Shopify says a sale came from Facebook. GA4 reports it as direct. Google Ads takes credit too. These kinds of mismatches are common—and they can make marketing decisions harder for many Shopify merchants.
Each platform measures attribution differently, which leads to confusion, inconsistent reporting, and lost trust in performance data.
Why Attribution Often Conflicts
- Shopify uses last-touch attribution and stores source data in the order
- GA4 uses session-based, blended attribution—impacted by cookies and modeling
- Google & Meta Ads rely on click IDs stored in browser cookies with unique attribution windows
Add cookie restrictions, device switching, and ad blockers—and the same order may appear differently across reports.
How Analyzify Helps
Analyzify solves this by collecting attribution data at the cart level —the moment when users add items to their cart. This includes:
- UTM parameters
- Google Click ID (GCLID)
- Facebook Click ID (FBCID)
- Referrer and session data
This data is stored in Shopify (not just in browser cookies) and tied directly to the final order—even if the purchase happens later or on another device.
Analyzify then passes this information to GA4, Google Ads, and Meta through server-side tracking , improving attribution across all platforms.
Benefits of Consistent Attribution
- Clear, unified reports across platforms
- Better insights into which channels drive sales
- More accurate ad performance data
- Stronger tracking, even with privacy updates and browser changes
Where to Access Attribution Data
- Inside Shopify : Attribution source is shown directly in the order details
- Inside Analyzify : Marketing and attribution reports highlight top sources, campaign performance, and conversion paths
Want to learn about conflicting attribution data further? Make sure to read our guide on Analyzify hub.
