When you manage an online store on Shopify, every decision matters, from what to sell to how to organize your homepage. But how do you know what works and what doesn't? The answer is in the numbers.
Shopify analytics enable you to analyze how your customers behave, what's driving revenue, and where growth opportunities will emerge. In this article, we will demonstrate the correct use of Shopify data analytics by utilizing our MetricsNavigator platform so that you can go beyond basic data gathering and turn it into meaningful insights for your business.
When you first open the Shopify analytics reporting dashboard, it is a bit overwhelming. There are charts, tables, metrics—a flood of information everywhere. But this tool is meant to give you a sense of what is going on with your store at a glance. The key is knowing what to look for.
The Shopify analytics tool dashboard is divided into a couple of primary blocks. You get the top line on the critical metrics: overall sales, the number of orders, average order value, and conversions. That's your everyday routine. Should you need to check how you're doing over the week or month, just modify the timeframe in the filter.
Here are graphs showing changes—day-over-day sales, traffic, leading products, and traffic sources. And this is where things get truly remarkable: you can click on any report or measurement to drill down again (like who's buying, on what devices they are, and for how long they're spending on the site).
And while Shopify store analytics contains plenty of informative information, it's insufficient for strategic decision-making. That's why we created MetricsNavigator — to integrate all your analysis data into one system, highlight the most significant insights, and automatically generate conclusions that help you in your business activities.
Shopify sales analytics also includes a few straightforward reports you'll need to review occasionally. Each one tells you something specific, and in combination, they give you the complete performance picture of how your business is doing.Â
This is your summary report. Here, you can see how much you've made, what's selling best, your average check, and how your sales trended over time. If you see a fresh dip or spike, look at the date. It may be a newsletter, promotion, or holiday.
This analytics Shopify report will inform you about how visitors act on your site: how many add things to their cart, how many make it to checkout, and how many abandon the site halfway. This is invaluable information for those who are looking to increase conversions.
Where are your customers coming from? From Google, social media, email newsletters, or direct? The answer to this question tells you more about which channels are paying off and which are burning money.
Here, you will find out who is buying: new or repeat customers, how often they return, and how much they spend on average. This allows you to develop loyalty strategies and plan customer retention programs.
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MetricsNavigator integrates with Shopify analytics tools and automatically pulls up all these reports in a simple-to-use format. Additionally, we provide context, comparisons to the last period, forecasts, and pre-formatted action recommendations.
Not all numbers are equally important. Some Shopify store analysis metrics impact your business—and they’re the ones you should pay attention to every day.
This is the percentage of people who bought something after visiting your site. A low conversion rate indicates something incorrect: a confusing site structure, high prices, or an inconvenient checkout process.
A high average order value = more profit for the same advertising spend. If this indicator grows, you’re doing something right (for example, using upsells or cross-sells).
This shows whether customers are returning. The more such customers you have, the more stable your business is.
This is an important metric of analytics for Shopify that shows how much time passes between the first visit and the purchase. If this time is too long, you might want to simplify the path to purchase or use email reminders more actively.
It is one of the most underestimated metrics. A high percentage of abandoned carts can indicate technical issues, unexpected additional costs (e.g., shipping), or a lack of trust in the site.
In general, MetricsNavigator captures these metrics and highlights if something is out of the norm.
Data is only helpful once you do something with it: test out a new promotion, change the price, or change the appearance of your site. Here, it is not just a matter of having access to the data but also having context and an action plan.
Below are some examples of how you can turn Shopify store analytics into steps you can take:
Conversion fall-off? Try testing technical problems on the site, testing a simplified checkout route, or testing alternative product imagery.
Low average order? Test free shipping for customers who spend over a certain amount or automatically add a related product to the basket.
Repeat purchase increase? Here's the ideal time to launch a loyalty scheme or bonus program.
Lost carts? Automatically send a reminder by email or send a discount coupon in the reminder letter.
You can plan and track all these steps from within MetricsNavigator. We give you insight into what they tell you, help you visualize patterns, and assist you in making good decisions. Our advanced tool is your navigator in the Shopify analytics universe.
Effective Shopify store analysis is the path to growing your business online. A glimpse of what this data has to say can make the new possible, from improved conversions to increased profits.
Access to precise statistics through the MetricsNavigator platform is about making effortless decisions based on objective indicators. MetricsNavigator is also about having more faith that your business is going in the right direction.
To see your Shopify store's performance, navigate to the Analytics area of your Shopify admin. You'll find an overview dashboard that includes top-level metrics like total sales, online store sessions, conversion rate, average order value, and best-selling products.Â
Shopify does include analytics that will give you a good sense of what's happening in your store. Depending on your plan, you may have access to sales performance dashboards, traffic, conversion rates, and customer behavior.
Shopify Analytics is generally reliable for tracking store-specific data. However, keep in mind that the platform may have limitations when it comes to tracking outside sources. For even more precise reporting, MetricsNavigator can help unify your data for improved accuracy and decision-making.
