How do I see the effect of the CSS partner discount in my Google Ads account?

We’ve written before about the effect of switching to a CSS partner. Because of the 20% bidding advantage, a CPC of €0.80 via Producthero is equivalent to bidding €1.00 if you’re still advertising through Google Shopping. In other words, your bidding power effectively increases by 25%.

However, the impact of a 25% bid increase depends on your initial bid or ROAS target, so the visible results can vary by campaign and advertiser. (For more details, see our article on why the Effect of the 20% CSS Discount Differs per Advertiser).

One common misunderstanding is that advertisers automatically expect lower CPCs or costs after switching to Producthero. The actual outcome depends on how you use the CSS advantage. In our guide, we explain what this means for both manual bidding and automated bidding.

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Campaigns with manual bidding

Increase volume (without raising your bids)

If you keep your bids unchanged after switching from Google Shopping to Producthero, you’ll likely see higher volume (more impressions and clicks) while your average CPC often stays the same. This is because you’re benefiting from the extra bidding power of the CSS discount without spending more.

Here’s an example: an advertiser switched to Producthero CSS and kept its bids unchanged. The average CPC remained stable, while the number of impressions increased after the switch:

Lower the average CPC

Alternatively, you can choose to lower your CPC bids after switching. In that case, your average CPC will drop. Normally, lowering bids would reduce impressions, but with the 25% extra bidding power from Producthero CSS, you can often maintain similar volume despite the lower bids.

Here’s an example: an advertiser switched to Producthero CSS, reduced its bids, and saw the average CPC decrease while impressions stayed stable:

To explore more examples and learn how to measure the effectiveness of joining a Producthero CSS, check out this article: Measuring the Effect of a Google CSS Partner by Doing an A/B Test.

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Campaigns with automated bidding

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If you run target ROAS campaigns, the impact of switching to Producthero is similar to manual bidding, but less straightforward. Because the algorithm is constantly adjusting bids, you won’t automatically see CPCs drop or volume rise.

The best way to measure the effect of the CSS discount is to compare performance over a defined period (e.g., two months) before and after the switch. When doing so, remember to account for seasonality, stock levels, and market changes.

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Increase revenue, maintain profitability

If you keep your ROAS target unchanged after switching to Producthero, your ROAS should remain stable while revenue increases, thanks to the extra bidding power of the CSS discount.

Here’s an example of an advertiser who kept the same ROAS target after switching and saw revenue go up while profitability stayed steady:

Improve profitability, maintain revenue

If you raise your ROAS target after switching, you can increase profitability without sacrificing revenue. Normally, increasing the ROAS target would lower bids and reduce traffic, but the extra bidding power from the CSS discount helps offset that effect.

Here is an example of an advertiser that raised its ROAS target when switching to Producthero. The volume stayed more or less the same, while the profitability increased:

Slutsats

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How the effect of the CSS discount is visible in your account depends on 1. If you bid manually or automatically, and 2. The changes you made to your bids or targets.

The CSS discount can be used to either:

• Increase campaign volume (while maintaining  profitability)
  Keep your bids or ROAS target unchanged to gain more impressions and clicks without reducing efficiency.
  
  
• Improve profitability (while maintaining volume)
  Lower your CPC bids / raise your ROAS target to spend more efficiently without losing reach or revenue.