Amazon paused its Google Shopping ads, here's what we learned

A surprising pause in Google Shopping ads

In late July 2025, Amazon paused its Google Shopping ads across 20 international domains. Amazon has been one of the most dominant players in these auctions for years, often holding more than half the impression share. When those ads disappeared, the effects were immediate. For many retailers, click volume went up, Google Shopping CPC went down, and they suddenly found themselves with new visibility.

By late August 2025, Amazon had returned to Google Shopping ads in international markets while the U.S. had remained on pause. This was clearly a test, and it gave us and our clients a rare opportunity to study how the market reacts when a major competitor steps away.

What happened during the pause?

The changes were not consistent across categories. Retailers selling electronics often convert extra traffic into more sales. Apparel, home, and beauty brands gained impressions, but the added clicks did not necessarily translate into more substantial revenue. Lower CPCs felt positive on the surface, but return on ad spend often slipped because shopper intent was not as strong.

This confirmed something we often tell our clients: Visibility in Google Shopping ads does not guarantee profitability. Real success comes from combining competitive pricing, strong product feeds, and smart targeting in Google Ads.

Why Amazon’s return to Google Shopping ads matters

Amazon’s comeback shows that Google Shopping remains a critical channel, but how they returned tells us even more. Restarting campaigns in international markets while leaving the U.S. paused suggests this was a carefully planned experiment. Amazon is testing how much Google Shopping ads contribute to performance before committing long-term.

For retailers, this creates both opportunity and pressure. Where Amazon is back, competition and CPCs are already climbing. In the U.S., there is still a short window to take shares, while Amazon remains absent.

How we help our clients

Moments like this are where PriceShape really can help. When the Google Shopping auction environment shifts, our platform allows retailers to act immediately. We help our clients identify opportunity SKUs and adjust prices automatically so they can capture the benefits of cheaper clicks without sacrificing margin.

Our dashboards can show your products' performance, allowing you to identify which are competitively priced. This information can be sent to your Google Merchant Center via product feeds, ensuring every product shown in Google Shopping ads has the best chance of driving revenue.

Connecting Google Shopping ads, marketing, and pricing

We also know that pricing decisions need data. That is why we integrate with Google Analytics 4 and feed platforms. Our clients can see which products drive real results and allocate ad spend toward those products. Campaigns become more focused, budgets stretch further, and every marketing euro or dollar works harder.

Through our partnership with s360, we also support advanced strategies such as the basket opener approach. This approach focuses on spending on products that attract shoppers while maintaining healthy margins. The results are significant, with clients achieving higher revenue, stronger ROAS, and lower Google Shopping CPCs when this strategy is combined with PriceShape’s pricing intelligence.

Preparing for what comes next

Amazon will eventually restart Shopping campaigns in the U.S. When that happens, competition will tighten and CPCs will rise again. With PriceShap, you are one step closer to being prepared for this. Daily price updates, automated reports, and dynamic pricing rules mean they can respond instantly, protecting both visibility and profitability as the market shifts.

We see Amazon’s pause as a reminder of how quickly Google Shopping ads can change. Retailers who rely only on visibility are exposed. Those who use pricing intelligence and feed optimization are ready to turn these shifts into lasting advantages.

   

Smarter marketing spend with PriceShape

Retailers lose budget when ads promote products that are unprofitable or poorly positioned. With PriceShape you can optimize ad spend by focusing on the products that deliver results.

Marketing ad spend optimization

Expanding your marketplace strategy

Selling the same product across different marketplaces such as Amazon, Bol, or Google can be challenging. Each platform has its own dynamics, and pricing strategies often need to be adjusted to balance competitiveness and profitability.

With PriceShape, you can track how your products are priced across multiple marketplaces and use that insight to guide your strategy. If you see that a product is priced 10% higher on one marketplace than another, PriceShape gives you the data to make informed adjustments. This way, you remain competitive while still protecting your margins.

We also provide visibility into competitor prices, stock levels, and buy box positions. By combining these insights with your own pricing rules, you can decide where to focus attention and which products to push on specific platforms. The result is a more effective marketplace sales strategy that strengthens your position across every channel you sell in.

Ready to turn market shifts into growth?

Amazon’s pause showed just how quickly the market in Google Shopping ads and marketplaces can change. Retailers who rely on visibility alone are exposed. Those who combine pricing intelligence, feed optimization, and marketplace insights are ready to act fast and protect their margins.

If you want to learn how PriceShape can help your company build a stronger pricing and marketplace strategy, start a free trial today, and let’s explore the opportunities together.