Understanding PDQ vs Shopify Analytics | PrettyDamnQuick's Help Center
Understanding PDQ vs Shopify Analytics
How to validate your data and why there's sometimes a small discrepancy.
July 29, 2025
When you're reviewing performance in PDQ Analytics and comparing it to Shopify, it's normal to see some differences.
This guide explains why that happens and how to quickly validate the data.
Why the Numbers Might Not Match
1. Different Measurement Points
PDQ Analytics tracks checkout sessions starting after shipping selection (to support A/B testing).
Shopify Analytics includes all checkout starts, even if users don’t reach shipping.
✅ Tip: To compare fairly, use “All checkouts” in PDQ, not the default post-shipping view.
2. Bot Filtering
Shopify filters bots in the backend—but the exact logic is not transparent.
PDQ lets you filter bots in or out, and you can request a data export to dig deeper.
✅ If you're ever unsure, you can filter bots directly or request an ad-hoc export to analyze what PDQ filtered (e.g., weird zip codes, no cart value, bogus emails).
3. Order Source Differences
Shopify shows all order types (including subscriptions, draft orders, mobile apps, TapCart, etc.).
PDQ focuses on web checkout sessions that can be A/B tested.
✅ Check the order source in Shopify. If many orders are from subscriptions or mobile apps, that can explain the gap.
What's a Reasonable Difference?
A 5% variance between systems is considered totally normal due to timing, bot filtering, or slight attribution differences.
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.
What’s a Normal Gap?
A variance of up to 5% is completely acceptable when comparing PDQ to Shopify.
This accounts for:
- Slight differences in session start/end logic
- Timing of filters
- Attribution cutoff times
- Bot detection methods
Common Questions
Q: Why don’t subscriptions show up in PDQ?
A: Only first-time subscription purchases go through web checkout. Recurring orders are auto-generated in the backend and never hit PDQ’s tracking.
Q: Can we see what bots were filtered out?
A: Yes! Reach out to your CSM or analyst for a filtered export showing details like cart value, zip code, and email address.
Let us know if you’d like help validating specific data.
We’re here to back you up with confidence and transparency.