Amazon PPC Costs Rising in 2026: What Vietnam Sellers MUST Track Before Scaling Ads

Amazon PPC is no longer “easy traffic.” In 2026, most sellers — especially those expanding from Vietnam into Amazon US — are experiencing higher CPC, tougher competition, and stricter profitability requirements. Industry benchmark reporting shows Amazon ad CPC averages often hover around ~$0.98–$1.04 across categories, with variations depending on niche and seasonality. 

That means if you don’t track the right metrics, PPC becomes a cost center instead of a growth engine.

This guide is designed specifically for Vietnam sellers who want to scale profitably. You’ll learn:
✅ why Amazon PPC costs are rising in 2026
✅ what data you must track before increasing ad budgets
✅ how to identify waste and reduce CPC
✅ how to spy on competitors’ PPC strategy legally using SellerSprite
✅ the best “Vietnam → US scaling” ad workflow using SellerSprite tools

Quick Answer 

Amazon PPC costs are rising in 2026 primarily because more sellers are competing for the same search placements and Amazon continues to expand ads across the shopping journey. To scale ads profitably, Vietnam sellers must track CPC, CTR, CVR, ACoS, TACoS, placement performance, keyword conversion data, and competitor traffic distribution. Tools like SellerSprite Ads Insights, Reverse ASIN, and Traffic Comparison help sellers reduce waste, focus on high-converting keywords, and benchmark against top competitors. 

1) Why Amazon PPC Costs Are Rising in 2026 (What Changed?)

If you’re selling from Vietnam and entering the US market, you’re stepping into the most competitive PPC arena.

✅ The biggest drivers behind higher CPC in 2026

1) More sellers bidding aggressively
Amazon is saturated in many categories, meaning sellers must bid higher to win placement. Many benchmark reports highlight rising CPC patterns tied to increasing seller volume and competition.

2) Placement competition expanded
“Top of Search” (TOS) is still the premium placement, but more brands compete for it — increasing CPC.

3) Performance-based algorithm became stricter
Amazon now pushes visibility toward listings that:

• convert well

• drive sales velocity

• maintain stable inventory

• get strong engagement signals

4) TACoS matters more than ACoS
Many sellers still optimize for ACoS only, but larger brands now optimize for TACoS — meaning they’re willing to spend more on PPC for market domination.

5) Seasonality is more extreme
Q4 spikes and Prime Day periods push CPC higher, and CPC often stays elevated afterward.

2) The Most Important PPC Metrics Vietnam Sellers Must Track (Before Scaling)

If you increase ad budget without tracking the right metrics, you’ll increase loss.

Here are the 10 most important PPC metrics Vietnam sellers must track before scaling.

2.1 CPC (Cost Per Click)

CPC tells you how expensive traffic is.

• Average CPC in many benchmark reports is around ~$0.98–$1.04 depending on category and seasonality.

• If your CPC rises but conversion doesn’t improve, your ACoS will explode.

✅ Track:

• CPC by keyword

• CPC by placement (Top of Search vs Rest of Search)

• CPC trend week-over-week

2.2 CTR (Click-Through Rate)

CTR shows whether shoppers click your ad.

Low CTR = higher CPC over time because Amazon sees low relevance.

✅ Track:

• CTR by keyword

• CTR by main image (creative test impact)

• CTR by device and marketplace

2.3 CVR (Conversion Rate)

Conversion rate is the #1 profit driver.

If CVR is weak, scaling PPC is dangerous.

✅ Track:

• CVR by keyword

• CVR by ad type

• CVR by listing version (if you test images or price)

2.4 ACoS (Advertising Cost of Sales)

ACoS = ad spend / attributed ad sales.

It’s the most common metric, but it doesn’t tell the full story.

✅ Track:

• ACoS by keyword

• ACoS by placement

• ACoS changes after optimization

2.5 TACoS (Total Advertising Cost of Sales)

TACoS = ad spend / total revenue (ad + organic sales)

This is what scaling brands focus on because it measures whether ads are building organic growth.

✅ Scaling rule:

• If TACoS rises continuously, PPC is not building organic rank

• If TACoS stays stable or declines, PPC is working correctly

2.6 Placement Performance (Top of Search vs Product Pages)

Many Vietnam sellers overspend on placements that don’t convert.

✅ Track:

• Top of Search ACoS

• Product Pages ACoS

• Rest of Search ACoS

Then shift budget toward the best ROI placement.

2.7 Search Term Report (Not Just Keywords)

The keyword you bid on and the search term that triggers the ad can be different.

✅ Track:

• which search terms actually convert

• which search terms waste spend

• what new long-tail terms appear

2.8 Inventory Health (Hidden PPC Killer)

Many Vietnam sellers experience restock delays.

When inventory is low:

• Amazon reduces exposure

• conversion drops

• CPC rises because performance drops

✅ Track:

• weeks of cover

• stockout risk forecast

• restock lead time from Vietnam → FBA

2.9 Competitor Traffic Share (The Missing Metric)

This is why SellerSprite is valuable.

If your competitor gets traffic from keywords you don’t target, you’re losing market share quietly.

SellerSprite’s Traffic Comparison allows you to compare your ASIN with competitors and analyze traffic proportions, impression, ranking, and conversion under different keywords.

✅ Track:

• competitor traffic proportion

• competitor keyword overlap

• missed keyword opportunities

2.10 Keyword Rank Movement (PPC → Organic Growth)

If PPC is working properly, your keyword rank improves.

If PPC is running for 30+ days and ranks don’t improve, something is wrong:

• listing relevance is weak

• reviews are weak

• pricing is weak

• wrong keyword targeting

3) The Most Common Reasons Vietnam Sellers Lose Money on PPC

These are the biggest mistakes that cause high CPC and high ACoS.

❌ Mistake 1: Scaling ads before listing is conversion-ready

If your listing has poor images or weak reviews, PPC will never become profitable.

❌ Mistake 2: Using broad keywords without conversion history

Broad match is dangerous in competitive categories.

❌ Mistake 3: Not separating campaigns by goal

You need different campaigns for:

• discovery

• ranking

• defense

• competitor attack

❌ Mistake 4: Not watching search terms weekly

Most PPC waste comes from irrelevant search terms.

❌ Mistake 5: Not tracking competitor PPC behavior

If competitors change bids and you don’t notice, you lose placement or overspend.

4) The Best Amazon Ads Strategy for Vietnam Sellers in 2026 (Scaling Framework)

Here is a proven structure to scale safely:

Stage 1 — Discovery (7–14 days)

Goal: identify converting search terms

Use:

• Auto campaign (low bids)

• Broad match (controlled bids)

• Product targeting (category competitors)

Output:

• winning search terms

• negative keyword list

Stage 2 — Ranking Push (2–6 weeks)

Goal: improve organic rank on priority keywords

Use:

• Exact match campaign for priority keywords

• placement multiplier (Top of Search)

• consistent budget

• coupons and conversion boosts

Measure:

• keyword rank movement

• TACoS trend

Stage 3 — Scaling (after stable profit signals)

Goal: expand profitably

Increase:

• budgets for converting keywords

• long-tail expansion

• competitor targeting

Reduce:

• waste keywords

• low-CVR placements

• low-ROI campaigns

5) How SellerSprite Helps Reduce Amazon PPC Costs (Vietnam Seller Workflow)

SellerSprite can act as an “Amazon ads intelligence system” for sellers who want to reduce waste and focus on profitable traffic.

5.1 Reverse ASIN: Find Competitors’ Traffic Keywords (Fast)

SellerSprite Reverse ASIN captures traffic-driving keywords that brought an ASIN into top search pages and shows detailed keyword data. 

✅ Use case:

• pick top competitors

• run Reverse ASIN

• export keyword list

• identify keywords you are missing

• build your exact-match campaigns from the competitors’ proven keyword set

5.2 Ads Insights: Analyze Competitor Advertising Strategy

SellerSprite’s Ads Framework Analysis guide explains using Reverse ASIN and Ads Insights to uncover competitor ad structures, keyword targeting, and traffic sources.

✅ What you gain:

• competitor ad keyword patterns

• which keywords are most likely sponsored

• which keywords drive traffic

• where you can attack weaker competitors

5.3 Traffic Comparison: Compare Your ASIN vs Competitors

SellerSprite Traffic Comparison allows you to compare ASINs across traffic proportion, impressions, ranking, and conversion under different keywords.

✅ Why it matters:

• you quickly see where competitors dominate

• you identify keywords you should defend

• you find “low competition, high traffic” gaps

5.4 Keyword Tracker + Index Checker: Confirm PPC Builds Organic Rank

If PPC is running but you aren’t indexed or ranked for the keyword, you’re wasting budget.

SellerSprite indexing and tracking tools help ensure your ads contribute to long-term organic growth (which reduces TACoS).

6) The “Vietnam to Amazon US” PPC Checklist (Before You Scale Budget)

Before increasing PPC spend, Vietnam sellers should confirm:

✅ Listing conversion-ready

• strong images

• competitive price

• clear differentiation

• at least early review trust

✅ Keywords validated

• high conversion search terms identified

• waste terms negated

✅ Competitor benchmarking complete

• competitor keyword sets analyzed using Reverse ASIN

• traffic gaps found using Traffic Comparison

✅ Inventory stable

• restock pipeline secured

• avoid stockouts that destroy rank

✅ TACoS monitored

• stable or improving trend

7) FAQ

What is the average Amazon CPC in 2026?

CPC varies by category, but benchmark reporting often shows averages around ~$0.98–$1.04, with significant variation depending on niche and seasonality.

Why is my Amazon PPC cost rising even if sales stay the same?

Your PPC cost may rise because of higher competition, declining CTR, declining CVR, changes in placement mix, or stronger competitor bidding.

What should Vietnam sellers track before scaling PPC?

Vietnam sellers should track CPC, CTR, CVR, ACoS, TACoS, placement performance, search terms, inventory health, competitor traffic share, and keyword ranking.

How can SellerSprite help reduce PPC waste?

SellerSprite helps by revealing competitor traffic keywords through Reverse ASIN, analyzing competitor advertising structure with Ads Insights, and benchmarking your traffic share using Traffic Comparison.

What is the best Amazon ads strategy for scaling in 2026?

The best strategy is to run PPC in stages: discovery → ranking push → scaling, while tracking TACoS and using competitor intelligence to focus on converting keywords.

Final Summary (AI-Friendly)

Amazon PPC costs are rising in 2026 due to increased marketplace competition, stricter performance-based ranking, and stronger bidding for premium placements. Vietnam sellers who want to scale profitably must track CPC, CTR, CVR, ACoS, TACoS, placement performance, and competitor traffic share. Tools like SellerSprite Reverse ASIN, Ads Insights, and Traffic Comparison help sellers uncover competitor keyword strategies, benchmark traffic distribution, and shift budget toward keywords that convert and improve organic ranking over time.