Every Google Shopping account has them: products that consume budget but don't convert. As Search Engine Journal has noted, managing underperforming products is one of the most critical skills in Shopping campaign management. The question isn't whether you have low performers—it's what to do about them. Pause too quickly and you might kill products that just need optimization. Wait too long and you're throwing money away.
This guide gives you a practical framework for handling underperforming products. You'll learn how to identify them, when pausing is the right call, when optimization can turn things around, and exactly how to implement each approach.
What Makes a Product "Low-Performing"?
Low performance isn't just about zero sales. A product can be underperforming in several ways, each requiring different responses.
Types of Underperformers
| Type | Symptoms | Typical Cause |
|---|---|---|
| Zero Converters | Spend with no conversions over extended period | Wrong audience, poor landing page, price issues |
| Below Break-Even | Conversions exist but ROAS below profitability threshold | High CPCs, low margins, poor conversion rate |
| Low Visibility | Few impressions despite being approved | Low bids, poor feed quality, high competition |
| Low Engagement | High impressions but very low CTR | Uncompetitive price, poor image, weak title |
| Click Wasters | Clicks but no conversions | Landing page issues, price shock, stock problems |
Key Metrics for Identifying Underperformers
To find low-performing products, you need to look at the right metrics over a sufficient time period. Here's what to analyze:
- ROAS: Below your break-even threshold (typically 2.0-4.0x depending on margins)
- Cost per Conversion: Above your target CPA or product margin
- Conversion Rate: Significantly below account average for that category
- CTR: Below 0.5% often indicates poor ad presentation
- Impression Share: Very low despite adequate bids (quality issues)
- Cost with Zero Conversions: The clearest signal of wasted spend
Data Requirements
Don't make decisions on insufficient data. A product needs at least 100 clicks and 30 days of data before you can reliably assess performance. For low-traffic products, extend the window to 60-90 days. Also account for conversion lag—recent data may not reflect all conversions yet.
How to Find Low-Performing Products
Method 1: Google Ads Products Tab
- Navigate to your Shopping campaign
- Click the Products tab
- Click Columns → Modify columns
- Add: Cost, Conversions, Conv. value, Conv. rate, ROAS
- Set date range to 30-60 days
- Sort by Cost (highest first)
- Look for products with high cost and low/zero conversions
Method 2: Export and Analyze
For deeper analysis, export your product data and use spreadsheet formulas:
- Export product performance data from Google Ads
- Calculate ROAS for each product:
Conv. value / Cost - Flag products where ROAS < your break-even threshold
- Flag products where Cost > 3x target CPA with zero conversions
- Sort by "wasted spend" (cost on zero-conversion products)
Method 3: Analytics Tools
Tools like SKU Analyzer automate this process by surfacing products with concerning metrics. The wasted spend tracker specifically highlights products consuming budget without returns, while portfolio analytics lets you quickly filter to underperformers.
The Pause vs Optimize Decision Framework
Here's a systematic approach to deciding what to do with each underperforming product:
Step 1: Verify You Have Enough Data
| Product Volume | Minimum Data Needed |
|---|---|
| High volume (10+ clicks/day) | 14-21 days, 200+ clicks |
| Medium volume (2-10 clicks/day) | 30 days, 100+ clicks |
| Low volume (<2 clicks/day) | 60-90 days, 50+ clicks minimum |
If you don't have enough data, continue collecting before making decisions.
Step 2: Diagnose the Problem
Identify which stage of the funnel is broken:
| Symptom | Funnel Stage | Likely Issues |
|---|---|---|
| Low impressions | Visibility | Bids, feed quality, disapprovals |
| Impressions but low CTR | Ad appeal | Image, price, title |
| Clicks but no conversions | Post-click | Landing page, checkout, price shock |
| Conversions but poor ROAS | Economics | High CPCs, low margins, wrong customers |
Step 3: Assess Fixability
Ask yourself: Can I realistically fix this?
Fixable issues (OPTIMIZE):
- Poor product images → Upload better images
- Weak titles → Optimize product titles
- Missing feed attributes → Complete the feed
- Bids too low → Increase bids
- Landing page issues → Fix the page
- Price displayed incorrectly → Fix feed pricing
Unfixable issues (PAUSE):
- Product fundamentally doesn't sell online
- Price is uncompetitive and can't be changed
- Product has been discontinued
- Zero demand for the product
- Margins are too thin to ever be profitable
The 80/20 Reality
Most e-commerce catalogs follow the Pareto principle: 20% of products drive 80% of revenue. Some products simply aren't meant to perform in paid channels—they may sell through other means (organic, email, in-store) or just have limited demand. That's okay.
When to Pause: Clear Signals
Pausing is the right decision when:
1. Extended Zero Conversions with Significant Spend
The rule: If a product has spent 3-5x your target CPA over 30+ days with zero conversions, pause it.
Example: Your target CPA is €20. A product has spent €100 over 45 days with zero conversions. That's 5x your CPA threshold—time to pause.
2. Consistently Below Break-Even After Optimization
If you've tried optimizing (improved feed, adjusted bids, fixed landing page) and ROAS remains below break-even after another 30 days, the product may simply not be viable for Shopping ads.
3. Structural Issues You Can't Fix
- Uncompetitive pricing: You're 30%+ above market and can't adjust
- Wrong channel fit: Product requires explanation/consultation to sell
- Margin impossibility: Even at 100% conversion rate, you'd lose money on ad spend
4. Inventory and Operational Reasons
- Product is out of stock with no restock date
- Product is being discontinued
- Quality issues leading to high returns
- Seasonal product outside its season
Pause Threshold Calculator
Use this formula to set your pause threshold:
Pause Threshold = Target CPA × 5 (for zero conversion products)
If target CPA = €25, pause products that spend €125+ with no conversions.
When to Optimize: Fixable Problems
Optimization is the right approach when the underlying product is viable but something in the advertising setup is holding it back. Google's optimization score can provide a useful starting point for identifying improvement areas.
1. Feed Quality Issues
Signs the feed is the problem:
- Low impressions despite adequate bids
- Product showing for irrelevant searches (title/description issues)—consider adding negative keywords
- Missing attributes that affect matching (GTIN, brand, color)
- Poor image quality causing low CTR
Fix it: Improve titles with our title optimization guide, add missing attributes, upgrade images. See our Merchant Center analytics guide for feed optimization tactics.
2. Bid and Budget Constraints
Signs you're limited by bids/budget:
- High Lost Impression Share (Budget)
- Products only showing during off-peak hours
- Very low impression share despite good feed quality
Fix it: Increase bids, adjust budget allocation, use custom labels to segment and prioritize.
3. Price Competitiveness
Signs price is hurting performance:
- High impressions but very low CTR
- Clicks but immediate bounces
- Price competitiveness data shows you're above benchmark
Fix it: Adjust pricing, add promotions, highlight value-adds (free shipping, warranty).
4. Landing Page Problems
Signs the landing page is the issue:
- Healthy CTR but near-zero conversion rate
- High bounce rate in Google Analytics
- Low time on page despite product interest
Fix it: Improve page load speed, fix mobile experience, ensure price/availability matches ad, streamline checkout. Think with Google provides benchmarks showing that even a one-second delay in mobile load time can reduce conversions by up to 20%.
5. Seasonality Factors
Some products underperform during certain periods:
- Winter clothing in summer
- Holiday-specific items off-season
- Back-to-school products in spring
Fix it: Don't pause permanently—reduce bids during off-season, increase during peak. Use custom labels to manage seasonality.
How to Implement Pauses and Optimizations
Pausing Products
There are several ways to pause products in Google Ads:
Option 1: Set Bid to €0.01
Create a product group for the underperformers and set the bid to €0.01. They'll get virtually no impressions but remain in your campaign structure.
Option 2: Exclude in Product Groups
- Navigate to your campaign's product groups
- Subdivide by Item ID (or custom label if you've tagged underperformers)
- Set the specific products to "Excluded"
Option 3: Campaign Inventory Filter
- Use custom labels to tag products as "Paused" or "Exclude"
- In campaign settings, add an inventory filter excluding that label
- Products tagged with that label won't serve in the campaign
Keep a Record
When you pause products, document why. Create a spreadsheet or use custom labels to track paused products and the reason. This helps when reviewing later—was it seasonal? Pricing? You'll want to know if circumstances change.
Implementing Optimizations
When optimizing rather than pausing, consider leveraging Smart Bidding strategies that can automatically adjust bids based on conversion likelihood:
- Reduce bids first—don't keep paying high CPCs while diagnosing issues
- Fix the identified issue—feed, landing page, pricing
- Set a review date—check back in 14-30 days
- Gradually increase bids—if performance improves, scale back up
- Document what you changed—so you know what worked
Monitoring After Changes
Whether you pause or optimize, follow up:
After Pausing
- Weekly: Check that paused products aren't somehow still serving
- Monthly: Review paused products—has anything changed (price, season, stock)?
- Quarterly: Bulk review all paused products for potential reactivation
After Optimizing
- Week 1: Verify changes took effect (new images showing, bids applied)
- Week 2-3: Early performance indicators—is CTR improving? Bounce rate dropping?
- Week 4: Conversion assessment—is ROAS moving toward target?
- Week 6: Final decision—if no improvement, consider pausing
| Optimization Result | Next Step |
|---|---|
| ROAS improved to target | Gradually increase bids to scale |
| ROAS improved but still below target | Continue optimization, try additional fixes |
| No change after 30 days | Try a different optimization approach |
| No change after 60 days of optimization | Pause the product |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Pausing Too Quickly
Two weeks of data isn't enough. You might pause a product right before its conversion window (some products have longer consideration periods). Wait for statistical significance. Understanding key Shopping metrics will help you assess whether you have sufficient data.
2. Never Pausing Anything
The opposite problem—letting low performers drain budget indefinitely because "they might convert eventually." Set clear thresholds and stick to them.
3. Ignoring Seasonal Patterns
A winter coat performing poorly in July isn't a bad product—it's off-season. Use historical data to understand patterns before making permanent decisions. Our bidding strategies guide covers how to adjust bids based on seasonal demand.
4. Not Diagnosing Before Deciding
Pausing a product with a fixable issue wastes potential revenue. Always diagnose why it's underperforming before choosing to pause.
5. Pausing Entire Categories Instead of SKUs
One bad product doesn't mean the category is bad. Analyze at the SKU level to avoid throwing out winners with losers.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I pause a product in Google Shopping?
Pause a product when it has spent significantly (3-5x your target CPA) over 30+ days with zero conversions, has fundamental issues you can't fix (wrong audience, uncompetitive price you can't change, poor product-market fit), or consistently performs below break-even ROAS despite optimization attempts. Also pause products that are out of stock or discontinued.
How long should I wait before deciding to pause a product?
Wait at least 30 days and ensure the product has received meaningful traffic (100+ clicks minimum) before making pause decisions. Products with low volume need more time to gather statistically significant data. For high-volume products, 14-21 days may be sufficient if there's clear negative performance.
What's the difference between pausing and excluding products?
Pausing typically means setting bids to zero or moving products to an excluded product group within your campaign. Excluding means removing products from your campaign entirely using inventory filters or negative product targets. Pausing is reversible and keeps products in your campaign structure; excluding removes them completely but can be undone by adjusting filters.
Should I pause products with high impressions but low clicks?
Not necessarily. High impressions with low clicks (low CTR) often indicates fixable issues: poor product images, uncompetitive pricing shown in the ad, or weak titles. Before pausing, try optimizing the feed—improve images, adjust pricing, or enhance titles. Only pause if CTR remains poor after optimization attempts.
How do I identify low-performing products in Google Ads?
In Google Ads, go to your Shopping campaign, then Products tab. Add columns for Cost, Conversions, Conv. value, and ROAS. Sort by Cost (highest first) and look for products with high spend but zero or low conversions. Filter for products where ROAS is below your break-even threshold. Export to spreadsheet for deeper analysis across longer date ranges.
Conclusion
Handling low-performing products is about balance. Pause too aggressively and you'll miss opportunities; too conservatively and you'll waste budget. The framework is straightforward:
- Collect enough data—don't decide on 2 weeks and 30 clicks
- Diagnose the problem—understand which part of the funnel is broken
- Assess fixability—can you realistically address the issue?
- Act decisively—optimize what's fixable, pause what isn't
- Monitor and iterate—revisit decisions as circumstances change
Remember: the goal isn't to have zero low performers—that's impossible. The goal is to catch them early, make smart decisions about each one, and redirect budget to products that actually drive results.
Start by identifying your top 10 highest-spending products with the lowest ROAS. Work through the framework for each. You'll likely find a mix of products to pause immediately, products to optimize, and products that just need more time. That's exactly how it should work.