Most Amazon PPC candidates can calculate ACOS. Far fewer know what to do with it
By Prem Gupta · October 22, 2026 · Curated by George's Blog
Most Amazon PPC candidates can calculate ACOS. Far fewer know what to do with it.
In our screenings, 46% of candidates scored 70%+ on the calculation questions. On the judgment questions, only 18% did.
The hardest one: "What is the difference between budget limited and rank limited?" The average score was 34%. And it matters, because the fixes are opposite. One needs more budget. The other needs a better bid or a better listing. Get it wrong and you spend more for nothing.
Formulas are easy to learn and easy to look up. Decisions are the job.
So in your next interview, skip "how do you calculate ROAS". Ask: "Your campaign runs out of budget by 2pm. ACOS is 40% and the target is 25%. What do you do?" Then stay quiet and listen.
A good PPC manager will ask you a question back before they answer. That is a good sign.
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