Step 1: Qualify your own readiness
Before evaluating agencies, define internal readiness. The most common cause of failed engagements is not agency quality — it's the seller's inability to give the agency clean access, fast decisions, and clear KPIs.
- Brand Registry active with Brand Story + Brand Store live.
- Inventory health: <5% out-of-stock rate on top 20 ASINs.
- Decision-maker named and available within 24h for creative and bid approvals.
- Defined KPI: TACoS target, ROAS target, or revenue growth target.
- Budget signed off for at least 90 days at proposed spend level.
Step 2: Shortlist 3–5 agencies
Build your longlist from Amazon Ads Partner Directory (verified status), industry publications, LinkedIn case studies, and references from non-competing brands. Filter to 3–5 agencies that match your category and stage.
Step 3: Demand a paid 30-point audit
Ask each shortlisted agency for a paid (₹15K–₹50K) 30-point audit covering campaign structure, search-term harvesting, negative-keyword hygiene, placement multipliers, dayparting, listing alignment, brand defense, and creative gaps.
Paid is critical. Free audits are sales tools; paid audits are diagnostic and force the agency to do real work. The ₹15–50K is recoverable against the first month's management fee if you sign.
Step 4: Issue a structured RFP
- Scope: ASIN count, marketplaces, ad formats, creative scope.
- KPIs: ACOS/TACoS/ROAS targets and timeline.
- Pricing: ask for management fee, % of spend, AND performance-tied options.
- Team: name the AM, list their other accounts, share their LinkedIn.
- Reporting: sample weekly + monthly reports required in proposal.
- References: 3 in-category clients (current or past 12 months).
Step 5: Score with a 4-dimension matrix
| Dimension | Weight | What to score |
|---|---|---|
| Capability | 35% | Audit depth, tool stack, DSP capability, creative in-house, Amazon Ads Partner status. |
| Category fit | 25% | Reference clients in your category and stage; relevant case studies. |
| Commercials | 20% | Total cost over 12 months; pricing model alignment; exit clauses. |
| Team & culture | 20% | AM seniority, account load, communication style, time-zone overlap. |
Step 6: Negotiate contract terms that protect you
- Month-to-month for first 90 days; 30-day notice thereafter.
- Performance exit clause: right to terminate without penalty if 90-day pilot KPIs missed by >20%.
- Data ownership: all campaign data, creative files, and audit reports remain yours on exit.
- AM continuity: named AM cannot be changed without 30-day notice and equivalent seniority.
- Scope creep protection: written change-orders for any work beyond original SOW.
Step 7: Run a 90-day pilot with hard KPIs
- Day 0–14: agency completes restructure and rebuild. Expect a temporary 5–10% ACOS spike — this is normal.
- Day 15–60: optimization phase. ACOS should decline 15–25% from baseline; new search terms should be harvested weekly.
- Day 60–90: stabilization. ACOS should hit your target; TACoS should improve 10–20%; organic rank lift should appear.
- Day 90: structured review. Compare against KPIs. Decide: extend to annual, renegotiate, or exit cleanly.