Rule: Cost Per Click Pricing#

This rule allows you to set individual cost-per-click (CPC) prices for individual products. The rule is designed for managing and optimizing click bids within comparison shopping engines such as Heureka and Zbozi.cz. The click price can be calculated in two ways:

a fixed amount added to the minimum CPC value for the given product,
or a percentage of the selling price excluding VAT.

Extra features#

The rule is available for the following formats:
- Heureka
- Zbozi.cz

Practical examples#

Example 1: Set click prices as a fixed amount#

This example shows how to set click bids based on a fixed amount added to the minimum CPC set by the shopping engine.

1. Creating a new rule:

Open the “Rules” page.
Click the New rule button.

2. Selecting the rule type:

In the Rule type field, select the Cost Per Click Pricing option.

3. Selecting products:

In the Query field, choose either All products or create your own Product query for specific products you want the rule to apply to.

4. Set click bids based on:

From the Selectbox Set click bids based on, select the “Minimum click price” option.
The shopping engine sets a minimum click price for each category.
The click bid is calculated by adding the amount you enter in the next step to this minimum price.

5. Add to minimum CPC:

In the Add to minimum CPC field, enter the amount to be added to the minimum click price, for example 10
💡 Tip: This way, you can easily increase the bid for all products in a certain category by the same amount.

6. Naming the rule:

In the last step, enter the rule name, for example “Set CPC”.

Example 2: Set click prices as a percentage of the product price#

This example shows how to set click bids based on a percentage of the product price excluding VAT. The calculation automatically takes into account the minimum and maximum CPC limits set by the shopping engine.

1. Creating a new rule:

Open the “Rules” page.
Click the New rule button.

2. Selecting the rule type:

In the Rule type field, select the Cost Per Click Pricing option.

3. Selecting products:

In the Query field, choose either All products or create your own Product query for specific products you want the rule to apply to.

4. Set click bids based on:

From the Selectbox Set click bids based on, select the “Percentage of product price” option.
The click bid will be set as a percentage of the product price excluding VAT.
If the product does not contain VAT information, the standard VAT rate is used for the calculation.
The calculation also takes into account the minimum and maximum limits for click prices set by the shopping engine.

5. Percentage of product price:

In the Percentage of product price field, enter a number (0-100) that will be used to calculate the click price, for example 10
A value of 10 means that CPC = 10% of the product price excluding VAT.
💡 Tip: This setting is suitable for products with different price levels – higher product price leads to higher CPC, lower price leads to lower CPC.

6. Naming the rule:

In the last step, enter the rule name, for example “Set CPC”.

Additional uses#

Bulk setting of click prices based on different product queries.
Combination with the “Import data file” rule (e.g., for importing historical CPC values from other systems).
Automatic CPC adjustments based on margins or product performance (in combination with Pricing Fox extension or calculation rules).

FAQ#

What is the “Cost Per Click Pricing” rule for?#

This rule allows you to set individual CPC (Cost Per Click) bids for products in comparison shopping engines such as Heureka or Zbozi.cz. Using this rule, you can determine whether CPC should be calculated as a fixed amount added to the minimum CPC or as a percentage of the product price excluding VAT.

Which formats is this rule available for?#

The rule can only be used for the following formats:

Heureka.cz
Zbozi.cz

💡 If you need to work with CPC for other comparison engines, you can use the Calculation or Import data file rules, where CPC values can be managed individually.

What is the difference between “Minimum click price” and “Percentage of product price”?#

Minimum click price – CPC is calculated as the minimum value set by the shopping engine + your specified fixed amount. E.g., minimum CPC 3 CZK + add 2 CZK = resulting bid 5 CZK.
Percentage of product price – CPC is calculated as a certain percentage of the product price excluding VAT, e.g., 10% of 1,000 CZK = CPC 100 CZK (subject to limits set by Heureka/Zbozi.cz).

What does the “Add to minimum CPC” field mean?#

In this field, enter the amount to be added to the minimum CPC value set by the shopping engine. E.g., if you enter 10 CZK and the category’s minimum CPC is 5 CZK, the resulting bid will be 15 CZK.

How does the “Percentage of product price” setting work?#

Enter a numeric value between 0–100 that determines the percentage of the product price excluding VAT. E.g.:

Product costs 2,000 CZK excluding VAT
Entered percentage = 5
👉 The resulting CPC = 100 CZK

If the product does not have a VAT value filled in, Mergado uses the standard VAT rate for the calculation.

How does the rule behave if the product falls into a category with CPC limits?#

Mergado respects the minimum and maximum CPC limits set by the shopping engine (e.g., Heureka has limits for each category). This means that if the calculation exceeds the allowed limit, the system automatically caps the CPC at the maximum allowed by the shopping engine.

Can the rule be used only for a specific group of products?#

Yes. In the Query field, you can use an existing product query or create your own – e.g.,

products with higher margins,
products above a certain price level,
products in a specific category.

💡 This allows you to manage CPC strategically based on performance or product segment.

What happens if the product does not have a price excluding VAT?#

If there is no value in the price excluding VAT element (price_vat or price_excl_vat), Mergado uses the default value with the standard VAT rate (e.g., 21%). It is recommended to verify that the feed contains consistent price data.

Can the rule be used for bulk CPC changes across different queries?#

No. The rule can be applied to multiple product queries – but it assigns the same calculation method to all of them (e.g., 5% of price for one query and +10 CZK to minimum for another). If you need different logic for different queries, create a separate rule for each query. This creates an automated pricing strategy for different product segments.

How do I check if the new CPC value was applied correctly?#

After saving and applying the rules or after regenerating the feed:

open the output feed and check the CPC element (HEUREKA_CPC, ZBOZI_CPC),
or use the “Rule walkthrough” feature, which shows how the CPC value was recalculated for a specific product.

Can the rule be combined with calculation rules or data imports?#

Yes. You can combine it with, for example:

the Calculation rule – for dynamically determining CPC based on margin or performance,
the Import data file rule – for loading historical CPC or performance data from Google Sheets.

💡 Recommended order: first import or calculate the values, then create segments based on the results, and then apply “Cost Per Click Pricing”.

What if I want to adjust CPC dynamically based on product performance?#

In that case, we recommend connecting Mergado with the Bidding Fox extension, which allows dynamically adjusting CPC based on margins, conversions, or competition.

Can this rule be used to lower CPC?#

No.

What happens if the product does not belong to any category with a minimum CPC?#

Mergado will use the default minimum CPC value (defined by the shopping engine) or keep the original value if no reference data is available.

Can the rule be scheduled?#

Yes. Using the timer, you can determine when CPC should be updated – e.g., once a week or on a specific day. This is useful for campaigns that change based on seasonality or advertising calendars.

What are the most common mistakes when setting CPC in Mergado?#

Using the wrong calculation type (e.g., percentage of price but in a different feed format).
Missing price excluding VAT element.
Exceeding the maximum CPC value allowed by the shopping engine.
Incorrect rule order (e.g., applying before a calculation or price overwrite).

💡 Recommendation: Always test the rule on a smaller number of products using the “Rule walkthrough” feature after setup.