Small differences between PDQ and Shopify are normal. Here's why:
Different measurement points - PDQ tracks checkout sessions after shipping selection (to support A/B testing); Shopify counts all checkout starts. To compare fairly, use "All checkouts" in PDQ, not the default post-shipping view.
Bot filtering - Shopify filters bots opaquely; PDQ lets you filter bots in/out and request an export to inspect what was filtered (odd ZIPs, no cart value, bogus emails).
Order source - Shopify includes subscriptions, draft orders, mobile/TapCart, etc.; PDQ focuses on web checkout sessions that can be A/B tested.
Normal variance: up to ~5%, from session start/end logic, filter timing, attribution cut-offs, and bot detection.
How PDQ Defines Key Metrics
Metric | Definition |
CVR (Checkout Conversion Rate) | Orders ÷ Checkout Sessions |
AOV (Average Order Value) | Revenue ÷ Orders |
ASR (Average Shipping Revenue) | Shipping Revenue ÷ Orders |
ARPC (Average Revenue Per Checkout) | Total Revenue ÷ Checkout Sessions |
🧮 ARPC is PDQ's primary KPI - it reflects both revenue and conversion, giving a fuller picture of checkout performance than AOV or CVR alone.
Common questions
Why don't subscriptions show in PDQ? Only first-time subscription purchases go through web checkout; recurring orders are generated in the backend and never hit PDQ tracking.
Can we see which bots were filtered? Yes - ask your CSM/analyst for a filtered export (cart value, ZIP, email).