How do you know it's time to switch agencies?
It's time to switch agencies when reports only describe dashboard metrics instead of sales and profit, no new tests have been proposed in months, you don't have admin access to your own ad accounts, and the same problems keep coming up with nothing changing. One bad month on its own is not a reason to switch.
Switching is expensive. A new agency needs time to learn your account, products and margins, and ad algorithms relearn after big structural changes. So the useful question isn't "are results bad?" but "is the problem within the agency's control, and what are they doing to fix it?"
What are the signs it's time for a new agency?
The reasons brands leave agencies tend to fall into the same seven buckets:
- Reports without interpretation. The monthly report lists clicks, impressions and platform ROAS, with nothing about revenue, profit or new customers.
- Testing has stopped. No new creative angle, campaign structure or landing page test has been proposed in the last three months.
- You don't hold the access. The ad account, Analytics or Merchant Center was opened under the agency's name and you have no admin rights.
- The same conversation repeats. The problem you raised three months ago is still there, with no action plan.
- You don't know who runs your account. The senior team from the sales pitch is gone and the account keeps changing hands.
- Tracking can't be trusted. There's a big gap between the ad platform and your store's numbers, and the agency isn't investigating it.
- You grew, the agency didn't. You need a new channel, international expansion or marketplace expertise that the team doesn't have.
If one or two of these apply, have a frank conversation first. If four or more apply, you've probably already made the decision.
When does staying with your agency make more sense?
Not every bad stretch is the agency's fault. These are situations where results drop but a switch may not help:
| Situation | What it means | Suggested step |
|---|---|---|
| Off-season dip | Demand has naturally dropped | Compare with the same period last year |
| Stock or price problem | Bestsellers sold out, prices above competitors | Fix the product side first |
| Drop after a site change | A new theme or checkout broke conversion | Check site data, not the ads |
| New campaign structure | The algorithm is still learning | Give it a reasonable window |
| Platform-wide CPM rise | The whole market is affected | Ask for the agency's adjustment plan |
If the agency flagged these in advance, showed you the cause in the data and came with a plan, the problem is the conditions, not the agency. To diagnose where things stand, you can run your current agency through the criteria in our guide on how to choose an ecommerce agency.
What should you do before switching?
Before making it official, have a written "fix period" conversation with your current agency. Spell out concrete expectations: which metric, over what period, in which report. For example: "For the next 60 days, the weekly report includes new customers and profit contribution, and we run at least two new creative tests a month." A good agency treats that as an opportunity. One that gets defensive or answers in generalities has already given you your answer.
Why does account and data ownership matter so much?
The biggest risk in a switch is losing your history: your Google Ads account history, conversion data and audience lists, the events your Meta pixel has collected, your GA4 history. If these sit in the agency's accounts, you may be starting from zero when you leave.
According to Google's help center, Admin access to a Google Ads account lets a user give access, change access levels and unlink manager accounts. Google also explains that ownership of an account can be transferred by inviting the new owner as an admin and then removing your own access. If an agency's manager account (MCC) is linked as the owner of your account, a user with admin access on the client account can unlink it, and Google requires at least one admin user to remain on the account.
In practice the rule is simple: ad accounts, the Analytics property, Merchant Center and the pixel live in your business accounts, and the agency gets partner access to them.
How do you plan an agency transition step by step?
This is the order we follow when we take over accounts:
- Check access. Confirm you have admin access to Google Ads, GA4, Merchant Center, your Meta business portfolio, Search Console and your store admin. If you don't, fix that before the breakup conversation.
- Read the contract. The notice period, handover obligations and ownership of creative should be in writing.
- Ask for a written handover. Active campaigns, conversion settings, audience lists, negative keyword lists, creative files and test notes from the last six months.
- Plan an overlap. If possible, give the new agency read-only access before the old one leaves so it can study the setup.
- Hold off on big changes. The new agency shouldn't tear everything down in week one. Verify tracking first, then change things gradually.
- Remove old access. Once the handover is done, remove the previous agency's users and partner access.
Will sales drop during the switch?
They can, but with a good plan the dip stays short and contained. The real damage usually comes from a new agency changing everything at once. If campaign structure, budgets and bidding all change in the same week, the algorithms relearn and you can't tell what worked. Timing helps too: switching agencies two weeks before Black Friday is a bad idea for most brands.
What should you look for in the new agency?
Notice whether the new agency raises account ownership and the transition plan in the first meeting. A good agency won't ask you to hand your accounts over; it will want them to stay in your name. Ask what it will do in the first 30 days, which report you'll see and how often, and who will run your account, by name.
Performetic is an ecommerce agency that also manages transitions like these; we describe how we approach strategy on our growth strategy service page. If you'd like an outside view of where you stand, request a free growth audit.
Key takeaways
- It's time to switch when the problem is within the agency's control and the agency isn't doing anything about it.
- Seasonal, stock, site and platform-driven drops are not reasons to switch on their own.
- Before leaving, agree on a written, time-boxed fix period.
- Ad accounts, Analytics, Merchant Center and the pixel should live in your accounts, with the agency on partner access.
- Plan the switch away from peak season and don't let the new agency change everything at once.