Solved: Shopify Sessions Lower Than Facebook Clicks, Wrong Countries

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out. I'm happy to give you some initial thoughts and guidance on what you're seeing with your Facebook campaign and Shopify store. That massive difference between link clicks reported by Meta and sessions showing up in Shopify, along with the traffic from countries you aren't targeting, is definately something we see from time to time and it's a real head scratcher when you first encounter it.

The click vs session mismatch...

Let's first tackle the big disparity in numbers. 1000+ clicks versus 50 sessions is a huge drop-off, much more than you'd expect from standard tracking differences. There are a few common culprits for this kind of issue, and they often boil down to how quickly your site loads and whether the tracking is set up correctly.

The eCom example we've worked on highlights this exact point - a start page that was "slow to load" was a key observation. If your website takes too long to load, especially on mobile (which is where a lot of Facebook traffic comes from), users might click your ad, see a blank or slow-loading page, and hit the back button before the Shopify tracking code even gets a chance to fire and register a session. Meta counts the click the moment someone clicks, regardless of whether they wait for the page to load fully or not. Shopify's session tracking, on the other hand, relies on its JavaScript loading and executing in the user's browser.

Think about it from a user perspective. If I click an ad and the page is just spinning or taking forever to appear, I'm not going to hang around. I'll just leave. Meta recorded the click, but because I didn't stay long enough for Shopify's script to run, Shopify doesn't record a session. This is probably the most common reason for a discrepancy of this magnitude.

You've mentioned the landing page loads fine and is mobile-optimised, which is good, but "fine" can sometimes still mean slow to the impatient mobile user. You need to measure the actual loading speed, not just visually check it. Tools exist that can give you objective numbers on this for different device types and network conditions.

Another potential technical issue is with the tracking setup itself. While you said you double-checked the link and location targeting, the Facebook pixel needs to be implemented correctly and firing reliably on your product page and throughout the user journey on your site. Is the pixel implemented directly or via a plugin? Are there any errors reported in the browser console when you load the page? Is the pixel ID correct? Sometimes small implementation errors, especially with third-party themes or plugins, can stop the pixel or other tracking scripts (like Shopify's analytics) from working correctly for all users.

Also, consider browser extensions or privacy settings users might have enabled. Some users might block tracking scripts, which would prevent Shopify (and potentially even your pixel) from registering their visit, even if Meta counted the initial click.

Traffic from the wrong countries...

The traffic showing up from outside the UK when your ad set is strictly targeted there is very strange and points to potential issues beyond just site speed. If it was just a few sessions, you might put it down to VPNs or users temporarily travelling, but if it's a significant portion of your limited sessions (like Romania or the US as you mentioned), something is likely off.

This could potentially be bot traffic. Bots will often use IP addresses from different locations, sometimes attempting to mimic real users or just crawling the web. They can click on ads but won't behave like a real user - they won't browse the site properly, and often won't execute JavaScript, leading back to the session tracking problem. While Meta has systems to filter bot clicks, some can slip through, especially if your targeting is very broad or your creative attracts non-human traffic.

It could also indicate a potential glitch in Meta's targeting or reporting, although less likely for such a consistent flow from specific non-targeted countries. Or, less commonly, a problem with how the click URL redirects or is processed by Shopify, although this would be unusual for a standard setup.

Investigating the source of these unexpected sessions in your Shopify analytics might give you more clues. Can you see referral information? What landing pages are they hitting (even though you're sending them to a product page)? Do they exhibit typical bot behaviour (very short session duration, hitting specific non-standard URLs, etc.)?

Your website and trustworthiness...

While the technical and traffic quality issues are likely the main drivers of the click/session mismatch, we also need to consider what happens if someone *does* land on your site and a session *does* register. You're selling a swimdress, which is an impulse or fashion-related purchase for many. The examples show that for eCom, the store needs to look professional and trustworthy to convert visitors.

The eCom website critique example noted issues like a cluttered start page, poor product images needing professional photography or models, and missing product descriptions. It also highlighted a general lack of trust signals – things like customer reviews, testimonials, links to social profiles or other platforms where you sell (like Etsy or Amazon if applicable), and clear contact information or address.

Even if you fix the click/session issue, if visitors land on a site that doesn't immediately instill confidence, they'll bounce quickly, leading to low conversion rates. For products like apparel, high-quality images (showing the product from multiple angles, ideally on a model or real person) and detailed, appealing descriptions are crucial. People need to feel confident about the quality, fit, and look of what they're buying online.

My impression from looking at the site briefly (the link you provided) is that it could definately be improved in these areas. The imagery, while showing the product, could be more professional and engaging. Adding customer reviews, clear sizing information, details about materials, shipping, and returns, and visible trust badges (like payment processor logos, security seals) would go a long way in building confidence.

Putting this all together, here's an overview of what I'd recommend investigating and working on:

Implementing these changes can be quite involved. Getting site speed right, properly debugging tracking pixels, and significantly improving website design and conversion rate takes time and specific expertise. You mentioned this is a new store, and building trust and optimising the site for conversions is absolutely critical before pouring significant budget into ads.

As the examples show, we've had a lot of success running Meta campaigns for eCommerce clients, achieving great ROAS and low costs per purchase. This is only possible when the foundation – the website, the offer, and the tracking – is solid. Trying to drive traffic to a site with underlying technical or trust issues is like pouring money down the drain.

This is where having someone with experience in these specific areas can be a big help. We spend all day looking at ad accounts, tracking setups, and conversion rate optimisation for eCommerce businesses. We can quickly identify the likely causes of these issues and implement the necessary fixes to get things working properly.

If you'd like to discuss this further and get a more detailed look at your specific situation and website, we'd be happy to book in a free consultation. We can take a deeper dive into your setup and give you a clearer roadmap for getting your ads and website aligned to drive sales.

Regards,
Team @ Lukas Holschuh