A 9% category beat a 3% category on commission rate but lost on EPC

A 9% category beat a 3% category on commission rate but lost on EPC

EPC (earnings per 100 clicks) folds rate, price, and conversion into one number. Comparing rate alone misleads.

— Category A: 3% rate, $120 AOV, 6.2% conv -> EPC ~$22/100 clicks
— Category B: 9% rate, $34 AOV, 1.9% conv -> EPC ~$5.80/100 clicks

(n=18,000 clicks each, trailing 60 days)

The high-rate category looked superior on the rate card and underperformed 3.8x because of low price and weak intent.

So what: Rank niches by EPC, never by headline commission rate. A 1% rate on a $400 converting product outruns 10% on impulse junk.