Analytics

Your ROAS is Inflated. Here’s Why It’s Costing You Profit.

Posted on
July 15, 2025

If you’re bragging about a 4.2x ROAS in your ad dashboard — take a step back. ROAS might make you feel good, but it’s not telling you the full story. In fact, it could be misleading you straight into unprofitability.

Because ROAS is inflated. And it’s hurting your decisions.

The Problem with ROAS

ROAS only shows revenue generated per dollar spent on adsinside the ad platform. What it doesn’t show:

  • Refunds
  • Discounts
  • Shipping costs
  • Merchant fees
  • COGS
  • Overlapping paid + organic attribution

The result? You’re optimizing based on revenue that’s not real. Profit gets left behind.

ROAS ≠ Profit

Let’s say you spend $10k on ads and generate $42k in revenue. 4.2x ROAS. Looks great, right?

But after:

  • COGS ($18k)
  • Shipping & fees ($4k)
  • Returns ($2k)
  • Influencer payouts ($3k)

You’re left with… $15k contribution margin. Subtract overhead and you’re barely breaking even — or worse.

So What Should You Use Instead?

1. Blended CAC

Don’t just look at in-platform ad data. Look at total spend across all channels divided by total customers acquired. That’s your real CAC.

2. MER (Marketing Efficiency Ratio)

Total revenue ÷ total ad spend. Clean, easy, and accounts for blended performance.

3. Contribution Margin

What’s left after variable costs? That’s the real money you’re keeping. Build decisions around this — not fake ROAS.

Better Metrics, Better Business

If you’re scaling based on inflated ROAS, you’re not really scaling — you’re just spending.

DTC brands that last are obsessed with:

  • Margin
  • Cash
  • Smart acquisition efficiency

The ones that flame out? They chase ROAS and lose money on every sale.

Signal Makes It Clear

We built Signal to replace inflated ad dashboards with actual clarity.

  • 📉 See blended CAC and MER in real time
  • 💡 Get true contribution margin — not just revenue
  • 🚫 No more spreadsheet hell or manual reconciliation

Your ads might be performing. But is your business?

👉 Try Signal and find out what’s really working.