The average e-commerce Google Ads account wastes 20 to 30% of its budget on irrelevant search queries. DIY searches, job seekers, informational browsers, and non-commercial intent queries all eat into your ad spend without generating revenue. This master list gives you 200+ pre-vetted negative keywords organized by category so you can eliminate waste immediately.
How to Use This List
Implementation Steps
- Step 1: Start with Universal Negatives. Add the universal list to a shared negative keyword list in Google Ads. Apply it to all Search and Shopping campaigns. These terms apply to every e-commerce business.
- Step 2: Add Category-Specific Terms. Choose the sections that match your product categories (fashion, electronics, home and garden) and add those as campaign-level negatives.
- Step 3: Use Phrase Match for Most Terms. Add negatives as phrase match (the default in the tables below) unless otherwise noted. Phrase match is safer than broad match and prevents accidental over-negation.
- Step 4: Review Weekly. Check your search terms report every week and add new irrelevant queries. This list is your starting point, not the finish line.
Universal Negatives (All E-commerce)
Add these to every e-commerce campaign. They apply regardless of what you sell.
| Negative Keyword (Phrase Match) | Why Block It | Estimated Waste per Month |
|---|---|---|
| "free" | Filters freebie seekers. Exception: keep if you offer free shipping or free samples. | $50 to $300 |
| "cheap" | Attracts lowest-value shoppers with high return rates. | $30 to $200 |
| "used" | Unless you sell refurbished goods, these buyers want secondhand. | $20 to $150 |
| "wholesale" | B2B wholesale queries unless you serve wholesale customers. | $30 to $200 |
| "coupon" | Existing customers hunting for discounts, not new purchasers. | $20 to $100 |
| "clearance" | Only relevant if you have an active clearance section. | $15 to $80 |
| "rental" / "rent" | Looking to rent, not buy. | $20 to $100 |
| "sample" | Want a free sample, not a purchase. Exception: sample-based businesses. | $10 to $60 |
| "second hand" | Same as "used." Looking for pre-owned goods. | $15 to $80 |
| "pawn" | Looking for pawn shops, not retail. | $10 to $50 |
| "donation" / "donate" | Looking to donate or receive donated goods. | $10 to $40 |
| "recall" | Product safety recall searches, not purchase intent. | $10 to $30 |
Informational Intent Negatives
These searchers want information, not products. They click ads, read, and leave without buying.
| Negative Keyword (Phrase Match) | Why Block It |
|---|---|
| "what is" | Definitional queries. Zero purchase intent. |
| "how to" | Looking for instructions, not products. Exception: if you sell how-to kits. |
| "how do" | Same as "how to." Information seeking. |
| "tutorial" | Wants a guide, not a product. |
| "instructions" | Looking for a manual, not to buy. |
| "definition" | Academic or curiosity queries. |
| "meaning" | Looking up word meanings, not products. |
| "history of" | Research queries, not commercial. |
| "wiki" | Looking for Wikipedia or encyclopedia content. |
| "pdf" | Looking for documents, not products to buy. |
| "course" / "class" | Looking for education, not products. Exception: if you sell courses. |
| "certification" | Professional certification queries, not product searches. |
| "vs" / "versus" | Comparison research. Can be valuable. Add only if not running comparison campaigns. |
| "review" | Looking for reviews, not ready to buy from ads. Exception: if you have strong review content. |
| "reddit" | Looking for Reddit discussions, not product pages. |
| "forum" | Looking for discussion forums. |
| "blog" | Looking for articles, not product listings. |
DIY and Free-Seeker Negatives
These searchers want to do it themselves or get something without paying. They will never buy from you.
| Negative Keyword (Phrase Match) | Why Block It |
|---|---|
| "diy" | Do-it-yourself. Looking for instructions, not finished products. |
| "homemade" | Wants to make it at home, not buy it. |
| "make your own" | Same as DIY. Exception: if you sell craft kits. |
| "build your own" | DIY builder intent. Exception: custom/configurable products. |
| "template" | Looking for free templates, not paid products. Exception: if you sell templates. |
| "printable" | Looking for free printables. |
| "free download" | Looking for free digital content. |
| "open source" | Looking for free software alternatives. |
| "free trial" | Only relevant for SaaS, not e-commerce products. |
| "free shipping" (KEEP) | DO NOT add this one. Free shipping queries have high purchase intent. |
| "torrent" | Looking for pirated content. |
| "crack" / "keygen" | Looking for pirated software. (Unless you sell hardware.) |
Jobs and Careers Negatives
Job seekers frequently trigger product ads, especially for industry-specific terms. These clicks never convert to sales.
| Negative Keyword (Phrase Match) | Why Block It |
|---|---|
| "jobs" | Job searches, not product searches. |
| "careers" | Career exploration, not shopping. |
| "hiring" | Looking for employment. |
| "salary" | Researching pay, not products. |
| "resume" | Job application related. |
| "internship" | Looking for work experience. |
| "volunteer" | Looking for volunteer opportunities. |
| "employment" | Job market research. |
| "interview" | Job interview prep, not shopping. |
| "work from home" | Remote job searches. |
| "indeed" | Job board traffic. |
| "glassdoor" | Company review / job searches. |
| "linkedin" | Professional networking, not shopping. |
Competitor and Brand Negatives
Only add these if you are NOT running competitor conquest campaigns. If you do bid on competitor terms, skip this section.
Customize This Section
Replace the examples below with your actual competitor brand names. List every competitor whose traffic you do not want. Common competitors to negate include Amazon (if you cannot compete on price), Walmart, Target, Costco, and any major marketplace where the search intent is clearly "buy from that specific store."
| Negative Keyword (Phrase Match) | When to Use |
|---|---|
| "amazon" | Block if you cannot compete with Amazon pricing. Keep if you sell on Amazon too. |
| "walmart" | Block if your products are not sold at Walmart. |
| "target" | Block if not sold at Target. Caution: "target" has other meanings. |
| "costco" | Block if not sold at Costco. |
| "ebay" | Block to avoid secondhand shoppers. |
| "etsy" | Block unless you sell handmade/artisan goods. |
| "aliexpress" / "alibaba" | Block to avoid wholesale and ultra-cheap shoppers. |
| "temu" / "shein" | Block to avoid ultra-discount shoppers. |
Fashion and Apparel Negatives
If you sell clothing, shoes, or accessories, these terms filter out non-buyers specific to the fashion vertical.
| Negative Keyword (Phrase Match) | Why Block It |
|---|---|
| "costume" | Halloween / costume searches, not fashion purchases. |
| "cosplay" | Costume play, not everyday fashion. |
| "pattern" / "sewing pattern" | Want to make clothes, not buy them. |
| "thrift" / "thrifting" | Secondhand shoppers, not retail buyers. |
| "knockoff" / "fake" / "replica" | Looking for counterfeit goods. |
| "size chart" | Informational. Low purchase intent from ads. |
| "outfit ideas" / "inspiration" | Browsing, not buying. Low conversion from paid clicks. |
| "uniform" | Work uniform queries, not retail fashion. Exception: if you sell uniforms. |
| "fabric" | Looking for raw fabric, not finished garments. |
| "mend" / "repair" / "tailor" | Looking to fix existing clothing, not buy new. |
Electronics and Tech Negatives
Electronics campaigns attract a high volume of informational and support queries. These negatives filter out non-buyers.
| Negative Keyword (Phrase Match) | Why Block It |
|---|---|
| "specs" / "specifications" | Research phase. Low purchase intent from ads. |
| "manual" / "user guide" | Already own the product. Looking for documentation. |
| "driver" / "drivers" | Software driver downloads, not product purchases. |
| "firmware" | Software update queries, not hardware purchases. |
| "troubleshoot" / "fix" | Support queries for products they already own. |
| "error" / "error code" | Troubleshooting, not shopping. |
| "warranty" | Warranty claim queries, not new purchases. |
| "refurbished" / "renewed" | Wants pre-owned. Keep if you sell refurbished. |
| "jailbreak" / "root" | Looking to modify devices, not buy them. |
| "emulator" | Software emulation, not hardware purchases. |
| "compatible with" | Accessory/compatibility research. Can be useful. Test before blocking. |
| "disassembly" / "teardown" | Hobbyist or repair queries. |
Home and Garden Negatives
Home improvement and garden product campaigns attract heavy DIY traffic. These negatives separate buyers from builders.
| Negative Keyword (Phrase Match) | Why Block It |
|---|---|
| "plans" / "blueprints" | Looking for building plans, not finished products. |
| "how to install" | DIY installation, may not need to buy product. Test carefully. |
| "contractor" / "installer" | Looking for a service provider, not a product. |
| "permit" | Building permit queries, not product purchases. |
| "code" / "building code" | Compliance research, not shopping. |
| "native plants" / "invasive" | Ecological research, not product intent. |
| "identify" / "identification" | Plant or pest identification, not shopping. |
| "compost" / "composting" | DIY composting info. Keep if you sell composting products. |
| "zone map" / "growing zone" | USDA zone research, not product purchases. |
| "pest control" | Looking for pest control services, not products. Exception: if you sell pest products. |
| "near me" | Looking for local stores, not online e-commerce. Exception: if you have physical stores. |
Implementation Guide
Here is how to add these negative keywords to your Google Ads account efficiently.
Setup Checklist
- Create Shared Lists. Go to Tools > Shared Library > Negative Keyword Lists. Create three lists: "Universal Negatives," "Industry-Specific Negatives," and "Competitor Negatives." This lets you apply the same negatives across multiple campaigns without duplicating work.
- Apply to Campaigns. Select all Search campaigns, then apply the Universal list. Apply industry-specific lists to relevant campaigns only. Apply the Competitor list based on your competitor bidding strategy.
- Set Up Automated Rules. Create a weekly reminder in Google Ads to review your search terms report. Sort by cost descending. Add any new irrelevant terms to your negative lists. This 15-minute weekly habit saves thousands in wasted spend.
- Monitor for Over-Negation. After adding negatives, check your impression share and click volume for the next 7 days. If impressions drop more than 20%, review your negatives for accidental blocks. Common culprits: broad match negatives with common words.
- Shopping Campaign Note. Shopping campaigns only support negative keywords at the campaign level, not the ad group level. Apply the Universal list to all Shopping campaigns. For more granular control, use campaign priority settings and negative keywords to funnel traffic between Shopping campaigns.
FragFlex
FragFlex reduced CPC by 28% through systematic negative keyword management, directly contributing to a 17% ROAS improvement.
Do Not Blindly Copy-Paste
Every e-commerce business is different. A term that is irrelevant for one store might be a top converter for another. "Free" is a negative for most, but "free shipping" queries are gold. "Used" should be blocked unless you sell refurbished products. Always review each term against your specific business model before adding it. When in doubt, add it as phrase match (not broad match) to minimize the risk of over-negation.
Methodology & Sources
This negative keyword list is compiled from analyzing common search term report patterns across e-commerce Google Ads accounts. Terms are ranked by frequency and wasted spend impact. Updated quarterly to reflect new search patterns.
- Google, "About negative keywords," Google Ads Help, ongoing
- WordStream, "Negative Keywords: The Complete Guide," 2024
- Google, "Search terms report best practices," 2024
- LOCALiQ, "E-commerce Google Ads Benchmarks," 2024
- Optmyzr, "Negative Keyword Management Best Practices," 2024
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no magic number, but most well-optimized e-commerce accounts have 200 to 500 negative keywords across campaign and ad group levels. Start with the universal list (50 to 80 terms), then add category-specific terms, then review your search terms report weekly to add new ones. The goal is not a specific count. The goal is eliminating every irrelevant query that wastes budget.
Use shared negative keyword lists for universal terms that apply to all campaigns (job seekers, DIY, free). Add campaign-level negatives for terms specific to that campaign. Add ad-group-level negatives when you need to separate intent between ad groups. Shared lists are easier to maintain but campaign-level negatives give you more control.
Negative broad match (default) blocks your ad when all the negative keyword terms are present in the search, in any order. Negative phrase match blocks when the exact phrase appears in the search. Negative exact match only blocks the exact search term. For most negatives, use phrase match. It is the safest option. Broad match negatives can accidentally block valid queries if you are not careful.
Weekly for the first 3 months of a campaign, then biweekly once performance stabilizes. For high-spend accounts (over $10,000 per month), stick with weekly reviews permanently. Every time you review, sort by cost descending. The most expensive irrelevant terms are your highest-priority negatives. Also look for patterns (all queries containing "DIY" or "free") rather than adding one term at a time.
Yes, if you are too aggressive. Over-negating can restrict your reach and block valid converting queries. The most common mistake is adding broad match negatives for common words. For example, adding "free" as a broad match negative would block "free shipping," which is a high-intent e-commerce query. Always use phrase or exact match for negatives, and review your blocked terms periodically to catch over-negation.
Only if you are NOT running competitor conquest campaigns. If you do not want to show up for competitor searches (because you do not have a comparison landing page), add their brand names as phrase match negatives. But many e-commerce brands intentionally bid on competitor terms with comparison messaging. Decide your strategy first, then negate accordingly.