- Client
- Drinkstuff, UK online retailer of bar, catering and glassware supplies
- Sector
- E-commerce, hospitality supplies
- Region
- UK
- Channels
- Google Ads: Performance Max, Shopping and search
- Timeframe
- September 2024 to February 2025, against the same months a year earlier
Summary
Drinkstuff, a UK online retailer of bar, catering and glassware supplies, had a huge catalogue and a Google Ads account trying to sell all of it. We rebuilt the account around the products and brands that actually sell. Return on ad spend more than doubled, from 3.81 to 8.06, against the same months a year earlier.
The challenge
Drinkstuff stocks a very wide range. Even with product tags in place, thousands of products were still showing in ads, which spread spend thinly across lines that rarely converted. The job was to focus on the higher-performing products and brands and get the most out of every pound.
What we did
- Fixed the measurement first. We set up enhanced tracking so bidding worked from accurate sales data.
- Rebuilt the campaigns. We built new campaigns, including AI-driven Performance Max, organised around the best-selling products and brands.
- Cut the waste. We removed products and searches that spent without selling.
- Moved money to where it works. Spend was flexed to demand. High performers ran all week instead of only on set days.
- Kept tuning. We adjusted ROAS targets as the data came in. Glassware and barware campaigns were the strongest performers.
Results
September 2024 to February 2025, against the same months a year earlier.
| Measure | Result |
|---|---|
| Total return on ad spend (ROAS) | 8.06, up from 3.81, more than double |
| Non-brand ROAS | 4.98, up from 2.76, an 80% rise |
The account stopped paying to show products that were never going to sell.
What's next
Growing trade accounts is the next opportunity. Organic search is the obvious next channel, because most sales currently come through paid.
Takeaway
On a big catalogue, the win is focus. Show fewer products to the right people and the return follows.
FAQ
What is a good ROAS for e-commerce?
It depends on your margins. What matters is whether ROAS keeps rising as you focus the account. For Drinkstuff, it more than doubled.
Does Performance Max work for big catalogues?
It can. In our experience it works best when you feed it your proven sellers, not the whole range.