TACOS (Total Advertising Cost of Sale) is the ratio of ad spend to TOTAL sales, organic plus paid. Unlike ACOS, it accounts for the indirect contribution advertising makes to organic sales. It is the healthiest measure of how independent a brand really is from advertising.
If TACOS falls over time, the advertising is working: organic sales are growing and the brand is leaning less on ads. If TACOS holds flat or rises, sales stop the moment you cut spend. To measure long-term health on Amazon, track TACOS rather than ACOS.
TACOS = Total ad spend ÷ Total sales (organic + paid) × 100
$10,000 in monthly ad spend against $100,000 in total sales → 10% TACOS. Three months later the same spend drives $140,000 in sales → 7.1% TACOS, meaning organic is getting stronger.
If TACOS falls over time, the advertising is working: organic sales are growing and the brand is leaning less on ads. If TACOS holds flat or rises, sales stop the moment you cut spend. To measure long-term health on Amazon, track TACOS rather than ACOS.
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