Which to choose: Empik Ads or Allegro Ads?

Choosing the right advertising platform today is a make-or-break decision in Polish e-commerce. The two Retail Media powerhouses – Empik Ads and Allegro Ads – offer the opportunity to reach millions of customers with ready wallets. Although on the surface they offer similar solutions, in reality, they differ in auction mechanics, buyer characteristics, and click costs.

Instead of shooting blindly, let’s analyze the data. In this article, we break down both systems to their core elements to help you make a decision based on profitability (ROAS) rather than intuition.

Empik Ads vs. Allegro Ads – key differences

Let’s start with the basics. Both Empik and Allegro are developing their own advertising ecosystems, allowing sellers (merchants) to promote products directly in search results and on category cards. The differences, however, lie in the details.

1.   reach and target groups

• Empik Ads – although it has long ceased to be just a bookstore, the ads are mainly targeted at customers interested in culture, literature, multimedia, and premium products. Empik users often look for inspiration and make more thought-out purchases. Empik is a dynamically growing marketplace where categories such as: Toys, Health and Beauty, Home and Garden, Electronics, and Child reign supreme. Crucially, Empik customers participate in price wars less frequently. The shopping cart here is often built around the loyalty program Empik Premium, which translates into higher loyalty and a readiness to purchase products with a higher margin.
• Allegro Ads is the undisputed giant and the most popular e-commerce platform in Poland. It generates a massive volume of traffic, but is characterized by extremely high customer price sensitivity (so-called “bargain hunters”) and fierce competition in almost every category.

2.   models and advertising formats

• Empik Ads offers product ads, banners, and promotion in search results. The billing model is mainly based on CPC (cost per click). It focuses on readability and effectiveness. The two flagship formats are Sponsored Product (operating on the CPC model – you pay per click, great for closing sales) and Sponsored Brand (CPM model – displayed above search results, perfect for building reach and awareness).
• Allegro Ads has a wider range of options, including sponsored ads, display, and promoting offers in search results and on the homepage. It offers a more extensive, but also complex ecosystem. Here we will find Sponsored Offers (CPC), Graphic Advertising (CPM/CPC), as well as the Partner Network (Allegro Ads Network), which allows displaying ads from Allegro, among others, in the Google search engine or on Facebook.

3.   targeting and algorithms

• Empik Ads allows targeting based on customers’ interests and purchase history. It relies on very precise intentional targeting. Ads are displayed for specific keywords entered in the search bar and in strictly defined categories, the so-called assortment tree (the bottom of the sales funnel).
• Allegro Ads offers more advanced segmentation options, including dynamic targeting based on user behavior on the platform. It also relies on keywords and categories, but the auction system here is much more saturated, and retargeting mechanisms and automated rules are more extensively developed due to the platform’s longer presence on the market.

4.   costs and effectiveness (CPC / ROAS)

• Empik Ads can be more cost-effective for niche premium products where competition is lower. Currently, it represents a kind of “blue ocean” in many categories. A smaller number of sellers using the advertising panel means lower auction pressure, and consequently – noticeably cheaper clicks (lower CPC) and often a higher return on investment (ROAS).
• Allegro Ads is more competitive, which can mean a higher CPC, but also a larger number of potential customers. It is characterized by high saturation. In popular categories, CPC rates can be ruthless for the margin. It requires surgical optimization and continuous exclusion of unprofitable phrases so as not to burn through the budget.

Which platform to choose?

There is no single universal answer. The choice depends on your assortment and pricing strategy.

When to invest heavier in Empik Ads?

• When you sell products from the categories: books, music, multimedia, premium products.
• When you want to avoid high competition and focus on a more specific target audience.
• When your profit margin on Allegro has been “eaten” by click costs and high commission, and you are looking for a cheaper source of high-quality transactions.
• When you have a higher quality (premium) assortment and want to reach conscious, loyal customers (Empik Premium users).

When to bet on Allegro Ads?

• When you offer everyday products, electronics, fashion, or home accessories.
• When you want to reach the widest possible group of customers.
• When you care about maximally scaling your sales volume and every single transaction counts.
• When you have a strong price advantage over the competition and you know that your product will defend itself in a direct clash on a single listing.

How to maximize the potential of both platforms?

Instead of treating these systems as competitors, the best sellers build a cohesive ecosystem around them:

1. Diversify revenue streams
   Do not make 100% of your sales dependent on a single marketplace. Launching Empik Ads allows you to diversify the risk in case of drastic commission increases or algorithm changes on Allegro.
2. Manage through data (telemetry)
   On both platforms, regularly analyze the metrics of Cost of Sales (COS/ACOS). Exclude keywords that generate empty clicks, and pump the budget only into those products that deliver margin. Regularly optimize the budget, targeting, and ad content. Test different ad formats – check which strategy converts best for your products.
3. Optimize the foundations (offer hygiene)
   No advertisement will save a weak product. Before launching a campaign (both on Empik and Allegro), make sure your thumbnails are flawless, titles are comprehensive, and prices are adequate to the value.
4. Leverage synergy – it is worth testing ads on both platforms simultaneously to maximize the return on investment.

Summary

Empik Ads and Allegro Ads are two powerful engines driving Polish e-commerce. Allegro provides unlimited scale but requires an aggressive fight for the customer and keeping an eye on shrinking margins. Empik Ads is a growing ecosystem that, in many categories, offers significantly cheaper customer acquisition and reaches a more loyal audience.

The key to success is not an “either-or” choice, but an engineering approach to the advertising budget: testing, measuring ROAS, and shifting capital to where the business math adds up best.