Hello i got unusual traffic to my store from 5 european cities (maybe data centers) i read a lot here about traffic from usa ( Council Bluffs) but i didnt find similiar case to mine. from wednesday i got 1 visits per 5 minute with 100% bounce rate and 0 second of session duration. it is always on homepage. did anybody face same problem ? how to avoid this traffic ? It looks like some kid of service which is pinging my homepage for every 5 minutes from 5 different countries…
Topic summary
A store owner is experiencing automated traffic from 5 European cities (possibly data centers) hitting their homepage every 5 minutes since Wednesday. The traffic shows 100% bounce rate and 0-second session duration, resembling ping monitoring bots rather than real visitors.
Recommended Solutions:
- IP Blocking: Use Shopify’s spam protection settings or apps like Traffic Guard to block suspicious IP addresses
- Bot Protection: Implement Cloudflare (free tier available) or Shopify apps like Shop Protector for anti-bot filtering
- Security Hardening: Enable CAPTCHA features for forms and logins in Shopify settings
- Analytics Filtering: Create filters in Google Analytics to exclude spam traffic with high bounce rates and 0-second sessions
- Monitoring: Use real-time reports to track if the traffic spreads beyond the homepage
Assessment: This appears to be automated availability monitoring rather than malicious traffic, though it skews analytics. The issue is manageable through third-party apps and Shopify’s built-in security features. If problems persist, contacting Shopify Support is recommended.
Hello @Suffokate I think your best option would be to make use of some bot blocking or maybe even location blocking third party apps for a while and then switch them off to see if the problems persists.
Hi @Suffokate
It sounds like your store is experiencing bot traffic or automated pings from data centers in European cities. This kind of traffic can skew your analytics and even stress your server if it grows over time. Don’t worry, though—this is a pretty common issue, and there are steps you can take to minimize or stop it.
1. Check and Block Suspicious IPs- Log into your Shopify Admin and go to Settings > Customer Privacy.
- Check your store logs (if you have access to server logs) or use an analytics tool like Google Analytics to identify the IP addresses behind this traffic.
- Use Shopify’s built-in IP blocking feature under Online Store > Preferences > Spam Protection or use an app like Traffic Guard to block unwanted IPs.
2. Enable Bot Protection- Consider using third-party apps like Cloudflare (for a free-tier protection) to add an extra layer of security. It allows you to filter traffic and block bots that don’t behave like real visitors.
- Some Shopify apps, such as Shop Protector, also offer anti-bot protection to help manage suspicious traffic.
3. Harden Your Store Security- Use Shopify’s captcha feature for forms and logins. You can enable it from Settings > Customer Accounts > CAPTCHA.
- Make sure you’ve turned off automatic indexing for any pages that don’t need to be visible to search engines (like private collections or draft pages). You can control this under Preferences > SEO settings.
4. Monitor Analytics- To avoid panic, filter out spam traffic in Google Analytics. Create a filter for high-bounce, 0-second sessions, or specific traffic from European cities.
- Use real-time reports to monitor where this traffic lands, ensuring it’s consistent (e.g., only the homepage) and not spreading to other pages.
5. Reach Out for Support- Shopify Support might be able to provide additional insights or solutions if this persists. Bots that target Shopify stores can sometimes be specific, so it’s worth reporting.
My Take:
This is likely a bot or some automated service pinging your site to test its availability, often referred to as ping monitoring bots. While it’s annoying, the good news is it doesn’t appear to harm your site directly unless it escalates. You’re not alone in facing this issue, and with these steps, you should be able to block or mitigate it effectively.
If you need more help with implementing these changes or setting up third-party tools, I’m more than happy to guide you.
If you need any other assistance, I am willing to help.
Best regards,
Daisy