You’ve set up your Google Ads, traffic is coming in, your dashboards look active, but sales are slow or nonexistent. Sound familiar? This is a common frustration for many online retailers and service businesses running pay-per-click (PPC) ads. The good news is that there are particular reasons this happens, and just as specific ways to fix it.

Here’s what’s likely going wrong with your PPC, and what you can do about it.

You’re Attracting the Wrong People

The number one reason for poor conversions is poor targeting. Google Ads shows your ads to people who might be interested in what you offer. But if your settings are too broad, or you’re relying heavily on default settings like “broad match” keywords or wide geographies, you’ll end up paying for clicks from users who were never going to buy.

For example, if you’re a skincare brand selling premium serums and your ads show to users searching for “cheap acne treatments,” you’re attracting the wrong traffic. You’ll pay for that click, but it won’t turn into a sale.

Fix it: Review your keyword match types, audience targeting, and placements. Use Performance Max campaigns strategically—these run across Search, Display, Gmail, and more. While this can maximize visibility, it’s crucial to feed these campaigns with strong audience signals and data. Otherwise, the algorithm has no idea who your ideal customer is.

An e-commerce PPC agency can help refine your campaign data so you stop wasting budget on people who were never going to buy in the first place.

Your Landing Page Doesn’t Match the Ad

This one’s big. Someone clicks your ad expecting one thing… and lands on a page showing something else… or worse, a cluttered homepage with no clear direction. This creates confusion and friction—two of the fastest ways to kill conversions.

If your ad says, “Shop Waterproof Hiking Boots—25% off,” the page that loads should show waterproof hiking boots with the discount visible right away. There should be no distractions, and users should not need to search around.

Fix it: Every ad should have a dedicated landing page that aligns with its intent. Cut down on clutter. Make your value proposition clear above the fold. Include trust signals, like reviews, guarantees, and clear shipping info.

APPC e-commerce agencyoften audits landing pages as part of campaign optimization because it knows traffic without conversion is just wasted money.

You’re Not Using Enough Data

Running PPC without conversion tracking is like flying blind. If you don’t know which ad, keyword, or audience generates sales, how can you double down on what works?

Google Ads offers tools like conversion tracking and enhanced conversions. When set up properly, these help the algorithm learn what a “valuable” user looks like and push your ads toward more of them.

Fix it: Install conversion tracking and import it into your Google Ads account. Use Google Tag Manager if needed. Set up micro-conversions like “Add to Cart” or “Started Checkout” so you can measure what stage people are dropping off.

An e-commerce PPC agency will ensure you’re feeding the platform the right signals, so performance improves over time instead of flatlining.

Your Offer Isn’t Competitive

To be honest, sometimes the issue isn’t the ad or the audience, but the offer. If competitors are offering free shipping, bulk discounts, or a strong guarantee, and you’re not, your ads will lose traction, even if they’re technically well-run.

Users compare options. They’ll bounce if your price, delivery time, or return policy doesn’t stack up.

Fix it: Benchmark your offer against competitors. Ensure your USP (unique selling proposition) is clear in the ad and landing page. Even a small change like “Ships in 24 Hours” can shift buyer behavior.

If you’re unsure what kind of offer your audience responds to, a PPC e-commerce agency can run A/B tests to find out which promotions actually convert.

Your Campaign Needs Time and Adjustments

PPC isn’t a set-and-forget channel. Platforms like Google Ads need time to gather data and optimize. If you turn campaigns on and off quickly, change budgets too often, or shift strategy without letting the algorithm learn, results will suffer.

Fix it: Let campaigns run long enough to exit the learning phase. Monitor results weekly, not daily. Small, consistent tweaks beat constant big changes. A good e-commerce PPC agency will know how to pace optimizations, balancing short-term results with long-term growth.