1/25/2025

Shopify Analytics: Fixing Session Tracking Issues in Europe

Running a successful eCommerce business on Shopify relies heavily on understanding customer behaviors through analytics. But what happens when you notice a significant drop in your session tracking? This issue has become increasingly prevalent amongst Shopify users in Europe, as privacy regulations tighten and updates roll out.

The Case of Inaccurate Session Tracking

Recent discussions on Shopify Community reveal many merchants frustrated by their analytics not capturing sessions as they should. Take, for example, a user who noticed that their analytics showed just 5 sessions in a day, despite checking their site from multiple devices and incognito modes.

So, why does this happen? The answer often ties back to one thing: compliance with privacy regulations such as GDPR and PECR.

Since the implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe, eCommerce platforms have had to adapt their data collection methods dramatically. The regulations require that businesses collect consent from users before tracking their data, directly impacting tools like Google Analytics. If users opt-out, the tracking becomes ineffective, which can lead to drastic inaccuracies in session data. Some merchants reported drops of as much as 93% in one day! You can read more about one such case in this discussion.

Shopify analytics, like many other tools, needs to comply with GDPR. This means that:

Users in Europe must be given the option to consent to cookies and tracking.
If users deny consent, those sessions will not show up in your analytics.
Shopify is proactively working to ensure that merchants understand how to collect these consents correctly.

Recent discussions revealed that many merchants weren't even aware they had to enable cookie consent banners to collect data. Shopify's help center provides detailed guidance on properly configuring these settings to conform to privacy laws.

Diagnosing Your Session Tracking Issues

To diagnose if your session tracking issue is indeed due to cookies & consent settings, here’s a simple checklist you can follow:

Check Your Cookie Banner:
- Is your cookie consent banner active?
- Are users able to accept or deny tracking?
Review Consent Records:
- Are you capturing the responses accurately?
- Ensure your analytics are linked correctly to reflect these choices.
Test Across Various Devices:
- Regularly test the site in incognito and different browsers to see if sessions are recorded accurately.
Consult Analytics Tools:
- Compare Shopify analytics to other tools like Google Analytics to see discrepancies.

Community Support and Solutions

Merchants facing these issues have shared solutions and fixes within the Shopify community. A user named emekayode reported their successful resolution by discovering they hadn’t enabled the cookies banner, leading to consent issues. Here’s what they did:

Reviewed privacy settings in the Shopify dashboard.
Ensured that cookie preferences were clear and functional.
Enabled the cookies banner, resulting in a significant uptick in session numbers.

Leveraging Third-Party Apps for Better Analytics

For many Shopify store owners, using third-party apps to enhance their analytics can be beneficial. The Propel Replay & Session Record app allows you to see how users interact on your store, providing insight even without logged-in users. Features include:

Session Recordings: Watch recorded sessions of your visitors to understand their behavior better.
Heatmaps: Visualize where customers are clicking and spending most of their time on your site.
Surveys: Collect direct feedback from your shoppers.

By combining insights from multiple data sources, you can gain a clear picture of how changes in consent laws are impacting your tracking. This is crucial for marketing strategy development and improving user engagement.

Addressing Data Privacy & Retaining Analytics Accuracy

As technology advances, businesses must find a balance between data-driven decisions & consumer privacy. Ensuring your Shopify store complies with privacy regulations not only protects your business but also builds trust with your customers. Remember:

Educate your customers on what data you collect & why it's beneficial for them.
Regularly update your privacy policies to reflect any new changes in tracking technologies.

Promoting Arsturn: Elevate Your Engagement!

While dealing with session tracking issues can be a challenging time for Shopify merchants, there’s a brighter side to utilizing advanced tools for engagement alongside analytics. Enter Arsturn.

Arsturn provides you the ability to instantly create custom ChatGPT chatbots for your website, boosting engagement & conversions like never before. Imagine having an AI-powered chatbot that can interact with your customers in real-time, answering their questions & providing them with personalized recommendations based on their browsing behavior. Here’s what Arsturn brings to the table:

Effortless no-code AI chatbot builder: Create powerful chatbots that reflect your brand without needing technical skills.
Instant responses & insightful analytics: Understand your audience deeply with advanced analytics.
Full customization: Tailor the chatbot to reflect your business needs perfectly.

By incorporating Arsturn's chatbots into your strategy, you ensure you're meeting customer needs in a compliant & engaging manner. This kind of proactive communication can help offset some of the consequences of session tracking drop-offs.

Moving Forward

The challenges posed by GDPR compliance can be daunting, especially for eCommerce store owners trying to track user behaviors accurately. By staying informed of compliance obligations, actively engaging with your audience through tools like Arsturn, and resolving tracking issues methodically, you can navigate these complexities successfully and build a resilient online store. Remember, a proactive approach will always serve you better than a reactive one, so keep your analytics in check and adopt innovative solutions to engage your audience effectively!

For further insights and tools to enhance your store, don’t forget to explore more at Arsturn today!