Tracking & Marketing
Glossary
From A like Ad Blocker to W like Webhook-Only Mode: All important terms around Server-Side Tracking, Conversion APIs and data protection clearly explained.
A
Ad Blocker
Software or browser extension that blocks advertisements and tracking scripts on websites. Ad blockers frequently prevent client-side tracking pixels from sending data to platforms like Meta or Google. Server-side tracking bypasses this problem as data is transmitted directly from the server.
AddPaymentInfo
E-commerce event triggered when a customer enters payment information during checkout. AddPaymentInfo signals very high purchase intent and is used by platforms to optimize for purchase-ready users.
AddToCart
Standard e-commerce event triggered when a visitor adds a product to the cart. AddToCart is an important funnel event for retargeting and is supported by all major advertising platforms. Reliable capture of this event significantly improves audience optimization.
AddToWishlist
Event triggered when a visitor adds a product to a wishlist. AddToWishlist indicates purchase interest and is used by advertising platforms for retargeting and lookalike audiences.
Ad Spend
Total expenditure on paid advertising across one or more platforms. Ad spend is the foundation for ROAS calculation. In the context of server-side tracking, actual ad spend is imported via platform APIs instead of relying on estimated values.
Agency Capabilities
14 granular permissions with which a shop owner can delegate individual tasks to an agency owner. Examples: view_analytics (read stats, mandatory), manage_platforms (platform credentials), manage_tracking_settings (tracking settings), manage_audiences (audience sync), manage_reports (reports), download_data (export), upload_data (bulk import), access_debug (debug console). Each capability can be enabled individually — the shop owner retains full control.
Agency Membership
Contractual relationship between an Enterprise owner shop and a target shop, by which the owner may manage the target shop in an impersonation context. The link is only created after active consent from the target shop owner through a two-step opt-in flow. Each agency membership has a link type (AGENCY_MANAGED or SELF_OWNED) and a selection of delegated capabilities from 14 options.
Attribution
Assignment of a conversion (e.g. purchase) to a specific marketing touchpoint or channel. Attribution models determine which ad or click led the customer to purchase. Precise tracking is the foundation for reliable attribution and thus for the correct evaluation of ad spend.
Attribution Window / Lookback Window
Time frame after an ad click within which a conversion can be attributed to the click. Windows vary per platform: Meta CAPI 7 days click / 1 day view, Google Ads up to 90 days, Microsoft Ads goal-based (default 30 days), TikTok 180/28 days, Snapchat 7 days, LinkedIn 90 days, Pinterest 30 days. Offline closures outside the window are discarded platform-side.
Audience Sync
Automatic synchronization of customer segments with advertising platforms. Through Audience Sync, buyer lists can be transferred as Custom Audiences to Meta, as Customer Match to Google Ads, as Custom Audiences to TikTok, or as Customer Lists to Pinterest. Only SHA-256 hashed identifiers are transmitted.
Agency Link Types
Two link types between owner and target shop: AGENCY_MANAGED (the owner is a legally separate service provider managing a third-party shop — counts as a further recipient under Art. 4(9) GDPR, not a sub-processor but an independent ShopiPixel customer; legal basis for the data sharing is the shop owner's consent under Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR, disclosed in DPA §12) and SELF_OWNED (both stores belong to the same controller, e.g. multiple Shopify stores of the same company). The shop owner actively selects the type in the consent flow.
C
Cart Abandonment Rate
Percentage of shopping carts that are abandoned without completing a purchase. In e-commerce, the average cart abandonment rate is 70-80%. Analyzing this rate helps identify problems in the checkout process and improve conversion rates.
Checkout
E-commerce event that marks the beginning of the payment process. The checkout event signals high purchase intent and is used by advertising platforms to optimize campaigns for purchase-ready users. Together with Purchase, it forms the bottom of the conversion funnel.
Click ID
Unique identifier appended to URLs by advertising platforms when a user clicks an ad. Click IDs enable precise attribution of conversions to ad clicks. Each platform uses its own parameters: fbclid (Meta), gclid (Google), ttclid (TikTok), msclkid (Microsoft), epik (Pinterest), scid (Snapchat), li_fat_id (LinkedIn).
Click-ID Matching
Attribution of an offline conversion to a specific ad click via the click-ID parameter appended to the URL when a user clicks an ad. ShopiPixel supports nine click-IDs: gclid and gbraid/wbraid (Google Ads), fbclid (Meta), msclkid (Microsoft Ads), ttclid (TikTok), epik (Pinterest), scid (Snapchat), and liFatId/li_fat_id (LinkedIn). Matching happens platform-side against the click history index.
Cohort Analysis
Analysis method that groups customers by the period of their first purchase. By comparing different cohorts, trends in repurchase rates, lifetime value and customer retention can be identified. A retention heatmap visualizes how well different cohorts are retained over time.
CompleteRegistration
Event triggered upon completion of a registration, such as account creation or newsletter signup. CompleteRegistration is used by advertising platforms to optimize for registration-ready users.
Consent Dashboard
Overview of your store visitors' consent rates. Shows the percentage of visitors who have granted analytics and marketing consent. Important for GDPR reporting and to optimize your Consent Management Platform (CMP) configuration.
Consent Flow (Agency)
Two-step opt-in process for agency links. Step 1: the Enterprise owner invites a target shop and proposes the link type. Step 2: the shop owner opens the in-app dialog, sees all details (shared data, link type, owner identity) and individually selects from 14 permissions. The link is only created upon active confirmation. The legal basis is consent under Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR; the process satisfies the requirements of Art. 7 GDPR (freely given, informed, unambiguous, demonstrable) and is recorded pursuant to Art. 7(1) GDPR.
Consent Mode
Technical framework by Google that controls the behavior of Google Tags based on the user's cookie consent. In Consent Mode v2, anonymized pings are sent without consent, which Google uses for conversion modeling. Server-side tracking respects Consent Mode and processes events accordingly.
Contact
Event triggered when a customer reaches out via a contact form, phone or chat. Contact events help advertising platforms optimize for contact-ready leads.
Conversion Action (Google Ads)
Google Ads configuration that specifies which event type (Purchase, Lead, Signup) counts as a conversion, which attribution window applies (default 30 days), and whether Include-in-Conversions is active. Offline deals are assigned to a specific Conversion Action via resource name (customers/{id}/conversionActions/{id}).
Conversion API (CAPI)
Server-side interface of advertising platforms (e.g. Meta Conversions API, TikTok Events API) through which conversion events are sent directly from the server to the platform. Unlike pixel tracking, CAPI is not affected by browser restrictions, ad blockers or cookie restrictions and delivers significantly more reliable data.
Conversion Goal
A defined goal in an advertising platform representing a desired user action (e.g. purchase, lead, newsletter signup). Conversion goals must be created and configured in the respective platform before server-side events can be attributed to them. In Google Ads they're called 'Conversion Actions', in Microsoft Ads 'Conversion Goals', in LinkedIn 'Conversion Rules'.
Conversion Rate
Percentage of visitors who complete a desired action (e.g. purchase). A conversion rate of 3% means 3 out of 100 visitors make a purchase. In e-commerce, the conversion rate is one of the most important KPIs and only becomes accurately measurable through precise tracking.
Cookie Consent
Consent mechanism where website visitors must actively agree before cookies are set or tracking data is collected. Cookie consent is mandated in the EU by the GDPR and ePrivacy Directive. Without consent, only technically necessary cookies may be used.
Creative Analytics
Analysis method that evaluates ad performance at the creative level (image, video, copy). Rather than just looking at campaign performance, Creative Analytics shows which specific ad variations deliver the best results. Combined with server-side tracking, the data is based on real conversions rather than estimated platform metrics.
Custom Domain Tracking
Tracking method where events are sent via your own subdomain (e.g. track.your-store.com) instead of the tracking provider's domain. By using your own domain, cookies are treated as first-party, which improves attribution and bypasses browser restrictions against third-party cookies.
Custom Events
User-defined event types that go beyond standard e-commerce events. Custom events can be defined with custom names and per-platform mapping. Maximum 20 per store, available from the Enterprise plan. Snapchat allows a maximum of 5 custom events.
Custom Webhook
Custom HTTP endpoint to which events are automatically sent when certain actions occur. Custom webhooks enable integration with any external systems such as CRMs, email marketing tools or custom databases. They extend tracking beyond standard platforms.
Customer Journey
The complete path of a customer from first contact to purchase and beyond. In e-commerce, the customer journey encompasses typical touchpoints like PageView, ViewContent, AddToCart, InitiateCheckout and Purchase. Analyzing the customer journey helps identify drop-off points and optimize the conversion funnel.
D
DPA (Data Processing Agreement)
Contract pursuant to Art. 28 GDPR between a controller and a processor. The DPA governs how personal data is processed, what security measures apply and what rights and obligations both parties have. A DPA with the tracking provider is mandatory for GDPR-compliant tracking.
Data Layer
Structured JavaScript object on a website that provides information for tracking systems. The data layer serves as a central data interface between the website and tag management. It typically contains e-commerce data such as product information, cart values and user interactions.
Data Warehouse
Central data repository that consolidates data from various sources and makes it available for analysis. In the e-commerce context, tracking data, order data and ad spend are unified in a data warehouse. ShopiPixel supports export to data warehouses via webhook, SFTP or download.
Deduplication
Process of detecting and removing duplicate events so that a conversion is only counted once. With parallel client and server-side tracking, deduplication is crucial to avoid skewed data. Events are matched using unique IDs and time windows.
E
Enhanced Conversions
Matching technique where ad platforms attribute conversions to user profiles using hashed contact data (SHA256 of email, phone) — even when no click ID is available. ShopiPixel sends Enhanced Conversions to Microsoft Ads (via the Offline Conversions API) and Google Ads. The benefit: significantly more matched conversions for direct visits, organic traffic or cookieless browsers. Plain-text PII is never transmitted.
Enhanced Match
Contact-based matching via hashed email or phone number when no click-ID is available. ShopiPixel hashes contact data using SHA-256 before transmitting it to the platform — plaintext never leaves the server. Enhanced Match especially boosts attribution rates for deals that close long after the ad click or when the customer switched devices.
Event Configuration
Per-platform event toggles using an opt-out pattern: By default, all events are sent to all configured platforms. Through event configuration, individual events can be selectively disabled per platform. Available from the Growth plan.
Event Latency
The time span between an event occurring (e.g. a purchase in the store) and its successful receipt by the advertising platform. Low latency is crucial for correct attribution, as many platforms have attribution windows of 1-7 days. ShopiPixel measures average and peak latency per platform.
Event Match Quality
Metric that evaluates how well server events can be matched to a specific user on an advertising platform. Each platform (Meta, Google, TikTok etc.) weighs different identifiers — e.g. email, phone, click IDs and browser cookies. The more relevant parameters are sent, the higher the Event Match Quality. ShopiPixel displays the EMQ score per platform.
Event Trigger
Five-step wizard in the ShopiPixel dashboard for configuring no-code custom events. The wizard covers: event name, trigger type (webhook, Shopify Flow, API call), Platform Event Picker per active platform, payload mapping, and plan validation. Available on the Enterprise plan.
F
fbclid
Facebook Click Identifier - a URL parameter that Meta appends to outgoing ad clicks. The fbclid enables precise attribution of website conversions to a specific Facebook or Instagram ad. Server-side tracking ensures that the fbclid is reliably forwarded to the Conversions API.
First-Party Cookies
Cookies set by the visited website itself (same domain). First-party cookies are less affected by browser restrictions than third-party cookies and are limited by Safari to a maximum of 7 days (with ITP) or 24 hours (with redirect tracking). They are the foundation for reliable user tracking.
G
GDPR
The General Data Protection Regulation is the central EU data protection law that has been in effect since May 2018. It governs the processing of personal data and gives data subjects extensive rights (access, deletion, objection). For tracking, the GDPR means: obtain consent, minimize data, conclude a DPA and document transparently.
gclid
Google Click Identifier - a URL parameter that Google Ads appends to ad clicks. The gclid connects website conversions with the respective Google Ads campaign and ad group. For Enhanced Conversions and precise attribution, passing the gclid to the server-side API is essential.
H
Headless Commerce SDK
Software development kit for Shopify stores with headless architecture (e.g. Hydrogen, Next.js, custom storefronts). The SDK enables server-to-server event delivery without dependency on the Shopify Web Pixel and uses a standardized data layer format for all supported platforms.
I
Impersonation Context
Technical mode in which an agency owner performs actions on behalf of a linked shop. The owner only sees and manages data within the delegated permissions. Every action is logged in the target shop's audit log with a reference to the owner — fully traceable. The target shop remains technically isolated: own encryption keys, own credentials, own events.
Incrementality Testing
Method for measuring incremental advertising impact by comparing test and control periods. Incrementality testing distinguishes organic from ad-driven conversions and shows the actual added value each platform delivers.
iOS 14 ATT
App Tracking Transparency - Apple's privacy framework that requires explicit user consent before apps can track across devices since iOS 14.5. ATT has significantly reduced the effectiveness of Facebook advertising and other app-based platforms. Server-side tracking can compensate for part of the lost data.
K
Klaviyo
Email and SMS marketing platform for e-commerce, frequently used by Shopify stores. Through server-side tracking, conversion events can be sent directly to the Klaviyo API to enrich customer profiles, build segments and trigger automated marketing flows — without dependency on browser scripts.
L
Lead
Event marking a qualified prospect, e.g. after submitting a form or inquiry. Lead events are used by advertising platforms to optimize campaigns for valuable contacts.
LeadCapture
ShopiPixel data model that captures forms, landing pages, or call-center entries before a deal closes. A LeadCapture stores click-IDs, UTM parameters, and hashed contact data with opt-in. If an offline deal closes later, ShopiPixel matches the LeadCapture and reconstructs the attribution chain.
LinkedIn Conversions API
Server-side interface from LinkedIn for conversion tracking. Through the Conversions API, events are sent directly from the server to LinkedIn, independent of the Insight Tag in the browser. Supports standard e-commerce events and requires a conversion rule of type 'Conversions API'.
LTV (Customer Lifetime Value)
The total revenue a customer generates over their entire relationship with the store. LTV is a key metric for evaluating acquisition costs and marketing ROI. An LTV of $200 with acquisition costs of $50 means each acquired customer brings $150 in long-term profit.
M
Marketing Mix Modelling (MMM)
Statistical method for analyzing how different marketing channels interact. MMM uses historical data to quantify each channel's contribution to total revenue — independent of click-based attribution. It accounts for external factors like seasonality and enables budget simulations.
Markov Chain Attribution
Data-driven attribution model based on transition probabilities between marketing touchpoints. Unlike rule-based models (Last Click, First Click), Markov chain automatically calculates weighting from real data. The removal effect shows how removing a channel would affect overall conversions.
Measurement Protocol
Server-side API from Google Analytics 4 (GA4) through which events can be sent directly from the server to GA4 without using the browser client. The Measurement Protocol is Google's counterpart to Meta's Conversions API and enables reliable tracking even with ad blockers or restricted cookies. ShopiPixel sends events via the Measurement Protocol with automatic session ID attribution and geo-attribution.
Microsoft Ads UET
Universal Event Tracking (UET) is the JavaScript tag of Microsoft Ads (formerly Bing Ads) for browser-side events and remarketing lists. ShopiPixel loads the UET Tag via the Shopify Web Pixel and sends PageView, View, AddToCart and Checkout events. Purchase events are instead sent server-side via the Offline Conversions API to bypass ad blockers and browser restrictions.
msclkid
Microsoft Click Identifier — URL parameter that Microsoft Ads appends to destination URLs when a user clicks a Microsoft or Bing ad. ShopiPixel automatically extracts the msclkid from the URL and stores it in a cookie. On a later purchase, the msclkid is sent via the Offline Conversions API to attribute the conversion to the original click.
Multi-Store Management
Functionality for managing up to 3 linked stores from a central dashboard (Enterprise plan). Every link is created through a two-step opt-in based on the shop owner's consent under Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR: the owner invites, the shop owner confirms in the in-app dialog and individually selects from 14 permissions. Events of linked stores count toward the shared owner quota (100K). Strict data isolation between all managed stores, right of withdrawal at any time under Art. 7(3) GDPR.
O
Offline Conversions API
Official server-side API of Microsoft Ads for importing conversions server-side after Shopify webhook processing. Uses OAuth authentication plus a Developer Token and is available for every Microsoft Ads customer — no pilot access required. The API supports msclkid-based matching and Enhanced Conversions via SHA256-hashed email and phone values. Latency is minutes instead of seconds, functionally equivalent to CAPI for attribution and Smart Bidding.
Offline Conversion Tracking
Reporting conversions to ad platforms that did NOT occur directly in the customer's browser. ShopiPixel forwards offline closures (phone, email) via platform-specific offline APIs: Google Ads UploadClickConversions, Microsoft Ads OfflineConversions, Meta CAPI with action_source=offline, TikTok Offline Event Sets, LinkedIn Conversions API, Snapchat CAPI, Pinterest offline events, Klaviyo lifecycle events.
Offline Deal
A sale or customer closure that happens outside the online store — typically via phone, email, video call, or in a brick-and-mortar location. ShopiPixel captures these B2B deals and reports them as offline conversions to all ten ad platforms so attribution and campaign optimization include offline revenue.
Offline Event Set (TikTok)
Container for offline conversions within TikTok Events API v1.3. Each shop links an Event Set with its advertiser account; ShopiPixel reports offline deals with event_source=offline against this set. TikTok's attribution window is 180 days view-through and 28 days click-through.
P
PageView
Fundamental tracking event triggered on every page load. PageView is the most common event and forms the basis for all further analyses such as visitor numbers, traffic sources and user behavior. In e-commerce, the PageView is the top of the conversion funnel.
PII Hashing
Process where personally identifiable information (PII) such as email addresses or phone numbers are cryptographically hashed before transmission to advertising platforms. PII hashing is a privacy-friendly approach: platforms can use the data for matching without knowing the original data.
Pinterest Conversions API
Server-side interface from Pinterest for conversion tracking. Through the Conversions API, events are sent directly from the server to Pinterest, parallel to the Pinterest Tag. Supports all standard e-commerce events and uses the epik click identifier for attribution.
Pixel Tracking
Classic client-side tracking using JavaScript code (pixel) that runs in the visitor's browser. Pixel tracking is becoming increasingly unreliable due to ad blockers, browser restrictions (ITP, ETP) and missing cookie consent. Industry estimates suggest data losses of 30-40%.
Platform Event Picker
Dashboard component in the Custom Event wizard that offers each platform's official event codes for selection (e.g., Meta standard and custom events, Google Ads conversion actions, TikTok event types). Instead of typing free text, you click the matching event code per platform — ShopiPixel checks plan limits, compatibility, and validates the mapping server-side.
Purchase
The most important e-commerce event signaling a completed purchase. The purchase event typically contains order value, currency, products and transaction ID. It is the foundation for ROAS calculation, conversion optimization and revenue attribution across all advertising platforms.
R
Refund
Event signaling a refund. Refund events are sent to advertising platforms to correctly adjust conversion data and improve ROAS calculation accuracy.
RemoveFromCart
Event triggered when a visitor removes a product from the cart. RemoveFromCart helps analyze cart abandonment and is used for checkout funnel optimization.
ROAS
Return on Ad Spend - metric measuring revenue per advertising dollar spent. A ROAS of 5 means that $1 of ad spend generated $5 in revenue. Precise conversion tracking is the prerequisite for reliable ROAS calculation and thus for optimizing advertising budgets.
Right of Withdrawal (Art. 7(3) GDPR)
The shop owner can end an existing agency link at any time with a single click — without justification, immediately effective. After withdrawal, the agency owner no longer has access to the shop. Sub-stores paid exclusively through the agency link automatically fall back to the FREE plan. All previous actions of the agency owner remain traceable in the audit log.
S
Search
Event triggered during a product search in the store. Search events provide valuable data about customer interests and are used by advertising platforms to optimize search campaigns.
Server-Side GTM
Server-side variant of Google Tag Manager that executes tags on a server instead of in the browser. Server-side GTM requires its own cloud infrastructure (usually Google Cloud) and technical know-how. Specialized tracking solutions offer comparable functionality without the effort of a dedicated server-GTM instance.
Server-Side Tracking
Tracking method where conversion events are sent directly from the server to advertising platforms instead of from the user's browser. Server-side tracking is independent of ad blockers, browser restrictions and cookie limitations. It delivers more reliable data and higher Event Match Quality than pure pixel tracking.
SFTP Export
Secure file delivery via the SSH File Transfer Protocol. SFTP export is a common method for automatically transferring tracking data to a data warehouse or analysis server. Unlike HTTP webhooks, SFTP is particularly suited for large data volumes and regular batch transfers.
Shopify Flow Action
Native integration with Shopify's automation editor Shopify Flow (requires Shopify Plus). ShopiPixel appears as a Custom Action directly in the Flow editor: pick a trigger (new order, customer action), configure the Custom Event to send, and Shopify Flow forwards the event to all active ad platforms on every firing.
Snapchat Conversions API
Server-side interface from Snapchat for conversion tracking. Through the Conversions API, events are sent directly from the server to Snapchat, parallel to the Snap Pixel. Supports standard e-commerce events and uses the ScCid click identifier for attribution. Maximum 5 custom events allowed.
Subscribe
Event triggered upon newsletter or subscription signup. Subscribe events are primarily sent to Klaviyo to trigger marketing automations and segmentation.
T
Traffic Permissions (Domain Allowlist)
A filtering mechanism in advertising platforms like Meta that controls which domains can send browser-based pixel events. Traffic Permissions only affect client-side pixel tracking, not server-side CAPI events. Server-side events bypass this filter since they are sent directly from the server. Not to be confused with API permissions or token scopes.
Tester Mode
Free full access to all ShopiPixel features and platforms by invitation. Can be terminated by ShopiPixel at any time (§ 4.13 Terms of Service).
Token Expiry
Some platform APIs (e.g. Pinterest, LinkedIn) use access tokens with limited validity. Pinterest tokens expire after 30 days, LinkedIn tokens after 60 days. ShopiPixel proactively warns you via email and shows the expiry status in settings so you can renew the token in time.
Third-Party Cookies
Cookies set by a domain other than the visited website. Safari has blocked third-party cookies by default since 2020, Firefox likewise. Google scaled back the planned full deprecation in Chrome and instead offers a user choice option (IP Protection) since 2025. Regardless, server-side tracking remains the most reliable method for conversion tracking.
TikTok Events API
TikTok's server-to-server API for conversion tracking. Through the Events API, conversion events can be sent directly from the server to TikTok, parallel to the TikTok Pixel. The API supports all standard e-commerce events and enables more precise attribution than using the browser pixel alone.
ttclid
TikTok Click Identifier - a URL parameter that TikTok appends to ad clicks. The ttclid enables attribution of website conversions to TikTok ad campaigns. For the TikTok Events API, passing the ttclid together with the ttp cookie is crucial for precise conversion tracking.
U
UET (Universal Event Tracking)
Microsoft Ads tracking system consisting of the UET JavaScript Tag in the browser (PageView, remarketing) and the Offline Conversions API for server-side purchase events. ShopiPixel connects to Microsoft Ads via OAuth, reads the UET Tag automatically and provisions the matching Conversion Goal.
UET Tag
Microsoft Universal Event Tracking Tag: JavaScript snippet created in ads.microsoft.com with a numeric tag ID. Responsible for browser events (PageView, ViewContent, AddToCart, InitiateCheckout) and sets the MUID cookie for remarketing. After OAuth login, ShopiPixel automatically reads available UET Tags and links them to the Conversion Goal.
V
ViewCart
Event triggered when a visitor views the cart page. ViewCart is an important funnel step between AddToCart and Checkout and is used for retargeting campaigns.
ViewContent
Event triggered when viewing a product detail page. ViewContent signals purchase interest and is used by advertising platforms for dynamic retargeting and product recommendations.
W
Webhook Mapping
Configuration for the Custom Webhook platform: defines which fields from the event payload (orderId, customerEmail, value, currency, items) are written in which format to the outgoing webhook. Supports HMAC signatures, custom headers, and retry logic with exponential backoff.
Webhook-Only Mode
Tracking mode where events are captured exclusively via Shopify server webhooks, without a Web Pixel in the browser. Advantage: Maximum privacy-friendliness, no browser JavaScript required. Limitation: Cart events (AddToCart) contain no customer data on Shopify and cannot be matched by Meta. Purchase and checkout events work without restrictions with full customer data.
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