Web Pixels
Q: What are Shopify Web Pixels?
A: Web Pixels are Shopify’s modern tracking system. They run in a secure sandbox environment with access to customer events. Unlike legacy scripts, Web Pixels are officially supported and won’t be deprecated.
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Q: How are Web Pixels different from Additional Scripts?
A: Key differences:
| Feature | Additional Scripts | Web Pixels |
| Location | Thank You page only | All pages |
|---|---|---|
| Access | DOM, external scripts | Sandbox, limited APIs |
| Support | Being deprecated | Officially supported |
| Events | Purchase only | 13 customer events |
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Q: Can Web Pixels load external scripts like gtag.js?
A: No. Shopify’s sandbox restricts external script loading. TrackShift works around this by using server-side relays to send events to tracking platforms.
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Q: How do I verify Web Pixels are working?
A:
- Open your store in a new tab
- Press F12 → Network tab
- Filter by “telemetry”
- Browse and add items to cart
- You should see requests to TrackShift’s telemetry endpoint
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Server-Side Tracking
Q: What is server-side tracking (CAPI)?
A: Server-side tracking sends conversion events directly from your server to ad platforms, bypassing the customer’s browser. This improves data accuracy when browsers block traditional pixels.
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Q: Why is server-side tracking better?
A: Benefits include:
- Bypasses ad blockers
- Works despite iOS privacy restrictions
- Sends richer customer data
- More reliable data transmission
- Required for full functionality in some platforms
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Q: Do I need both browser and server-side tracking?
A: For best results, yes. Browser events provide real-time feedback. Server events provide reliability. TrackShift automatically deduplicates to prevent double-counting.
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Q: Are my API credentials secure?
A: Yes. All API credentials are encrypted with AES-256 before storage. They’re never exposed in client-side code or logs. Only our server accesses them to send events.
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Data & Privacy
Q: What data does TrackShift store?
A: We store:
- Shop domain and settings
- Tracking events (anonymized)
- Health metrics and reports
- API credentials (encrypted)
We do NOT store:
- Raw customer emails or phones
- Credit card information
- Full order details
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Q: How is customer data hashed?
A: TrackShift uses SHA256 hashing, the industry standard. Before sending to any ad platform:
Original: john@email.com
Hashed: e99a18c428cb38d5f260853678922e03...
The hash is one-way and can’t be reversed to reveal the original.
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Q: Is TrackShift GDPR compliant?
A: Yes. TrackShift:
- Integrates with Shopify’s Privacy API
- Supports Google Consent Mode v2
- Only tracks after consent is granted (configurable)
- Hashes all PII before transmission
- Provides GDPR webhook endpoints
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Q: Is TrackShift CCPA compliant?
A: Yes. TrackShift respects California Consumer Privacy Act requirements through Shopify’s privacy controls.
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Performance
Q: Does TrackShift affect my store’s speed?
A: No. Web Pixels run in a separate process and don’t block page rendering. Performance impact is negligible.
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Q: What’s the latency for event delivery?
A: Event timing:
- Browser events: Real-time (< 1 second)
- Server events: 1-5 seconds
- Event validation: 1-2 minutes in dashboard
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Q: How much data does TrackShift send?
A: Each event is approximately 1-2 KB. For a typical store with 1,000 monthly orders and average browsing, total monthly data is under 100 MB.
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Troubleshooting
Q: My ad platform shows fewer conversions than Shopify. Why?
A: Common causes:
- Consent decline (GDPR) – expected 10-30% difference
- Ad blockers – expected 5-15% difference
- Processing delay – wait 24-48 hours
- Timezone differences – align settings
See our troubleshooting guides for detailed solutions.
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Q: I see duplicate conversions. How do I fix it?
A: Duplicates usually mean multiple tracking methods are active. Audit your setup:
- Check Shopify native pixels (Settings → Customer events)
- Check Additional Scripts
- Check theme.liquid
- Check other tracking apps
Remove all duplicates, keeping only TrackShift.
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Q: Events appear in TrackShift but not in GA4/Meta. Why?
A: Possible causes:
- API credentials expired – regenerate and update
- Processing delay – wait 24-48 hours
- Consent mode – check if conversions are being modeled
- Test mode – ensure you’re not in sandbox mode
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