Every vertical has its own maths, its own policy traps and its own definition of a good result. Here is what running Google Ads for a eCommerce brand in this space actually involves.
High average order values, heavy products, and a demand curve driven by intent spikes in January and September. Shipping cost on bulky goods can quietly consume the entire margin, so freight economics belong in the campaign plan rather than the finance spreadsheet.
What I report on: Contribution margin after shipping, which decides viability more than ROAS.
Body image and health claims are heavily restricted on Meta. Bulk shipping costs make returns genuinely expensive. Seasonal spikes attract competitors who bid irrationally for six weeks.
Same vertical, different costs and rules depending on the market you sell into.
Benchmarks in USD, plus what CCPA and CPRA in California, with a growing patchwork of state privacy laws in Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah and Texas means for your tracking.
Benchmarks in GBP, plus what UK GDPR and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations means for your tracking.
Benchmarks in AUD, plus what the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles means for your tracking.
Every market is listed on the Google Ads hub, or see how Meta Ads works for Fitness equipment.
Build shipping into the target from the start. A campaign hitting 3x ROAS can still lose money once freight and returns are counted, and most reporting never shows that.
Yes, but plan for it. Costs rise sharply and competitors bid past sensible levels. Warming audiences in November and December is cheaper than buying attention in January.
Body image and health claim policies. Focusing on the equipment and its use rather than the body it produces keeps you compliant and usually converts better anyway.
A flat monthly retainer based on account size, never a percentage of spend. On heavy-goods brands where margin is tight, a percentage model actively works against you.
Bring your numbers. I will tell you what I would change first, whether or not you end up working with me.
Book a free strategy call →Meta creates demand, Google captures it. Running one without the other usually means paying twice for the same customer — once to introduce them, once to close them.
How Meta and Google work together for fitness equipment, what each is responsible for, and how the budget gets split between them.
The same market from the other side of the funnel — different intent, different costs, different job to do.
Not sure which channel is letting you down? A written review tells you where the money is actually going before you commit to anything.