Is it possible to track the originating source of my orders?

[BOB_BDLFC]

Is there a way directly within Shopify or through an app to keep track of the originating source of my orders? For example, I'd like to know if an order came from one our email campaigns and if so, which one. Similarly, I'd like to know if an order came from an external site.

We currently have a two other websites, not related to Shopify, where users can order our products. We're considering Shopify so we have more direct control over the e-commerce component without having to engage with a developer every time we need to make a change. Currently we can embed a code in a link (from one of our sites or from an email promotion); our existing e-commerce sites can parse out that 'tracking code' and tell me where the order originated from (e.g. tracking code: EMB1 = email campaign 1; EMB2 = email campaign 2, WEB1 = main website; WEB2 = secondary website, etc.). Is this possible within Shopify or through use of a third-party app? 

I see in Shopify Analytics there is a 'Sessions by Traffic Source' report, but this is not what I need because: a) most sessions fall under the non-descript 'Direct' category (note: I don't know how this report works but it doesn't seem accurate to me as I know most of our traffic would've been generated from recent email campaigns); and b) I'm looking specifically for order source tracking not just sessions.

Thanks.

[KBetterReports]

Hi @BOB_BDLFC ,

Kritesh here from Better Reports support team.

I believe our app Better Reports may be able to help here. We can create a report showing the referring site of order (like google.com, email campaign url etc.) along with the landing page (the first URL that the visitor landed on).

If you are using UTM parameters to track marketing campaigns for effectiveness, Better Reports can report the orders based on these UTM parameters too (like EMB1, WEB1 etc.), as long as they are recorded by Shopify. Although this traffic data is recorded, Better Reports relies solely on Shopify's ability to accurately capture this data. As you observed in Shopify Analytics, it has been known to be different from other traffic tracking/analytics services like Google Analytics.

However, I encourage you to install Better Reports and start your free 14-day trial to see if it is an improvement over what you currently have, and I'll be happy to set this up for you. 

Let me know how you go and feel free to reach out if you have any further questions.

[hennott]

Okay .. but this is just the "end of my story" to report the orders tagged by "abc". But this answers not how the orders will be "marked", "tagged" or what ever with "abc" via an link.

[BeProfit_App]

Hi @BOB_BDLFC ,

BeProfit Profit Tracker is what you're looking for. The app auto syncs with Facebook Ads and Google Ads (and many other ad platforms) and turns all of your marketing data into easy-to-understand charts & graphs. You had some great examples, but you don't need to do it on your own anymore, and you can toss the clunky spreadsheets.

The app does a lot, but most relevant to your questions is our newly added advanced feature that allows you to accurately attribute all of your UTMS. (Our support team will even help you attribute your UTMs if you have a lot). So, if you're using UTMs you'll be able to identify the source of traffic from which platform they came in from down to the precise ad they clicked on.

The result is you'll be able to see:

• Amount spent
• Number of clicks
• Cost per click
• ROAS
• and Conversion rates

...for every ad platform, ad account, campaign, ad set, and per individual ad.

You really can drill all the way down into your data to get the most detailed insights possible.

Try BeProfit here. Let me know if you have any questions!

[hennott]

After many research and trouble shooting .. it´s easy.

Use the "?rel=key" in the URL, and change "key" by what you prefer.

After that I created an flow to simply add a tag with this to the order:

track-ref_{{order.customerJourneySummary.lastVisit.referralCode}}

Seems to work for me and is completely free.

[KalynBrooke]

Hi there, can you point me in the direction of what you mean when you said "Create a flow"

Is this in shopify? Where do I add this code? Thanks so much!

[Mujaida]

Hi Hennott,

Can u please specify the file name and all other details? please.

Kind Regards,

Mujaida

[hennott]

I had been looking for a way to tag each order depending on where the customer came from. I can now simply add a "?ref=sourcekey" to the URL. This ensures that a field is filled in Shopify when the order is placed in the conversation.

I have now created a flow in Shopify that is executed as soon as a new order is received. The lastVisit and firstVisit fields are searched via a few branches and a tag is then added to the order "ref_sourcekey". I can then use this to create simple reports.

[Mujaida]

Thank you.

[HayPLD22]

Hi, I am an amateur and would really love a step by step instruction guide to do this if you have the time? Kind regards, Hayley

[Mujaida]

Hi Hennott,

Can you please provide screenshots of what flow exactly you have created? also provide the details step by step 

where exactly the url is maintained?

[hennott]

[Mujaida]

Thanks A lot, I appreciate the effort you are putting to help people. Can u also provide the details of advanced query and the code written for each flow as well? 

[hennott]

At the beginning I just filter a little bit and this can be done much better: 

created_at:<='{{ scheduledAt }}' AND created_at:>'{{ scheduledAt | date_minus: "14 day" }}'

After that I check if there is an referral code from the last visit:

getOrderDataForeachitem.customerJourneySummary.lastVisit.referralCode

If yes .. I choose them to add an tag .. otherwise I check the referral code from the first visit

getOrderDataForeachitem.customerJourneySummary.firstVisit.referralCode

If yes .. I choose them to add an tag .. otherwise I do nothing

[Mujaida]

Thank you so much...

[Mujaida]

Hello Hennott, 

I tried the workflow as u suggested, but I'm unable to add order tag, im not sure what exactly im missing. i have attached screenshot, Can you please help me with this?

[Mujaida]

Hi Hennott,

I tried the solution give by you, at automatic trigger the lastVisit field is showing empty but if i manually trerun the flow then the value is filling up. I'm trying to figure it out but yet no progress. what is the procedure to troubleshoot workflow?

[hennott]

Hi .. there is NO good way to debug/troubleshoot with flow. I´m not a fan of such solutions. Maybe this behavior is caused by an asynchronous job behind. Maybe they write this property only after some other jobs and this is the reason. In my case the order is read multiple times by the flow .. not performance orientated, but flow as a graphical way is not a performance workhorse.

[Mujaida]

Thanks Hennott, for taking out time and replying to the queries. Earlier, I was not able to add order tag because I was trying to add workflow via marketing then, I installed flow app and  it worked(hope its not chargeable in future). Regarding rerun issue, as you suggested , I  added wait timer to load data completely before moving to next step lemme check