisers take on Amazon.
They’re powerful and flexible — but also packed with default settings that can easily derail your strategy if you’re not paying attention.
While the setup may look simple on the surface, some of the most important controls are hidden or behave differently than you’d expect.
Overview of Default Settings and Common Pitfalls
When setting up a Sponsored Product campaign, Amazon pushes default options that favor broad reach over precision.
By default, campaigns often:
- Include all match types (broad, phrase, exact) in one ad group
- Turn on “dynamic bids – up and down,” which can raise your CPC significantly
- Auto-populate keyword or product targeting suggestions
- Skip prompting for negative keywords entirely
These defaults are subtle, but the damage adds up fast.
You might think you’re running a tightly targeted campaign, only to find your ads showing on irrelevant searches or underperforming placements — all while your budget disappears.
Editing Negative Keywords in Product Targeting Campaigns
Here’s where things get tricky: when you run product targeting campaigns, Amazon may still trigger keyword-based impressions.
But if you try to add those irrelevant terms as negatives at the ad group level, you can’t. The system won’t let you.
The workaround? You have to add negative keywords at the campaign level, not the ad group level.
It’s not intuitive, and Amazon doesn’t guide you through it. This is one of those PPC quirks that even experienced advertisers often overlook until they see spend going to irrelevant traffic and can’t figure out why.
So if you’re running product targeting and see odd keyword terms in your reports, don’t panic.
You can filter them out. You just have to go up a level.
Handling Keyword-Based Impressions in Product Targeting
Even when you’re targeting ASINs (not keywords), Amazon’s system can still generate keyword impressions. That means shoppers are seeing your product ad when they search using certain terms, and you’re paying for those clicks.
This overlap can be both an opportunity and a threat.
On one hand, it gives you added exposure. On the other hand, it introduces unpredictability, especially if those keywords aren’t converting.
Again, the key here is monitoring your reports; if the keyword impressions are relevant and performing well, great.
But if not, negate them at the campaign level. And if they’re converting but don’t fit your original targeting strategy, consider breaking them out into a separate keyword campaign so you can track and optimize them independently.
Cost Control Settings in Sponsored Brand Campaigns
Sponsored Brand campaigns give brands a powerful way to showcase multiple products and build awareness on Amazon.
But when it comes to cost control, things can get tricky fast.
Pros and Cons of Cost Control CPC Settings
Amazon offers a Cost Control feature that lets you set a maximum cost-per-click (CPC) for your Sponsored Brand campaigns.
On paper, this seems like a great way to keep ad spend predictable and avoid unexpected budget spikes.
The upside? You get tighter control over your costs, which can be helpful if you have strict budgets or want to cap your exposure.
However, the downside is that cost control can limit your ability to compete in auctions effectively.
Since Amazon won’t raise your bids above your set cap, you may miss out on valuable clicks during high-competition periods. This can lower your ad visibility and ultimately reduce your campaign’s reach.
Impact on Bid Flexibility
Bid flexibility is essential for Amazon PPC success.
Without the ability to adjust bids dynamically based on auction competition, your ads might not show as often or in the best placements.
Using Cost Control CPC settings restricts this flexibility.
Your bids stay capped regardless of shifts in demand or competitor activity. While this prevents overspending, it also means you might lose out on top spots or profitable clicks that require a bit more bidding muscle.
The key is to balance cost control with strategic bid adjustments.
Instead of relying solely on fixed CPC caps, consider combining them with careful monitoring and manual bid tweaks to maintain both budget discipline and campaign performance.
That feeling when Amazon PPC data is easy to read.
Summary
Amazon PPC is a powerful tool, but without careful attention to sneaky default settings, it’s easy to lose control over your budget and campaign performance.
In this post, we covered how hidden defaults can impact your results and shared practical strategies to manage them, from intentional keyword and bid selection to localizing campaigns for different markets.
We also explained key default settings in Sponsored Product and Sponsored Brand campaigns, why managing negative keywords is crucial, and how to control costs with CPC settings.
If you want to dive deeper, you can watch the full episode with Noemi and Michael here.
Stay informed, experiment, and get the most out of your Amazon advertising campaigns!
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If you enjoy supplementing your long reads with audio or video, we cover this topic on our podcast as well, The PPC Den.
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Special thanks to Sofiia Podash, Pedro Moreno, Nancy Lili Gonzalez, Mansour Norouzi and Michael Erickson Facchin for the production of this blog.
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