Amazon’s advertising revenue reached nearly $40 billion in 2023, making it one of the biggest players in digital advertising. As competition on the platform grows, brands are increasingly turning to various solutions to maximize their ROI. When it comes to optimizing your Amazon PPC (pay-per-click) campaigns, there are two primary choices: Quartile, an AI-powered software solution, and Amazon agencies, which are composed of dedicated experts who manage campaigns for you. But which option is the best fit for your business? 

In this comparison, we’ll explore Quartile vs Amazon agency to help you determine which is the most effective and cost-efficient solution for your brand’s unique needs.

What is Quartile?

Quartile is an AI-powered software platform that specializes in automating and optimizing Amazon PPC campaigns. It integrates directly with Amazon’s advertising API, allowing it to gather data, create campaigns, and adjust bids in real time. This platform is designed to help Amazon sellers automate the complexities of campaign management while leveraging AI for bidding optimization.

How Quartile Works

Quartile functions by analyzing vast amounts of historical data from your Amazon campaigns. It uses this data to predict the best possible bidding strategy, ensuring that your ads perform optimally. Quartile doesn’t just automate bid adjustments—it also tailors the campaigns to align with your specific product goals, automating tasks such as keyword targeting and product selection.

Who Should Choose Quartile

Quartile is ideal for sellers looking to automate their PPC campaigns, especially those with large product catalogs or those aiming to scale without significantly increasing their management overhead. It’s a great option for sellers who want to reduce the manual effort in managing campaigns and are comfortable letting AI handle bid adjustments and other repetitive tasks. Businesses with complex, omni-channel marketing strategies can also benefit from Quartile’s ability to work seamlessly across multiple platforms.

Pros and Cons of Quartile

Pros:

• Automation: The software automates a significant portion of the PPC management process, saving time and reducing human error.
• AI Optimization: Uses machine learning to optimize bids in real-time, which can improve campaign efficiency and reduce costs.
• Scalability: Quartile can handle large catalogs of products, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes, from small brands to large enterprises.
• Data-Driven: Quartile uses data to continuously optimize campaigns, which can lead to increased ROI over time.

Cons:

• Limited Creative Control: Quartile primarily focuses on automation and bid optimization, leaving little room for customizing ad copy or creative strategies.
• Less Human Insight: While AI is great for data analysis, it doesn’t replace human intuition or creativity, which might be necessary for certain campaign strategies.
• Learning Curve: Although the platform is designed to be user-friendly, businesses that aren’t familiar with Amazon PPC may need some time to fully grasp its capabilities.

What is an Amazon Agency?

An Amazon agency is a third-party company that specializes in managing and optimizing Amazon seller accounts, particularly for Amazon PPC campaigns. Agencies typically offer a full suite of services, including campaign setup, keyword research, ad copywriting, bid management, listing optimization, and comprehensive reporting.

How Amazon Agencies Work

Amazon agencies employ teams of PPC experts who manage all aspects of your Amazon advertising campaigns. This includes researching keywords, writing ad copy, creating campaigns, adjusting bids, and analyzing data to make ongoing improvements. Agencies may also offer additional services like listing optimization and overall account management, ensuring that your Amazon store is running smoothly in all aspects.

Who Should Choose Amazon Agencies

Amazon agencies are well-suited for established sellers who want to scale quickly but lack the in-house resources to manage complex PPC strategies. They’re also a good option for businesses with a diverse range of products or unique needs that may require custom strategies. If you’re a brand with multiple product lines or looking to achieve specific marketing objectives (e.g., brand awareness, product launches), partnering with an agency could provide the expertise and hands-on management needed.

Pros and Cons of Amazon Agencies

Pros:

• Expertise: Amazon agencies typically employ specialists with years of experience in Amazon advertising, providing you with high-level strategies and insights.
• Creative Strategies: Agencies offer more flexibility in terms of ad copywriting, A/B testing, and creative optimization, which can improve your ad’s click-through rate (CTR).
• Comprehensive Management: Agencies provide a full-service solution, managing everything from keyword research to bid management and creative execution.

Cons:

• Cost: Amazon agencies often charge premium rates, which can include a percentage of ad spend or fixed fees. This can be more expensive than using a platform like Quartile, especially for smaller businesses.
• Less Control: While agencies offer expert services, you may have less direct control over the daily details of your campaigns compared to managing them yourself.
• Scalability: Larger businesses with complex needs may find agencies harder to scale efficiently without paying higher fees.

In-Depth Comparison: Quartile vs. Amazon Agency

When deciding between Quartile vs Amazon agency, there are several critical factors to consider. Each solution offers distinct advantages and drawbacks depending on the level of control you want, your budget, and the type of service you need.

PPC Management

• Quartile: Quartile is largely automated, which means that your in-house team will still need to manage the platform. While it handles the heavy lifting of bid management and keyword selection, your team will need to adjust strategy, monitor results, and make high-level decisions.
• Amazon Agency: An Amazon agency provides a hands-on team of experts who manage all aspects of PPC. They handle everything from keyword research to bid optimization, giving you more time to focus on other aspects of your business.

The key difference here is control and flexibility. With Quartile, your team retains more oversight but is still dependent on the platform’s AI algorithms. With an agency, you give up some control in exchange for expert management and personalized service.

CTR and Creative Strategies

• Quartile: Quartile excels at automation and bid optimization, but it does not specialize in creative strategies. For example, creating compelling ad copy or optimizing creative assets such as images and videos would fall outside its capabilities.
• Amazon Agency: Agencies, on the other hand, have the ability to create and optimize ad copy, images, and videos, which can lead to higher CTR. They use A/B testing and creative strategies to ensure that your ads are as effective as possible.

In terms of CTR and creative optimization, agencies hold a clear advantage due to their ability to craft more engaging and tailored ad content.

Pricing

• Quartile: Quartile typically charges based on a percentage of your ad spend. The platform is scalable, meaning that the more you spend, the more it can optimize. However, this pricing model can still be prohibitive for businesses with smaller budgets.
• Amazon Agency: Pricing for Amazon agencies varies. Some charge a percentage of ad spend, while others use flat rates, performance-based pricing, or hourly rates. Agencies tend to be more expensive overall due to the hands-on management they provide.

For smaller businesses or those with tight budgets, Quartile might be the more affordable option due to its focus on automation and reduced need for personnel. On the other hand, agencies can provide more tailored, high-touch services but come at a premium.

Customer Support

• Quartile: Quartile offers customer support via bi-weekly calls with a campaign strategist. While this can be a helpful way to stay on top of your campaigns, it lacks the more frequent touchpoints that agencies typically offer.
• Amazon Agency: Agencies provide more robust customer support, including dedicated account managers, weekly check-ins, and performance reports. They can also respond more quickly to urgent issues.

While Quartile may be sufficient for sellers comfortable with a more automated approach, Amazon agencies provide higher-touch support that can be beneficial for businesses looking for constant optimization and adjustments.

How to Choose Between Quartile and an Amazon Agency

When deciding whether Quartile or an Amazon agency is the best fit for your Amazon PPC campaigns, it’s important to consider several key factors. Here’s a simple framework to help guide your decision:

1. Budget Constraints

• Choose Quartile: If you have a smaller budget and are looking to automate as much of the process as possible, Quartile offers a more affordable solution with its AI-driven approach.
• Choose an Amazon Agency: If you have a larger budget and can afford the premium cost for hands-on management, an agency will provide more personalized and creative input, ensuring your campaigns are as effective as possible.

2. Level of Control

• Choose Quartile: If you prefer to have more direct control over your campaigns, Quartile gives you the flexibility to monitor your ad spend and tweak settings while still benefiting from automation.
• Choose an Amazon Agency: If you want to hand over full control to experts who will manage all aspects of your campaigns, an agency is the right choice. They’ll take care of everything, from keyword research to creative adjustments.

3. Complexity of Your Product Catalog

• Choose Quartile: If your product catalog is relatively simple and doesn’t require highly tailored campaigns, Quartile can automate the process and still yield good results.
• Choose an Amazon Agency: If you have a diverse product range with different audiences, seasonal demand, or require custom strategies, an agency can design specific campaigns tailored to each product’s needs.

4. Need for Creative Strategies

• Choose Quartile: If you’re comfortable with standardized ads and don’t require frequent creative adjustments, Quartile’s automated approach will suffice.
• Choose an Amazon Agency: If your business thrives on creative ad copy, high-quality images, and ongoing A/B testing, an agency will deliver the expertise needed to fine-tune your ads for maximum impact.

5. Scalability

• Choose Quartile: If you plan to scale your business quickly and need a solution that can handle a large volume of products without increasing overhead, Quartile can grow with your needs.
• Choose an Amazon Agency: If you want to scale strategically with expert guidance and creative adjustments at every stage, an agency can support your growth in a more customized way.

Why Choose ZonHack for Amazon PPC Services?

When it comes to Amazon PPC management, ZonHack is your go-to solution for driving targeted traffic, reducing advertising costs, and maximizing profits. With a deep understanding of Amazon’s ever-evolving advertising ecosystem, we specialize in creating highly optimized PPC campaigns tailored to your unique business goals.

At ZonHack, we take a comprehensive approach to Amazon PPC management, ensuring your campaigns achieve maximum visibility while maintaining a healthy ACoS (Advertising Cost of Sale). Here’s how we do it:

• Keyword Research and Targeting: We identify the most relevant and high-converting keywords for your products, ensuring your ads appear in front of the right audience.
• Bid Optimization: Our team continuously monitors and adjusts bids to balance profitability and visibility, ensuring you get the most out of your ad spend.
• Campaign Structuring: We design campaigns that are easy to scale and optimize, using proven techniques like single keyword ad groups (SKAGs) and custom ad targeting strategies.
• Performance Monitoring and Reporting: ZonHack provides transparent, real-time reports so you can track your campaign performance and ROI effortlessly.
• Negative Keyword Management: By eliminating irrelevant search terms, we reduce wasted ad spend and improve campaign efficiency.
• Sponsored Ad Expertise: From Sponsored Products to Sponsored Brands and Sponsored Display ads, we leverage the full spectrum of Amazon ad types to amplify your brand’s visibility and sales.

ZonHack isn’t just another PPC management service; we’re your growth partner. Whether you’re launching your first product or scaling a successful store, ZonHack’s Amazon PPC services will help you achieve better results with less effort.

Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and discover how ZonHack can transform your PPC campaigns into a growth-driving machine.

FAQs

Can Quartile manage all types of Amazon ads?

Yes, Quartile can manage Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and Sponsored Display ads. However, it focuses more on optimizing campaigns through automation and AI rather than creative aspects like ad copywriting.

How much do Amazon agencies cost?

The cost of Amazon agencies varies depending on the agency’s size, services offered, and your specific needs. Most agencies charge a percentage of ad spend, ranging from 10% to 20%, or they may offer fixed monthly rates starting around $1,000 to $3,000 per month.

Will Quartile work for international markets?

Yes, Quartile can handle campaigns across multiple Amazon marketplaces, making it suitable for global businesses looking to optimize their international PPC campaigns.

How long does it take to see results with an Amazon agency?

Results vary based on the complexity of your campaigns and business goals. On average, you may start seeing significant improvements within 3 to 6 months, as agencies fine-tune and optimize your campaigns.