Should I turn off an Etsy Ads listing with low ROAS but lots of clicks?

Hi! If a listing is getting lots of Etsy Ads clicks but not turning into sales (low ROAS), it’s usually better to pause (or at least heavily reduce) ads for that specific listing while you fix the conversion issues—because right now you’re essentially paying for “window shoppers,” and Etsy Ads traffic doesn’t reliably “help your shop overall” enough to justify losing money.

A few practical ways to decide quickly:

• If it’s unprofitable and you don’t have a clear reason to keep testing (new product you’re still dialing in, seasonal ramp-up, etc.), pause it and put the budget into listings that already convert.
• If you think it’s close (you’re getting favorites/add-to-carts, good engagement, but something’s off), keep it running only as a controlled test (lower daily budget, short test window), and change one thing at a time so you can tell what helped.

Here’s what I’d do before turning ads back on (or while running a small test):

1) Diagnose why you’re getting clicks but not sales

• Mismatch between ad keywords and the actual product: Your tags/title may be attracting broad searches (“gift,” “cute,” “boho,” etc.) that click, but don’t match what the buyer truly wants.
• Price/shipping sticker shock: People click, then bounce when they see total cost or processing time.
• Main photo isn’t confirming the promise: If the first photo is pretty but not clear (size, what’s included, personalization, materials), you’ll get clicks and then drop-off.
• Listing details don’t remove doubt: Sizing, variants, how it’s used, what’s included, turnaround time, and “why yours” need to be instantly obvious.

2) Fix the “conversion basics” first
A few high-impact upgrades that usually move the needle:

• Stronger first photo (clear product + scale), plus a photo that answers the top question (size, what’s included, color options).
• Tighten title/tags to buyer-intent phrases (what it is + who it’s for + key attribute), and remove vague terms that attract the wrong clicks.
• Make price + shipping + processing time feel competitive for your niche (or clearly justify it with quality, materials, bundle, customization).
• Add quick clarity in the first lines of the description (or listing overview): what it is, sizes, how it ships, personalization steps.

3) Don’t count on ads “helping the shop overall”
Etsy Ads can create some extra exposure, but if the listing itself isn’t converting, it usually doesn’t raise your shop in a meaningful way compared to putting that spend into:

• your proven converting listings,
• improving photos/offer,
• or running ads only after you’ve tightened targeting.

If you want, tell me what the product is, roughly what it costs (including shipping), and what you’re seeing (favorites, add-to-carts, or just clicks). I can help you pinpoint the most likely reason it’s leaking conversions and whether it’s worth a short test vs. a full pause.