CPC is what you actually pay per ad click on Amazon — set by a second-price auction, capped by your bid.
CPC (Cost per Click) is the amount you actually pay when a shopper clicks your ad. Amazon runs a second-price auction: you pay just enough to beat the next-highest bidder, so your real CPC is usually below your maximum bid.
Formula (observed): CPC = ad spend ÷ clicks
CPC connects directly to profitability through conversion rate: the most you can profitably pay per click is roughly target ACOS × price × conversion rate. A $30 product converting at 10% with a 30% target ACOS supports a CPC up to about $0.90.
Watching CPC trends matters: rising CPC at flat conversion means the auction got more competitive and your ACOS will creep up even if nothing else changed.
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