From Performance Max Skeptic to Believer: A Luxury Watch Retailer's Journey

From Performance Max Skeptic to Believer: A Luxury Watch Retailer's Journey

"When Google forced us to switch to Performance Max, our revenue dropped 40% overnight. We were haemorrhaging money, and nobody could tell us why."

This is the story of how we helped a luxury watch dealer turn their Performance Max campaigns around - and what other luxury retailers can learn from their experience.

The Initial Situation

• £40k monthly ad spend
• Average order value: £3,500
• Primary market: UK luxury watch buyers
• Key products: Premium watch brands

The Crisis

James, the founder, explains:
"We'd been running successful Google Ads campaigns for years. Then Performance Max came along, and everything went pear-shaped. Our revenue dropped 40% literally overnight."

The Common Response

"We spoke to three different agencies," James continues. "They all said the same thing: 'It's just the learning period. Trust the process.' But at £40k monthly spend, we couldn't afford to just wait and see."

The Audit Findings

Our comprehensive audit revealed several critical issues:

1. Backwards Audience Signals
   • Targeting was too broad
   • Custom segments were misaligned
   • First-party data wasn't properly utilised

2. Asset Group Chaos
   • Luxury pieces mixed with entry-level products
   • Inconsistent messaging across groups
   • Poor asset performance tracking

3. Technical Issues
   • Double-counting conversions
   • Missing value tracking
   • Incorrect attribution settings

James notes: "What stood out was how clearly they explained everything. No jargon, no 'trust us' rhetoric. Just clear problems and clear solutions."

The Fix

We implemented our luxury-specific Performance Max framework:

1. Audience Restructuring
   • Created proper luxury segments
   • Implemented value-based bidding
   • Built custom intent audiences

2. Asset Group Reorganisation
   • Separated by price tier
   • Created brand-specific groups
   • Implemented proper testing structure

3. Technical Clean-up
   • Fixed conversion tracking
   • Implemented proper attribution
   • Set up accurate value tracking

The Results: 30 Days Later

Key Metrics:
• Revenue increased 324%
• ROAS improved from 1.2 to 7.6
• Clear performance visibility
• Stable, predictable growth

James shares: "The numbers are brilliant, obviously. But what really matters is we now understand what's happening in our campaigns. No more black boxes."

Key Learnings

1. Performance Max Can Work for Luxury
   But it needs proper configuration for high-value products.

2. Transparency Is Critical
   "The weekly calls where they showed us exactly what changes they were making and why were invaluable," James notes.

3. Quick Fixes Don't Work
   Proper restructuring takes time but delivers lasting results.

The Ongoing Impact

Six Months Later:
• Sustained ROAS above 6.5
• 42% reduction in wasted spend
• 28% improvement in average order value
• Clear, predictable performance

James's Final Thoughts

"The biggest change is confidence. We're not just hoping Performance Max works - we know exactly what it's doing and why. That's worth its weight in gold."

Your Performance Max Health Check

If James's story sounds familiar, you might be experiencing similar issues with your Performance Max campaigns.

Common Warning Signs:
• Sudden performance drops
• Lack of clear visibility
• Inconsistent results
• Poor ROAS on high-value products

Ready for a Change?

Visit judeluxe.com/contact to book your Performance Max audit.

Because luxury products need a luxury-specific approach to Performance Max.

"Working with JudeLuxe has transformed how we view Performance Max. It's no longer this mysterious black box - it's a predictable, profitable channel for our business."