| Cover image | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Explore destinations | Overview | integrationss.png |
What happens when the Markets module is enabled?
Littledata fetches all active Shopify markets and turns on per-market configuration for market-aware destinations (such as GA4 and Meta). Each active market gets its own settings for each destination. At the same time, Littledata creates a special internal market called **Unassigned markets**.What happens when the Markets module is disabled?
Per-market settings stop being used. Each destination goes back to using its own destination-level settings. Littledata keeps your per-market settings stored, but doesn't apply them while Markets is off. This includes the settings for **Unassigned markets**.What happens when Markets is re-enabled?
Destinations switch back to per-market configuration. Markets you had customized before get their previous per-market settings back. Markets that are new since you last used the module start with default settings.Are per-market settings copied from my destination's settings?
Partly. A new market starts from the destination's current settings, but some options are reset to defaults. For example, all events are turned on, and order and product identifiers go back to their defaults. You can then change the settings for each market.Can I change the market_handle?
Not in Littledata. Littledata always takes `market_handle` from Shopify. To change it, edit the market's handle in Shopify.Where does Littledata get market information from?
Littledata reads market data directly from Shopify using the Shopify Admin API and Shopify webhooks. Shopify remains the source of truth for which markets exist and whether each market is active, draft or deleted.Does Littledata create or manage Shopify markets?
No. Littledata only reads market data from Shopify. It never creates, edits or deletes Shopify markets. The one exception is **Unassigned markets**, a special market that exists only in Littledata. It doesn't appear in your Shopify markets list.How are new markets handled?
When a new active market appears in Shopify, Littledata detects it automatically and sets it up with default settings for each destination. Draft markets are stored but not shown, because only active markets appear in Littledata.What if the tracking script can't work out the market?
Events are sent with the **Unassigned markets** values instead. This prevents event loss during temporary failures. This is unlikely to happen.Why does Littledata send both market_handle and market_id?
`market_handle` is human-readable and useful for reporting and filtering. `market_id` is the Shopify identifier and stays the same over time. They do different jobs, so Littledata sends them together.What is Unassigned markets?
**Unassigned markets** is an internal, Littledata-only market. It is used when a Shopify market can't be found for an event. It doesn't exist in Shopify. It appears under every market-aware destination and has its own settings, like any other market.Why does Unassigned markets exist?
It prevents data loss when an event can't be linked to a market. It also gives you clear settings for events where the market is unknown.When do events become unassigned?
Events become unassigned whenever Littledata can't find a Shopify market for them. Common examples are draft orders, POS orders, orders created in the Shopify admin, third-party channel orders (such as Amazon), imported data, tracking script failures, or cases where Shopify context is missing.What happens to unassigned events?
They are sent to destinations using the **Unassigned markets** settings. They are not dropped, and they are not quietly given another market.Does Unassigned markets follow the same lifecycle as other markets?
Yes. It is created when Markets is enabled and used again when Markets is re-enabled.What values are used for Unassigned markets?
Littledata uses fixed values: `market_id = 0` and `market_handle = unassigned_market`.Can unassigned events be turned off separately?
Yes. **Unassigned markets** has its own settings for each destination, so you can turn its events off for one destination without affecting other markets.Can Unassigned markets be removed?
No. It is set by the system and is always there when Markets is enabled.
What do I get with the Recharge integration?
* End-to-end [Google Analytics](/integrations/shopify-to-google-analytics/how-it-works-shopify-to-ga4)) tracking for the subscriber journey * Marketing attribution for subscription revenue * [Custom dimensions](/google-analytics/conversions/customer-lifetime-value-google-analytics) to calculate lifetime value and create custom audiences for retargeting * Ability to segment performance in Google Analytics by payment source, subscription plan type, and product category * Recharge susbcription [lifecycle events](/sources/recharge/how-it-works-recharge-to-google-analytics-connection)How does this improve on Shopify’s native reporting?
* Fix your ecommerce tracking in Google Analytics * Send data to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and Meta Conversions API * Attribute recurring payments to marketing campaigns Check out the [complete list of what you can track](https://help.littledata.io/integrations/shopify-to-google-analytics) to see the full scope of reporting.Can’t I just use Recharge’s basic Google Analytics integration?
As the name states, that's just a basic [integration](https://support.getrecharge.com/hc/en-us/articles/360008683194-Google-Analytics). That means your data collection will be limited and have incomplete marketing attribution for subscription sales, plus there is no tracking for GA4 or Facebook CAPI. Littledata's Recharge connection is an advanced Google Analytics integration for Recharge stores. We've worked closely with the Recharge team to make Littledata the most powerful and flexible analytics integration for Recharge — and we continue to update the connection based on the latest product updates from both Shopify and Recharge.I get UTM parameters from the Recharge Subscription API. Do I still need Littledata?
Since the release of Recharge v3.2, the UTM parameters as captured by Shopify on the store landing page are passed to the checkout then [stored on the subscription or customer record](https://support.rechargepayments.com/hc/en-us/articles/360041127093-Using-cart-attributes-and-UTM-parameters-in-URLs). They are available in the `analytics_data.utm_params` field. This is helpful, but it misses a few key parts of what Littledata does: 1. Shopify's own UTM tracking is [far from perfect on most stores](https://blog.littledata.io/2019/02/04/shopifys-sales-by-traffic-source-report-is-broken), and the same mistakes get copied into Recharge's UTM params. 2. The UTM parameters only capture the 'last click' attribution of the subscription; with Littledata + Google Analytics you can look at the contribution from all marketing channels. 3. If you also have one-time orders processed through Shopify's checkout, you need Littledata's [Shopify tracking](https://help.littledata.io/integrations/shopify-to-google-analytics) to compare like-for-like attribution across the two checkouts. 4. In Google Analytics you can look at the interaction between the campaign and other user attributes. For example, you can ask "Do Meta ads perform especially well in the US, or globally?" Or "are affiliates driving more subscriptions on mobile only?" 5. Tracking Recharge customer [lifecycle events](https://help.littledata.io/sources/recharge/how-it-works-recharge-to-google-analytics-connection) allows you to split post-purchase behavior like cancellations, skipped orders and payment failures by the marketing channel that brought them to subscribe.What's the difference between Recharge Analytics and Littledata's integration?
Recharge's [Analytics](https://support.getrecharge.com/hc/en-us/articles/360044363954-Recharge-Analytics) offers easy ways to visualize your Recharge data in the app, while Littledata fixes sales and marketing tracking and sends that data to Segment or Google Analytics. The chart below breaks down the differences between what Recharge Enhanced Analytics offers and what Littledata offers for Google Analytics and Segment. | **What you can do** | **Recharge Enhanced Analytics** | **Littledata + Google Analytics** | **Littledata + Segment** | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | ------------------------ | | Look at trends in subscription signups and cancellations | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | | Analyze churn rate by cohort or product | ✔ | ✔ \* | ✔ \* | | Visualize cohort retention | ✔ | | | | Analyze multichannel marketing contributions to subscription sales | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | | Attribute recurring orders back to marketing campaigns | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | | Analyze Customer Lifetime Value including non-Recharge spend | | ✔ | ✔ | | Track charge failures by any customer attribute | | ✔ | ✔ | | Track subscription cancellations or upgrades by any customer attribute | | ✔ | ✔ | | Track customer updates by any customer attribute | | ✔ | ✔ | | Track usage of the customer portal on your site by any customer attribute | | ✔ | ✔ | | See how any Recharge customer event connects to the pre-checkout behavior of the user | | ✔ | ✔ | | Look at cancellation rate by marketing channel | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | | Trigger transactional emails based on changes to subscriptions \*\* | | | ✔ | | Retarget segments of your Recharge audience in common marketing destinations | | | ✔ | \* Requires additional analysis in a spreadsheet\ \*\* In Segment destinations such as [Iterable](https://segment.com/docs/connections/destinations/catalog/iterable)How do I know if the integration is working?
* Check out [this guide](/sources/recharge/how-to-check-if-the-littledata-recharge-integration-is-working) to see if the Recharge connection is functioning properly. * [Contact](https://www.littledata.io/contact-us) our team if you have additional questions.Do you alter my historic data?
* No, it's not possible for our app to mess with your historic data (nor would we want it to). * Littledata's improved tracking script only helps with data from the time you install it going forward.How do I uninstall the Recharge connection?
If you need to uninstall the Recharge connection, follow the steps in the Recharge [uninstall guide](https://help.littledata.io/sources/recharge/how-to-disable-the-recharge-connection). But don't forget that you can always [contact support](https://www.littledata.io/contact-us) if you have any questions!.png?alt=media)
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| Cover image | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Analytics 4 | Server-side event tracking, checkout steps, and marketing attribution in GA4. | Google Analytics | google-analytics.png |
| Google Ads | Server-side conversions with Enhanced Conversions for better ROAS. | Google Ads | google-ads.png |
| Meta Conversions API | Improve match quality and attribution in Meta Ads via CAPI. | Meta Conversions API | meta-capi.png |
| Klaviyo | Enhanced identity resolution for abandoned cart and browse flows. | Klaviyo | klaviyo.png |
| Attentive | Expand SMS audiences with cross-channel data stitching. | Attentive | attentive.png |
| Microsoft Ads | Server-side Shopify conversion tracking in Microsoft Ads. | Microsoft Ads | microsoft-ads.png |
| OpenAI Ads | Server-side purchases plus page and product views for OpenAI Ads (beta). | OpenAI Ads | chatgpt-ads.png |
| TikTok | Improve match rates and ROAS via the TikTok Events API. | Tiktok | tiktok.png |
| Better retargeting and audiences via the Pinterest API for Conversions. | pinterest.png | ||
| Segment | Use Shopify as a Segment source for warehouses, Mixpanel, Braze, and more. | Segment | segment.png |
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
### Create a custom conversion
In the left sidebar, go to **Custom conversions** and click **Create custom conversion**.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
### Pick the event
Under **Data source**, make sure your Meta pixel is selected. In the **Event** dropdown, select `First Recurring Purchase - Littledata`.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
### Name it and create it
Give the custom conversion a clear **Name**, for example `first_recurring_purchase`. Any name works. Click **Create**.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}
{% hint style="info" %}
You can also enter a conversion value for the estimated worth of a new subscriber. This is optional if you mainly want to track how many subscribers you get.
{% endhint %}
### Show the metric in Ads Manager reports
{% stepper %}
{% step %}
### **Open Customize columns**
In Meta Ads Manager, click the **Columns** dropdown above the performance table and select **Customize columns**.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
### **Add your custom conversion**
Search for the name of your custom conversion (for example `first_recurring_purchase`) and select it.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
### **Apply**
Click **Apply**. You can now see new subscribers for each campaign, ad set and ad.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}
### Related articles
* [Custom metrics in Meta reporting](https://help.littledata.io/integrations/facebook-capi/custom-metrics-in-meta-reporting)
* [New and returning customer purchases in Meta Ads](https://help.littledata.io/integrations/facebook-capi/meta-ads-custom-events-verifying-new-and-returning-customer-purchase)
* [Create a new-subscriber conversion event](https://help.littledata.io/event-editor/common-setups/new-subscriber-conversion-event-meta-ads)
* [Recipes](https://help.littledata.io/event-editor/recipes)
# Why is Meta attribution different from GA4
## Why is Meta attribution different from GA4?
If you're used to GA4, attribution in Meta Ads Manager can feel very different. This page explains how Meta attribution works, where it differs from GA4, and why the numbers rarely match.
### What attribution means in Meta
The word "attribution" doesn't mean the same thing in GA4 and Meta.
* **GA4** is a neutral observer of all your traffic sources. By default, it looks at the session: which source brought the visit that led to a key event. It also has first-user dimensions for the very first visit, and attribution reports that [spread credit across the whole journey](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/11080067).
* **Meta** tracks people, not sessions. It credits sales to actions those people took with Meta ads. Its attribution is built to measure the value of Meta ads and to steer ad delivery.
Littledata sends your Shopify purchases to Meta server-side through the [Meta Conversions API](https://help.littledata.io/integrations/facebook-capi/how-it-works-shopify-to-meta-conversions-api). Knowing how Meta credits those purchases helps you read its reports with the right expectations.
#### Attribution settings for reports
All of Meta's attribution options measure only how Meta ads contribute:
The 1-day, 7-day and 28-day click options give Meta full credit for a purchase that happens within that time after someone clicked an ad. Meta counts more kinds of clicks than GA4 does (see [Click attribution counts more than site visits](#click-attribution-counts-more-than-site-visits)).
These settings are for looking back at ad results. You can compare several of them side by side in one report:
{% stepper %}
{% step %}
#### Open the Columns menu
In Ads Manager, open the **Columns** dropdown above your report.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
#### Compare attribution settings
At the bottom of the menu, choose **Compare attribution settings** and pick the settings you want to see as columns.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}
{% hint style="info" %}
In GA4, you can compare attribution models in the **Advertising** section.
{% endhint %}
#### Attribution settings for ads
Meta also uses attribution when you create an ad set. Here you choose which attribution setting the ad set is optimized for.
{% hint style="warning" %}
Meta's attribution setting for an ad set changes who Meta shows your ads to, not just how results are reported.
{% endhint %}
The choices here are more limited:
To find this setting:
{% stepper %}
{% step %}
#### Open the ad set
In Ads Manager, open the ad set and click **Edit**.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
#### Show more settings
Under **Conversion event**, click **Show more settings**.
{% endstep %}
{% step %} 
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
#### Review the attribution setting
Open **Standard attribution selections** to see the click-through, engaged-view, and view-through windows.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}
The default is 7-day click, 1-day engaged-view (video ads only) and 1-day view. So Meta looks for people who buy within 7 days of clicking an ad, or within 1 day of seeing it. The options are limited: you can mostly turn a window off, or shorten click-through to 1 day.
This matters because Meta optimizes delivery around this rule. For example, if you shorten click-through to 1 day, Meta shows your ads to people likely to buy within a day of clicking. That rarely makes sense unless you're running a short, urgent promotion.
The key difference: in GA4, switching from last click to data-driven attribution doesn't change how your campaigns run. It's just a new view of past data. In Meta, the attribution setting is built into delivery. Set 7-day click and 1-day view, and the algorithm looks for people likely to convert under that rule. Change it to 1-day click only, and you train Meta to ignore people who convert later.
### Click attribution counts more than site visits
GA4 only credits clicks that start a session. For example, a click on a Meta ad that opens your site is credited to that source once the GA4 tag fires.
Meta counts more interactions as clicks, such as liking an ad, expanding its image or watching part of a video. Any of these can start the attribution clock. If the person buys within your window, Meta takes credit, even if they never visited your site from the ad.
That's why Meta often reports purchases that GA4 doesn't credit to Meta. GA4 never saw a visit from the ad, because the click kept the person inside Meta.
### Meta counts view-through conversions, GA4 doesn't
GA4 doesn't give credit to ad impressions by default. Meta does, as long as view-through attribution is on (it is by default). If someone saw your ad and bought within a day, Meta credits the sale to 1-day view.
### Meta has no session context
In GA4, session-scoped attribution means everything in a session shares the same source. Meta ignores sessions. Its attribution is user-based. Once someone clicks or sees an ad, that ad can get credit for any purchase within the window, whatever else happened in between.
{% hint style="info" %}
Meta attribution is user-based, not session-based.
{% endhint %}
### Meta's "first conversion" isn't GA4's first user source
In [GA4 explorations](https://help.littledata.io/google-analytics/behavior/ga4-explorations-complete-guide-for-ecommerce-growth), you can see which first user source or medium first brought a group of users to your site. Meta's **First conversion** count is something else. It removes repeat conversions by the same person within the attribution window.
So Meta's first conversion is about de-duplication, not first-touch attribution. It tells you how many people converted after an ad, a bit like comparing total purchasers with purchases in GA4.
### Incremental attribution
Meta has an **Incremental attribution** setting. It uses Meta's own models to filter out conversions that Meta thinks would have happened without an ad.
Meta doesn't share how this works, and in practice the difference from standard attribution can be small. Here's a real example of website purchases under three settings:
### Meta only measures Meta
GA4 spreads credit across every source it tracks: organic, paid search, email, social, affiliates, referrals, direct and more. Meta only asks one question: did a Meta ad help cause this conversion?
So you can't compare Meta's numbers directly with GA4's full channel mix. GA4 is multi-channel. Meta is single-channel, but multi-touch within its own ads.
### Why the numbers rarely match
| Meta counts | GA4 counts |
| ---------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- |
| Clicks that never became site visits | Only visits tracked as sessions |
| Ad views, which GA4 can't track | Credit across all your channels |
| Conversions outside any session | Key events based on your chosen attribution model |
| Conversions under its own counting rules | Key events under GA4's counting rules |
Neither is wrong. They answer different questions. GA4 gives you the multi-channel picture. Meta shows how its own ads contributed, by its own rules.
### Related articles
* [Connect your Meta Ads account with GA4](https://help.littledata.io/integrations/facebook-capi/connect-meta-ads-account-with-ga4)
* [How it works: Shopify to Meta Conversions API](https://help.littledata.io/integrations/facebook-capi/how-it-works-shopify-to-meta-conversions-api)
* [Meta Ads tracking for Shopify: the complete guide](/integrations/facebook-capi/meta-ads-tracking-guide)
# New and Returning Customer Purchase in Meta Ads
In this post, we'll cover how to use Littledata's [New vs Returning customer purchases](/integrations/facebook-capi/how-it-works-shopify-to-meta-conversions-api#new-customer-vs-returning-customer-conversions) and use it to boost Meta campaigns.
As marketers, we know that New Customer purchases and Returning Customer purchases are different in nature and shouldn't be treated equally. It's one thing to try to acquire new customers, while it's completely another to optimize ads around returning buyers.
## Adding the purchase events from Littledata
**New customer purchase** and **Returning customer purchase** events can be created from [recipes](/event-editor/recipes) in the Event Editor. A recipe is a ready-made event built by Littledata. You add it to your Meta connection in one click.
{% hint style="info" %}
If your store already sends these events, you do not need to do anything. The events keep firing and now show in the Event Editor events list with the **Built by Littledata** label.
{% endhint %}
To add the events:
1. In Littledata, open your Meta connection and go to the **Event Editor** tab.
2. In the **Recommended for your store** section, find **New customer purchase**.
3. Click **Preview** to see what the recipe does, then click **Add event**. Littledata enables the event immediately, so it starts sending on the next first-time order.
4. Do steps 2 and 3 again for **Returning customer purchase**.
Is the connection available in the Shopify app store?
Yes, you can install Littledata's Shopify to Google Analytics connection directly from the [Shopify app store](https://apps.shopify.com/littledata).What do I get with the connection?
* Accurate marketing attribution, so you're not left with large amounts of mysteriously "Direct" traffic * Revenue in Google Analytics that matches Shopify, including refunds and cancellations * Meaningful [checkout funnels](/integrations/shopify-to-google-analytics/checkout-funnel-steps), including subscription and upsell tracking * [Custom dimensions](/google-analytics/conversions/customer-lifetime-value-google-analytics) to calculate customer lifetime value and build custom audiences for retargeting * Full control over your event data with the [Event Editor](/event-editor/overview), and the ability to include or exclude specific order and sales channels * [Profit Signal](/sources/profit-signal/how-to-use-profit-signal), to send margin instead of revenue to your ad platforms See the [connection overview](/integrations/shopify-to-google-analytics) for more details.How is this different from Shopify's default tracking?
Shopify's own Google & YouTube app now sends a fairly complete set of ecommerce events, but it's a fixed pipe: the events, parameters and attribution logic are whatever Shopify decides they are. Littledata uses a combination of client-side and server-side tracking to capture the full shopper journey, and layers on what the native app can't do at all: accurate attribution, refunds and subscription tracking, custom dimensions, and control over that data through the [Event Editor](/event-editor/overview) — filtering, deriving, enriching or remapping any event, and including or excluding specific order channels. See the [full comparison](/integrations/shopify-to-google-analytics#connection-details) for details.Do I need to disable Shopify's default Google Analytics tracking?
Yes. During the install flow, you will be prompted to disable Shopify's native Google Analytics tracking setup. This is an important step to ensure that you don't have double tracking in Google Analytics, and that Littledata's tracking works correctly. Disabling the default tracking will not mess with your historic data, only help to improve your tracking going forward. [See how to disable Shopify's default GA tracking](/integrations/shopify-to-google-analytics/fix-duplicate-tracking-ga4).Can I set up cross-domain tracking for my Shopify store?
Yes. Follow [this guide](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/10071811?hl=en).Do you support multi-currency?
Yes. If you are selling in multiple currencies with different Shopify stores, Littledata's Shopify to Google Analytics connection makes it easy to track this and convert sales into your shop currency. This also works with [Shopify Markets](/sources/shopify/multi-currency-support-for-shopify): every event carries the Shopify Market handle and ID by default, so you can filter and segment reports by market without any extra setup. Read more about [multi-currency tracking.](/sources/shopify/multi-currency-support-for-shopify)Do you support headless Shopify setups?
Yes, Littledata provides accurate sales and marketing data for [headless ecommerce](https://www.littledata.io/headless-shopify). This requires manual setup steps. Follow this guide to setting up Littledata for [headless Shopify tracking](/sources/shopify/headless-shopify/working-with-a-headless-shopify-setup).Does the connection work with GTM?
Littledata’s tracking script for Shopify stores adds detailed events which you can use to build funnels or trigger other marketing tags in Google Tag Manager (GTM). You can use Littledata to [replace GTM](/integrations/shopify-to-google-analytics/google-tag-manager-faq), or use Littledata with GTM. Our script uses the naming conventions set by Google for gtag. Here is an overview of Littledata's [GTM and Google Analytics data layer](/integrations/shopify-to-google-analytics/google-tag-manager-faq).Do you track by Product ID or SKU?
Shopify has a unique way of tagging and organizing [products and variants](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/products). Littledata enables tracking by SKU, ID and variant in Google Analytics. Learn more about [how Littledata handles SKUs, Shopify product IDs and product variants](/advanced/developer/data-pipeline-settings).How does the connection fix marketing attribution?
Google Analytics loses the link between a customer choosing a product, checkout, and payment. Littledata fixes this by linking together the session that the customer had browsing products on your Shopify store with the actual checkout steps and payment. Learn more about [marketing attribution](/integrations/shopify-to-google-analytics).Who uses Littledata?
Hundreds of top Shopify merchants around the world use Littledata's smart connections to increase sales and improve ROAS. Read some of our reviews in the Shopify app store, browse our [case studies](https://www.littledata.io/case-studies), or feel free to contact us for references on [Plus plans](https://www.littledata.io/plus).Can I get this data into my data warehouse?
If you want raw, row-level data on your customers in a data warehouse you should [export data to BigQuery](/google-analytics/setup/ga4-to-bigquery), or our [Segment connection](/integrations/shopify-to-segment).Can you help track Amazon referrals?
Yes! Orders from Amazon are now displayed in GA reports as coming from "amazon.com/referral" instead of "direct". This eliminates confusion about an increase in direct traffic share (% of transactions coming from direct) without any increase in direct traffic volume.Will I lose any data?
No. The moment you complete this connection, Littledata will add client-side and server-side tracking to your store. You will not lose any data, and you will continue to have access to all of your data in Google Analytics, even if you ever choose to uninstall LittledataWhere can I find the Conversions reports in GA4?
While the ecommerce reports interface isn't quite the same in GA4, you can get similar insights from the [Monetization](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9786881) reports. At the same time, you can [build your own](/google-analytics/conversions/how-to-build-a-sales-performance-report-in-ga4) reports using the Explorations feature.How do custom dimensions work in GA4?
GA4 allows you to create your own custom dimensions which can be either event-scoped or user-scoped (item-scoped dimensions are coming soon). Currently, custom metrics must always be event-scoped. There is a limit of 50 event-scoped custom dimensions, 25 user-scoped custom dimensions and 50 custom metrics per property. However, you can send an unlimited number of events or user properties - these cannot all be reported on in GA4 but [can be exported to BigQuery](/google-analytics/setup/ga4-to-bigquery).Do event category, action, label, value still exist in GA4?
In GA4 we don't have a fixed structure of an event like in UA, so the category/action/label are no longer present. In addition to properties that are sent automatically such as `page_title`, you can have any number of custom properties. While you could name them `event_category`, `event_label` etc., you can also name them any way you want.How will GA4 work with Recharge?
Our GA4 connection provides end-to-end tracking for Recharge orders, including first-time subscriptions and ongoing subscriptions (recurring orders), as well as marketing attribution for subscription orders.Does Littledata track subscriptions in the Shopify checkout in GA4?
Yes! We now provide complete GA4 tracking for [subscriptions in the Shopify checkout](/sources/shopify/tracking-subscription-orders-in-the-shopify-checkout), including Recharge, Smartrr, Skio, Ordergroove, Awtomic, Stay AI and others.Can I modify Littledata's events in GA4?
GA4 lets you modify or create events directly in its own interface (*Configure > Events*), but that only works on client-side events — you can't touch server-side events that way, and any changes live only in GA4, not in what's actually sent. For full control, use Littledata's [Event Editor](/event-editor/overview) instead. It works on both client-side and server-side events, before they reach GA4, and lets you filter, derive, enrich or remap any event. See the [common setups](/event-editor/common-setups) for ready-made recipes, such as [excluding purchases from a specific market](/event-editor/common-setups/exclude-purchases-from-a-specific-market) or [tracking purchases from a specific collection](/event-editor/common-setups/track-purchases-from-a-specific-collection). You can find a complete list of the server-side events sent by Littledata [in this article.](/integrations/shopify-to-google-analytics/how-it-works-shopify-to-ga4#server-side-events)What is gtag.js?
The Google tag (gtag.js) is a single tag you can add to your website to use a variety of Google products and services. Instead of managing multiple tags for different Google product accounts, you can use the Google tag across your entire website and connect the tag to multiple destinations. The Google tag uses the gtag.js JavaScript library to send data to Google Analytics. In addition to the Google tag, you can use Google Tag Manager to send data to Google Analytics.Why the 'affiliation' custom parameter doesn't mirror Shopify order tags 100%?
Because the Subscription tags are applied **after** the order is created. Our order processing is delayed intentionally to wait on those tags to be applied, but sometimes the tags are applied too late, and we've already processed the order - hence some orders might have the tag in Shopify but not sent to GA4. This happens because Shopify restricts recurring apps from creating the order directly with their tags, so an update has to run after the order has been placed.Does Littledata replace the need for gtag.js?
No, Littledata does not replace the need for gtag.js. Littledata's tracking script uses the gtag.js JavaScript library to send its client-side events such as page views, while it is also required to run other Google services such as Optimize or Tag Manager. So while Littledata does not replace the need for gtag.js, we *do* replace the need for Google Tag Manager (GTM) for many merchants. Read more about our [gtag data layer](/integrations/shopify-to-google-analytics/google-tag-manager-faq) and [why Shopify is limiting GTM in the checkout](https://blog.littledata.io/2022/12/15/is-shopify-cutting-off-gtm-support) for Shopify Plus merchants. Once Google Analytics 4 extends the capability of sending Device and Geolocation data points server-side, then Littledata's tracking script will be able to be independent from gtag.js.How does thresholding work for GA4 reports?
[GA4 will not display](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9383630) certain events if the event count is low. In this case you can adjust the time period or create an Exploration report to see all the events and their count.I've just installed Littledata but I don't see any data in GA4?
The data processing time in Google Analytics 4 is between 24-48 hours, so after installing Littledata, it will take a few days before you could start seeing data in GA4. {% endstep %} {% endstepper %} {% hint style="info" %} If the GA4 property stays connected in the Google & YouTube channel, GA4 will get duplicate pageviews and ecommerce events. {% endhint %} #### Pause GA4 tags in Google Tag Manager If you use GTM, check for an active Google tag (GA4 configuration tag) or GA4 event tags, and pause them. Check these tags even if their Measurement ID is different from the one Littledata uses. It could be a [different data stream](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/12270356) sending data to the same property. For detailed steps, see [How to disable pageviews in Google Tag Manager](https://help.littledata.io/advanced/troubleshooting/how-to-disable-pageviews-in-gtm). #### Remove gtag code from your theme Google's gtag script may have been added directly to your Shopify theme, usually in the `theme.liquid` file. Ask your developer to find and remove it. #### Remove custom web pixels Shopify lets you add custom web pixels to your store, and some of these load gtag. In your Shopify admin, check **Settings** > **Customer events** for any pixel that sends data to Google Analytics. See Shopify's guide on how to [disconnect a custom pixel](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/promoting-marketing/pixels/custom-pixels/manage#disconnect-custom-pixel). #### Check third-party apps Some Shopify apps send data to GA4 on their own. Look for apps with words like "tracking", "GA4", "Google Analytics" or "revenue" in the name. Uninstall them, or turn off their Google Analytics tracking feature (see the app's documentation). ### Related articles * [How it works: Shopify to Google Analytics](https://help.littledata.io/integrations/shopify-to-google-analytics/how-it-works-shopify-to-ga4) * [How to disable pageviews in Google Tag Manager](https://help.littledata.io/advanced/troubleshooting/how-to-disable-pageviews-in-gtm) * [Google Tag Manager FAQ](https://help.littledata.io/integrations/shopify-to-google-analytics/google-tag-manager-faq) * [FAQ: Shopify to Google Analytics](https://help.littledata.io/integrations/shopify-to-google-analytics/faq-shopify-to-google-analytics) # Google Tag Manager FAQ Answers to common questions about using Google Tag Manager (GTM) alongside Littledata on a Shopify store. Many Shopify stores use [Google Tag Manager](https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/tag-manager) (GTM) to add custom tracking and marketing tags. This page answers common questions about using GTM together with Littledata. ### Frequently asked questions
Does Littledata work with GTM?
Yes. Many stores that send data to [Google Analytics](https://help.littledata.io/integrations/shopify-to-google-analytics) or [Segment](https://help.littledata.io/integrations/shopify-to-segment) with Littledata also use GTM. They use it to trigger custom events or to send data to other marketing platforms.Can I reuse events sent by Littledata with other tags in GTM?
Partly. When GA4 is connected, Littledata pushes these storefront events to the [GTM data layer](https://help.littledata.io/advanced/developer/gtm-and-google-analytics-data-layer-for-shopify): * `pageview` * `view_item_list` (product list views) * `select_content` (clicks on a product in a list) * `view_item` (product page views) * `product_image_click` * `share_product` * `transaction` (on the order status page) Some client-side events, such as login, sign up, cart views and search result views, are sent to GA4 only. They are not pushed to the data layer. You also can't use [server-side events](https://help.littledata.io/integrations/shopify-to-google-analytics/how-it-works-shopify-to-ga4#server-side-events), such as checkout steps and purchases, in client-side GTM.Will Littledata conflict with my GTM setup?
No. Littledata's script works alongside your GTM container. When GA4 is connected, Littledata [loads the gtag library](https://help.littledata.io/integrations/shopify-to-google-analytics/how-it-works-shopify-to-ga4#client-side-events) on your store and sends pageviews and standard ecommerce events. Any custom GA4 events you add with GTM go to the same GA4 property. {% hint style="warning" %} If your GTM container also sends pageviews or ecommerce events to the same GA4 property, you will see duplicates. See [How to fix duplicate tracking in GA4](https://help.littledata.io/integrations/shopify-to-google-analytics/fix-duplicate-tracking-ga4). {% endhint %} For many stores, Littledata replaces the need for GTM ecommerce tracking.Should I use GTM?
GTM is most useful for tags that Littledata doesn't send for you. With GTM you can: * Add and update website tags for free, without theme code changes * Send data to other marketing platforms * Test and preview each change before you publish itCan you help with GTM setup for my store?
On Littledata's [Plus plan](https://www.littledata.io/plus), we can review your tagging plan. We'll show where it overlaps with Littledata's built-in tracking, and which extra events you might want to track with GTM.
