If you own a Shopify store, you’ve probably seen the word “sessions” in your stats. Many beginners wonder what does sessions mean on Shopify and how it affects their business.
We’ll talk about what Shopify sessions imply for beginners, the distinction between sessions and visitors in Shopify, and why it’s so vital for your growth to understand sessions in Shopify statistics.
Keynotes
- Sessions = Visits → A session in Shopify means one browsing visit, not the number of people.
- Visitors vs Sessions → Visitors are unique people, while sessions are the number of times they return.
- Sessions vs Pageviews → Sessions count visits, while pageviews track how many pages are viewed in one session.
- High Sessions ≠ High Sales → More sessions don’t always mean more sales; engagement and conversions matter.
- Tracking Made Easy → Shopify analytics automatically track sessions, and tools like PlugBooks make the data easier to understand across Shopify, Amazon, eBay, QuickBooks, and Xero.
What Do Sessions Mean in Shopify Analytics?
A session in Shopify analytics is a single visit to your store. Shopify counts a session as one when a user comes to your site and looks at different products. Shopify Help Center explains that a new session is counted if that same user comes back later.
In simple terms, what does sessions mean on Shopify analytics = one browsing visit. This is different from pageviews, which we’ll discuss later in the Shopify sessions vs pageviews explained section.
What Are Shopify Sessions and Why Are They Important?
So, how does Shopify keep track of visits and sessions? It’s not that hard. A session starts every time someone visits your site. The session goes on until the visitor leaves or stops doing anything for a while. A new session starts if they come back.
This is why it’s important to know what sessions are in Shopify reporting. Sessions show you how many people are coming to your store, how many of them are returning, and how engaged they are. You may answer critical questions like “Why are my Shopify sessions going up but my sales not?” by looking into sessions.
Visitors vs Sessions Shopify – The Key Difference
One thing that sellers often get mixed up is the distinction between sessions and visitors in Shopify.
- Visitors are people who come to your store only once.
- Sessions: How many times those people come back.
For instance, if one consumer comes to the store three times, that counts as one visitor and three sessions. That’s why sessions on Shopify mean unique visitors? No, visitors are different people, and sessions are the times they come back.
So when analyzing visitors vs sessions Shopify, remember that visitors = people, sessions = visits.
A Comparison of Shopify Sessions and Pageviews
Another question that comes up a lot is “What is the difference between Shopify sessions and pageviews?” This is the difference:
- Sessions: A customer comes in once.
- Pageviews: The number of pages that were looked at during that session.
For example, if a buyer visits your site once and looks at five product pages, that’s five pageviews.
Why are my Shopify sessions going up but my sales aren’t?
A lot of store owners have this difficulty. You might see more sessions but not more sales. If you’re wondering why your Shopify sessions are going up but your sales aren’t, here are several probable reasons:
- Weak CTAs or bad product descriptions.
- Problems with the checkout or a slow loading speed.
- Visitors can’t find the product they seek.
- A lot of visitors from marketing campaigns that don’t target the right people.
Sessions are crucial, but what really matters is turning those sessions into sales. For a deeper breakdown, check our guide on Shopify transaction charges.
How to Track Customer Sessions in Shopify
Shopify automatically tracks sessions in your analytics dashboard, so you don’t have to worry about how to do it. You can see:
- All sessions
- Sessions by type of traffic (organic, paid, referral, or social)
- Returning sessions vs. new sessions
You can make better marketing judgments and get more people to buy things by monitoring these figures often.
Plugbooks: A Tool for Sellers to Use Shopify Analytics
Shopify metrics can be hard to understand at times. That’s where Plugbooks comes in to assist vendors make their data easier to understand. Plugbooks makes it easy to understand Shopify traffic metrics sessions by showing them in straightforward, visual reports.
It helps you keep track of sessions, visits, and conversions in a form that is simple to understand. PlugBooks gives you insights into how what does sessions mean on Shopify impacts your business, so you can plan smarter campaigns and increase sales.
Beyond Shopify, PlugBooks also connects with Amazon and eBay to give sellers a complete view of their multichannel performance. Plus, with seamless integration into QuickBooks and Xero, you can automatically sync your financial data, making bookkeeping and reporting faster, easier, and error-free.
Questions and Answers
1. What do sessions mean on Shopify?
On Shopify, sessions mean each time a visitor actively browses your store within a specific time window. Even if they don’t purchase, the session helps you measure traffic trends.
2. What are sessions on Shopify?
Sessions on Shopify are a way of tracking the total number of times people visit your store. They show you overall activity, regardless of whether the visitors are new or returning.
3. Can sessions on Shopify help identify returning customers?
Yes. By analyzing new vs returning sessions, you can understand customer loyalty and see how many visitors are coming back to your store.
4. How do abandoned carts affect Shopify sessions?
When a user starts shopping but leaves without buying, the session is still counted. Tracking abandoned carts alongside sessions helps you fix conversion issues.
5. Can high sessions with low sales mean bot traffic?
Yes, sometimes sudden spikes in sessions without conversions may be caused by bots or irrelevant traffic. Filtering traffic sources in Shopify analytics can help.
6. How can I use sessions to improve marketing campaigns?
You can check which traffic source generates more sessions (SEO, ads, or social media) and focus your budget on the channels that bring quality traffic.
7. Do sessions expire after a certain time on Shopify?
Yes. A session automatically ends after 30 minutes of inactivity or when a visitor leaves your site, whichever comes first.
8. Can third-party apps give deeper insights into Shopify sessions?
Absolutely. Tools like Plugbooks and advanced analytics apps give you detailed session tracking, customer journeys, and conversion paths for better decisions.
