Which numbers should I trust: Shopify, Meta or Google?
Short answer
Trust Shopify for how many sales you made and how much money came in, because it records actual orders. Use each ad platform only to compare its own ads with each other, because each one credits itself for sales other channels also influenced.
Why it happens
- Every platform claims the sale. Meta, Google and TikTok each count sales they can link to their own ads, so their totals add up to more than your orders.
- Different windows. Each platform uses its own attribution window and counts views differently.
- Different days. Ad platforms date the sale to the ad; Shopify dates it to the order.
How to fix it
- Set one source of truthUse Shopify orders (Online Store, no test or cancelled orders) for revenue and profit decisions.
- Tag every adAdd UTM parameters to every ad so Shopify can show which orders came from which platform.
- Judge spend against real ordersDivide each platform’s spend by the Shopify orders that came from it to get cost per real order.
- Watch the gap, not the totalsTrack each platform’s reported purchases against its Shopify orders weekly. A sudden change in the gap is the alarm.
Check it worked
Your weekly report should show, per platform, spend, reported purchases, Shopify orders from that platform and cost per real order.
Common questions
Why do Meta and Google add up to more than my orders?
Both can claim the same order when a shopper saw or clicked ads on both before buying.
Is a high ROAS enough to scale?
Only if it holds when you use Shopify orders and your real margins. Reported ROAS can be high while the ad loses money.
What is the difference between attributed and verified sales?
Attributed sales are the ones an ad platform credits to its ads under its own rules. Verified sales are actual Shopify orders you can match to that platform's traffic. Attributed sales are usually higher, because platforms count view-throughs and sales other channels also claim.
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