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Amazon Placement Bid Adjustments: How to Set Them
Amazon placement bid adjustments let you raise your Sponsored Products bids by 0% to 900% for three placements: top of search (first row on page one), rest of search (other search result slots) and product pages (detail pages and other non-search pages). Your keyword bid is multiplied by the adjustment for that placement. Because adjustments can only raise bids, the usual approach is to set your base bid for your weakest placement and add adjustments where shoppers convert better.
Key takeaways
- Three placements, each adjustable from 0% to 900%, set per campaign.
- Adjustments multiply your bid. Dynamic bidding is applied on top, so costs can compound fast.
- Set each placement's bid from its own conversion rate, using a simple formula.
- Use the placement report to compare placements before changing anything.
- Pair big adjustments with fixed bids or dynamic bids – down only to keep costs predictable.
The three placements
| Placement | Where the ad shows | Typical behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Top of search (first page) | The top row of ads on the first page of search results | Most visible, often highest click-through and conversion, often highest cost |
| Rest of search | Other ad slots in search results, such as middle and bottom of page one and later pages | Lower visibility, often cheaper |
| Product pages | Product detail pages and other non-search placements | Shopper is already looking at a product; conversion varies a lot by category |
These are tendencies, not rules. Some products convert better on product pages, especially when they're cheaper or better rated than the products they appear next to. Always check your own data.
Amazon added the rest of search adjustment in January 2024, so all three placements can now be adjusted up to 900% (Amazon's announcement). Adjustments work in auto and manual campaigns, with fixed or dynamic bidding.
Note that Sponsored Products can also serve on some third-party apps and websites. Top of search and product page adjustments don't apply there.
How adjustments change your bid
The math is simple: Adjusted bid = Base bid × (1 + adjustment %).
| Base bid | Adjustment | Adjusted max bid |
|---|---|---|
| $1.00 | 0% | $1.00 |
| $1.00 | 50% | $1.50 |
| $1.00 | 150% | $2.50 |
| $1.00 | 900% | $10.00 |
This is your maximum bid for that placement. In Amazon's auction you often pay less than your maximum, but a higher maximum means you'll win more auctions, often at higher prices.
How they stack with dynamic bidding
Each campaign also has a bidding strategy:
- Fixed bids: Amazon uses your adjusted bid as is.
- Dynamic bids – down only: Amazon may lower your bid in real time when a click looks less likely to convert.
- Dynamic bids – up and down: Amazon may raise or lower your bid in real time. Amazon's dynamic bidding guide says it can change bids by up to 100% for all placements. Check the tooltip in your console for the current rule.
Placement adjustments are applied first, then dynamic bidding works from the adjusted bid. So:
$1.00 base bid → +50% top of search = $1.50 → up and down can double it = up to $3.00.
At the extreme, a $1.00 bid with a 900% adjustment and up and down bidding could reach $20.00 per click. That's why big placement adjustments are usually paired with fixed or down only bidding. For a fuller comparison of strategies, see Amazon PPC bidding strategies.
Where to find placement data and settings
To see performance by placement: In Campaign Manager, open a Sponsored Products campaign and click the Placements tab. You'll see impressions, clicks, spend, sales and ACoS (advertising cost of sale: ad spend ÷ ad sales) for each placement.
To download it: Go to Measurement & Reporting → Sponsored ads reports → Create report, choose Sponsored Products, then the Placement report type. Download a few months and save it, since Amazon only keeps report data for a limited time.
To change adjustments: On the same Placements tab, edit the Bid adjustment for each placement. You can also change them, and the bidding strategy, in the campaign's Settings.
How to set each adjustment: step by step
Step 1: Get each placement's conversion rate
From the placement report, calculate CVR (conversion rate) = orders ÷ clicks for each placement. Use at least two to four weeks of data. For sellers, Sponsored Products credits sales up to 7 days after a click, so leave out the last few days.
Step 2: Work out the max CPC for each placement
Use the standard formula:
Max CPC = Price × CVR × Target ACoS
CPC means cost per click. Your target ACoS should sit below your break-even ACoS. If you need to work that out, use the Break-even ACoS & Max Bid Calculator or read break-even ACoS explained.
Step 3: Set the base bid for the weakest placement
Because adjustments can only go up, your base bid should be right for the placement where you want to pay the least. That's usually the placement with the lowest conversion rate.
Step 4: Set adjustments for the others
Adjustment % = (Placement max CPC ÷ Base bid) − 1
Worked example
Say your product sells for $39.99 and your target ACoS is 30%. After four weeks, the placement report for one exact match campaign shows:
| Placement | Clicks | Orders | CVR | Spend | Sales | ACoS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top of search | 200 | 30 | 15.0% | $260.00 | $1,199.70 | 21.7% |
| Rest of search | 150 | 12 | 8.0% | $135.00 | $479.88 | 28.1% |
| Product pages | 250 | 15 | 6.0% | $200.00 | $599.85 | 33.3% |
Step 2, max CPC per placement:
- Top of search: $39.99 × 0.15 × 0.30 = $1.80
- Rest of search: $39.99 × 0.08 × 0.30 = $0.96
- Product pages: $39.99 × 0.06 × 0.30 = $0.72
Step 3, base bid: Product pages has the lowest max CPC, so set the base bid at $0.72.
Step 4, adjustments:
- Rest of search: ($0.96 ÷ $0.72) − 1 = 33%
- Top of search: ($1.80 ÷ $0.72) − 1 = 150%
- Product pages: 0%
| Placement | Base bid | Adjustment | Max bid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top of search | $0.72 | 150% | $1.80 |
| Rest of search | $0.72 | 33% | $0.96 |
| Product pages | $0.72 | 0% | $0.72 |
Before, product pages were paying $0.80 per click and running above target at 33%. Top of search was paying $1.30 and running well under target at 22%, which means you may have been missing affordable top of search clicks. The new settings move spend toward the placement that converts best.
Two cautions:
- If your current base bid is, say, $1.00, dropping it to $0.72 is a big cut. It also affects any placement that doesn't have an adjustment. Make the change in steps rather than all at once, and watch impressions.
- If this campaign used up and down bidding, top of search could reach $3.60. Switch to fixed or down only, or reduce the adjustment, before you go live.
A simpler approach for new campaigns
If you don't have placement data yet:
- Start new campaigns at 0% on all placements, or a modest top of search adjustment (for example 20% to 50%) for your most important exact match keywords.
- Let the campaign collect data for two to four weeks.
- Then use the steps above.
- Change adjustments in steps of about 25 to 50 percentage points, not big jumps, and review every two weeks.
Placement strategy by campaign type
Because adjustments are set per campaign, campaign structure decides how precise you can be.
| Campaign type | Common approach |
|---|---|
| Branded keywords | Often high top of search adjustment to own the first row for your brand name |
| Core exact keywords | Data-driven adjustments; often top of search heavy |
| Broad and phrase discovery | Low or no adjustments; you're paying to learn, not to win the top slot |
| Auto campaigns | Low adjustments; split auto targeting groups into separate campaigns if you want different settings for close match and complements |
| Product targeting | Often product pages focused; check the data, since product targeting ads can also appear in search |
If one campaign mixes keywords with very different placement behavior, you can't set the right adjustment for all of them. That's a sign to split the campaign.
Sponsored Brands placements
Sponsored Brands has its own placement bid controls, separate from Sponsored Products, and the options differ by format. Check the campaign's settings in the console for the available placements and ranges rather than copying your Sponsored Products settings.
Common mistakes
- Stacking a big adjustment with up and down bidding. Costs compound and can reach several times your bid.
- Judging on too little data. 20 clicks on product pages isn't enough to set an adjustment.
- Forgetting adjustments only go up. If a placement is too expensive, lower the base bid and raise the others.
- Chasing top of search on every keyword. It's the priciest slot. Only pay for it where conversion justifies it.
- Setting adjustments in a campaign with mixed intent. Branded and generic keywords behave very differently by placement.
- Ignoring impression share. If a placement converts well but gets few impressions, your max bid there is likely too low.
Bottom line
Placement bid adjustments let you pay more for the slots where your ads convert best. Get each placement's conversion rate from the placement report, set your base bid for the weakest placement, and use (Placement max CPC ÷ Base bid) − 1 to set the rest. Keep an eye on how adjustments stack with dynamic bidding, change them in steps, and review them every couple of weeks.
Frequently asked questions
Can I lower my bid for a placement on Amazon Sponsored Products?
Not directly. Sponsored Products placement adjustments only increase bids, from 0% to 900%. To spend less on a placement, lower your base bid and raise the adjustments on the placements you want to keep strong.
What is the difference between top of search and rest of search?
Top of search is the top row of ads on the first page of search results. Rest of search covers other ad slots in search results, such as lower on page one and on later pages. They usually have different click-through and conversion rates, so they deserve different bids.
Do placement adjustments apply to auto campaigns?
Yes. Amazon says placement adjustments work in both automatic and manual Sponsored Products campaigns, with fixed or dynamic bidding. They are set at the campaign level, so every keyword and target in the campaign gets the same adjustments.
How much data do I need before changing a placement adjustment?
Wait until each placement has enough clicks to show a real conversion rate, often several dozen to 100 or more clicks. Use at least two to four weeks of data and leave out the last few days, since seller sales can be credited up to 7 days after a click.
Why is my top of search CPC so much higher than my bid?
Your bid is multiplied by the placement adjustment, and dynamic bids up and down can raise it further. A $1.00 bid with a 50% top of search adjustment and up and down bidding can reach $3.00 per click. Check both settings together.
Amazon fees, policies and features change often. Figures here were checked in October 2026; confirm current rates in Seller Central before making pricing or budget decisions. Sotrics is not affiliated with Amazon.