How to Use Ads

Starting from late Q3 2025, campaign performance will be introducing Paid Sales for reporting instead of relying only on Placed GMV. 

This change ensures you receive more accurate reporting that reflects real revenue from paying customers.

Q1. What are Placed Sales, Paid Sales, and Confirmed Sales?

1. Placed Sales: Placed Sales refers to the total value of all orders at the time they are placed (checkout). This includes both paid and unpaid orders.

1. Paid Sales: Refers to the total value of all orders upon payment completion. 
2. Orders are included in Paid Sales once they are successfully paid. 
3. Orders that are later cancelled or returned remain part of Paid Sales.

Q2. Why Are We Making This Change?

1. Accuracy: Paid Sales reflect actual revenue unlike Placed Sales which overstates performance by including unpaid/cancelled orders.
2. Reliability: Confirmed Sales ensures COD orders are only counted once shipping is confirmed.
3. Better Decisions: Helps you focus advertising spend on buyers who pay, not abandoned carts.
4. Smarter planning: This shift ensures a more accurate view of ad performance, helps you set realistic Target ROAS, and makes budget planning easier.

Q3. How will this impact my reported Sales?

Reported Sales may appear slightly lower than before, because unpaid and cancelled orders will no longer be included.

This does not mean sales are dropping, it simply reflects real paid transactions only.

Q4. How does this impact ROAS?

Actual ROAS: Since ROAS = Sales ÷ Ad Spend, switching from Placed Sales to Paid Sales will display lower ROAS values.

Setting Target ROAS: Sellers should realign Target ROAS expectations against true ROAS and set realistic target ROAS goals to ensure your product is able to scale sales effectively. Example:

1. Placed ROAS: 5.0 (includes unpaid/cancelled orders)
2. Paid ROAS: 4.2 (accurate returns from paying customers)

Seller Tips

1. Recalibrate Campaign Targets:

If your old target ROAS on Placed Sales was 5, expect Paid Sales targets to be slightly lower (depending on your unpaid/cancel rates). Adjust your ROAS goals accordingly to avoid impacting your campaign spending and delivery.

1. Review Historical Data Smartly:

When comparing results across time, remember Placed Sales data will appear higher. Avoid mixing Placed vs Paid results in one evaluation

1. Leverage Confirmed Sales if You Have Many COD Orders:

Confirmed Sales is the most reliable measure for sellers handling COD-heavy markets since it reflects only verified sales

1. Optimize for Quality Traffic, Not Just Order Volume:

A campaign that generated many placed orders but few paid ones may indicate low-quality targeting. Shift budget toward campaigns with higher Paid Sales.

1. Don't Panic Over Lower Numbers:

Lower Sales/ROAS after the change does not mean worse sales performance — it simply means the data reflects real customers who paid, not abandoned carts.

1. Monitor Cancellation & Payment Rates:

If you see a big drop from Placed Sales to Paid Sales, check your operational side (product stock, checkout experience). Lowering cancellations will improve your Paid Sales.

This update gives you clearer, more trustworthy insights into your ad campaigns by focusing on orders that truly convert into revenue. While numbers may seem lower, they are more accurate, enabling you to set realistic goals, plan budgets smarter, and grow your business sustainably.

Find out what each metric definition looks like here