Analytics and attribution: the parts, in plain words

50 parts and 15 phrases. Apps in this area include Triple Whale, Northbeam, Polar Analytics, Google Analytics 4, Shopify Analytics, Lifetimely.

Data collectionanalytics.collectShowThe tags, server calls and consent checks that record what visitors do.

Browser tracking scriptsanalytics.collect.browserShowScripts on the storefront that send page views and shopping events to analytics and ad platforms.

How to extend

EventMany side by sideevent.checkout.started event.cart.item_added event.order.paidA tracking plugin subscribes to store events to send them to another analytics or ad platform.

Part	Litestore today	How to extend
Event analytics tag`analytics.collect.browser.event_analytics_tag`A product analytics tag records page views and shopper actions in a product analytics tool such as PostHog.	Core`modules/analytics/posthog-pageview.tsx`	Event · many
Web analytics tag`analytics.collect.browser.web_analytics_tag`A web analytics tag sends page views and shopping events from the browser to a web analytics property, such as Google Analytics 4.	Core`modules/analytics/consent-gated-trackers.tsx`	Event · many
Ad platform tracking script`analytics.collect.browser.ad_pixel`An ad pixel is a script from an ad platform, such as the Meta or TikTok pixel, that reports views, cart adds and purchases back to that platform.	Core`modules/analytics/consent-gated-trackers.tsx`	Event · many
Own-domain tracking script`analytics.collect.browser.own_domain_tracker`An own-domain tracking script is a script served from the store's own domain that records every touchpoint in the vendor's own database.	Plugin	Event · many
Custom tag`analytics.collect.browser.custom_pixel`A custom tag is a script the merchant pastes in to send storefront events to a tool the store does not ship with.	Plugin	Event · many

Server-side eventsanalytics.collect.serverShowEvents the store's server sends straight to analytics and ad platforms, without relying on the browser.

How to extend

EventMany side by sideevent.order.paid event.order.refundedA server-side forwarder for another platform subscribes to order events.

Part	Litestore today	How to extend
Server event forwarding`analytics.collect.server.forward`Server event forwarding sends a shopper event or a purchase from the store's server to PostHog, GA4 and Meta in one call.	Core`modules/analytics/server-forward.ts`	Event · many
Server purchase report to ad platform`analytics.collect.server.ad_platform_purchase`A server purchase report sends a purchase from the server to an ad platform's API, such as the Meta Conversions API, with the click id that led to it.	Core`modules/analytics/server-forward.ts`	Event · many
Server event to web analytics`analytics.collect.server.web_analytics_event`A server analytics event records an event, such as a purchase, in a web analytics property from the server, as the GA4 Measurement Protocol does.	Core`modules/analytics/server-forward.ts`	Event · many
Event deduplication id`analytics.collect.server.event_dedup`A deduplication id is the same event id sent with the browser pixel event and the server event so the ad platform counts the purchase once.	Core`modules/analytics/server-forward.ts`	Event · many
Bot filter`analytics.collect.server.bot_filter`A bot filter drops requests from crawlers and repeat hits before a page view or click is counted.	Core`modules/analytics/engagement-guard.ts`	Event · many
Product view counter`analytics.collect.server.view_counter`A product view counter adds one to a product's stored page views each time a counted visitor opens it.	Core`modules/analytics/product-engagement.ts`	Event · many

Consentanalytics.collect.consentShowThe shopper's cookie choice and the rules that hold tags back until they agree.

How to extend

Core onlyConsent is a legal gate every tag passes through, so it stays one core check.

Part	Litestore today	How to extend
Cookie banner`analytics.collect.consent.cookie_banner`A cookie banner asks the shopper which cookie groups to allow, such as analytics and marketing, and stores the answer with its time.	Core`modules/analytics/cookie-consent.tsx`	Core only
Consent-gated tags`analytics.collect.consent.gated_loading`Consent gating loads an analytics or ad tag only after the shopper has allowed that tag's cookie group.	Core`modules/analytics/consent-gated-trackers.tsx`	Core only
Consent signals to platforms`analytics.collect.consent.consent_signals`Consent signals pass the shopper's choice to Google or other platforms, as in Google Consent Mode, so they adjust what they store.	Plugin	Core only

Attributionanalytics.attributionShowHow a sale is credited to the channel, campaign or ad that led to it.

Source captureanalytics.attribution.captureShowRecording where a visitor came from so the order carries it.

How to extend

Core onlyThe source captured at the store's front door is read by checkout and by every report, so one core capture step owns it.

Part	Litestore today	How to extend
Campaign URL tag capture`analytics.attribution.capture.campaign_url_params`Campaign tag capture stores the utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign, utm_content and utm_term values of the landing URL in first-party cookies.	Core`proxy.ts`	Core only
Ad click id capture`analytics.attribution.capture.click_id`Click id capture stores the ad click id on the landing URL, such as gclid, fbclid, ttclid or msclkid, so the sale can be matched to the ad.	Core`proxy.ts`	Core only
Internal source tag`analytics.attribution.capture.internal_ref`An internal source tag records which store link, feed or tracked link a visitor clicked before buying.	Core`proxy.ts`	Core only
Order source label`analytics.attribution.capture.order_source`An order source label stores one channel name on each order, worked out from its click id, UTM values or internal tag, or direct when there is none.	Core`modules/analytics/attribution.ts`	Core only

Attribution modelsanalytics.attribution.modelShowThe rule that splits credit for a sale between the touchpoints before it.

How to extend

ProviderMany side by sideattribution modelFurther models read the same captured touchpoints and orders and show their credit side by side with the built-in one.

Part	Litestore today	How to extend
Last click`analytics.attribution.model.last_click`Last-click attribution gives all credit for a sale to the most recent tracked click before it.	Core`proxy.ts`	Provider · many
Attribution window`analytics.attribution.model.window`An attribution window is the number of days after a click during which a sale is still credited to it, 90 days in Litestore.	Core`proxy.ts`	Provider · many
First click`analytics.attribution.model.first_click`First-click attribution gives all credit for a sale to the first tracked click in the visitor's history.	Plugin	Provider · many
Linear`analytics.attribution.model.linear`Linear attribution splits credit for a sale equally across every tracked click before it.	Plugin	Provider · many
Position-based`analytics.attribution.model.position_based`Position-based attribution gives most credit to the first and last clicks and splits the rest across the clicks between them.	Plugin	Provider · many
Statistical model`analytics.attribution.model.statistical`A statistical model calculates each touchpoint's share of credit from a statistical model fitted to the store's past orders.	Plugin	Provider · many
Credit for unclicked views`analytics.attribution.model.unclicked_view`Unclicked-view credit counts an ad that was shown but not clicked before a sale.	Plugin	Provider · many
Order source question`analytics.attribution.model.order_source_question`An order source question asks the buyer on the thank-you page how they heard about the store and stores the answer on the order.	Plugin	Provider · many

Metricsanalytics.metricShowThe numbers a store owner reads, each calculated from orders, visits or ad spend.

How to extend

Assistant toolMany side by sidegetRevenuegetGrowthgetConversionFunnelMetrics are read through the assistant's read tools, and a plugin adds a metric as another read tool.

Part	Litestore today	How to extend
Revenue`analytics.metric.revenue`Revenue is the money captured from paid orders in a period, net of refunds, taken from the payment ledger.	Core`modules/orders/ledger-revenue.ts`	Assistant tool · many
Average order value`analytics.metric.average_order_value`Average order value is revenue in a period divided by the number of paid orders in it.	Core`modules/orders/ledger-revenue.ts`	Assistant tool · many
Conversion rate`analytics.metric.conversion_rate`Conversion rate is the share of visitors or carts in a period that ended in a paid order.	Core`modules/analytics/queries.ts`	Assistant tool · many
Repeat purchase rate`analytics.metric.repeat_rate`Repeat purchase rate is the share of customers who placed more than one paid order.	Core`modules/analytics/queries.ts`	Assistant tool · many
Lifetime revenue per customer`analytics.metric.lifetime_revenue_per_customer`Lifetime revenue per customer is the total revenue a customer, or the average customer in a group, has brought in over time.	Core`modules/analytics/queries.ts`	Assistant tool · many
Sessions`analytics.metric.sessions`Sessions counts separate visits to the storefront in a period, read from the analytics tool that recorded them.	Planned	Assistant tool · many
Marketing spend per new customer`analytics.metric.spend_per_new_customer`Spend per new customer is marketing spend in a period divided by the number of new customers gained in it.	Plugin	Assistant tool · many
Ad revenue per ad spend`analytics.metric.ad_revenue_per_spend`Ad revenue per spend is the revenue credited to an ad, campaign or channel divided by what was spent on it.	Plugin	Assistant tool · many
Total revenue per marketing spend`analytics.metric.revenue_per_marketing_spend`Revenue per marketing spend is total store revenue in a period divided by total marketing spend in the same period, with no attribution.	Plugin	Assistant tool · many
Margin after costs`analytics.metric.margin_after_costs`Margin after costs is revenue minus product cost, shipping, payment fees and marketing spend.	Plugin	Assistant tool · many

Reportsanalytics.reportShowThe tables, funnels and summaries the numbers are shown in.

How to extend

Assistant toolMany side by sidegetSalesBySourcegetCohortsgetLinkAttributionReports are assistant read tools, so a plugin report is one more read tool.
SlotMany side by sideadmin.slot.home.cardsA plugin dashboard card renders in an admin home slot.

Part	Litestore today	How to extend
Sales by source`analytics.report.sales_by_source`A sales-by-source report groups orders and revenue by the source label stored on each order.	Core`modules/analytics/queries.ts`	Assistant tool · manySlot · many
Tracked link performance`analytics.report.link_performance`A link performance report shows clicks, orders and revenue for each tracked store or creator link.	Core`modules/analytics/queries.ts`	Assistant tool · manySlot · many
Cohort table`analytics.report.cohort`A cohort table groups customers by the month of their first order and shows their repeat rate and revenue in the months after.	Core`modules/analytics/queries.ts`	Assistant tool · manySlot · many
Conversion funnel`analytics.report.funnel`A conversion funnel counts how many shoppers reached each step from product view to cart, checkout and paid order.	Core`modules/analytics/queries.ts`	Assistant tool · manySlot · many
Top products`analytics.report.top_products`A top products report lists the products with the most units sold or revenue in a period.	Core`modules/analytics/queries.ts`	Assistant tool · manySlot · many
Revenue reconciliation`analytics.report.revenue_reconciliation`A revenue reconciliation compares order totals with captured payments and lists any order where they differ.	Core`modules/analytics/queries.ts`	Assistant tool · manySlot · many
Reports through the assistant`analytics.report.assistant_read`The store assistant answers a question about sales, customers or sources by calling a read tool and showing the result in chat.	Core`modules/assistant/agent-tools.ts`	Assistant tool · manySlot · many
Weekly digest email`analytics.report.weekly_digest`A weekly digest is an email sent to the store owner each week with the main numbers for the past seven days.	Core`jobs/cron.weekly-digest.tsx`	Assistant tool · manySlot · many
Live source reads`analytics.report.live_source_read`A live source read fetches traffic or search numbers from the source tool, such as PostHog or Search Console, at the moment a report asks for them.	Planned	Assistant tool · manySlot · many
Custom dashboard`analytics.report.custom_dashboard`A custom dashboard is a page of charts and tiles the merchant arranges from chosen metrics.	Plugin	Assistant tool · manySlot · many
Peer benchmark`analytics.report.benchmark`A peer benchmark compares a store's metrics with the averages of similar stores.	Plugin	Assistant tool · manySlot · many

Spend and alertsanalytics.spendShowAd spend and costs brought in from outside, and messages when a number moves.

How to extend

ProviderMany side by sidead spend sourceEach ad platform's spend comes in through its own source provider.

Part	Litestore today	How to extend
Ad spend import`analytics.spend.ad_spend_import`Ad spend import pulls daily spend, impressions and clicks per campaign from ad platforms such as Meta, Google and TikTok.	Plugin	Provider · many
Cost inputs`analytics.spend.cost_inputs`Cost inputs hold product costs, shipping costs, payment fees and fixed costs used to calculate profit.	Plugin	Provider · many
Metric alert`analytics.spend.metric_alert`A metric alert sends a message when a chosen number crosses a set threshold or changes sharply from its usual level.	Plugin	Provider · many

Phrase	Made of
server-side tracking	analytics.collect.server.forward analytics.collect.server.ad_platform_purchase
conversions API	analytics.collect.server.ad_platform_purchase analytics.collect.server.event_dedup
CAPI	analytics.collect.server.ad_platform_purchase analytics.collect.server.event_dedup
first-party pixel	analytics.collect.browser.own_domain_tracker
UTM tracking	analytics.attribution.capture.campaign_url_params analytics.attribution.capture.order_source
sales by channel	analytics.attribution.capture.order_source analytics.report.sales_by_source
last-click attribution	analytics.attribution.model.last_click analytics.attribution.model.window
multi-touch attribution	analytics.attribution.model.linear analytics.attribution.model.position_based analytics.attribution.model.statistical Any model that splits credit across more than one click.
post-purchase survey	analytics.attribution.model.order_source_question
zero-party attribution	analytics.attribution.model.order_source_question
ROAS	analytics.spend.ad_spend_import analytics.metric.ad_revenue_per_spend
MER	analytics.spend.ad_spend_import analytics.metric.revenue_per_marketing_spend
cohort analysis	analytics.report.cohort analytics.metric.repeat_rate analytics.metric.lifetime_revenue_per_customer
profit dashboard	analytics.spend.cost_inputs analytics.metric.margin_after_costs analytics.report.custom_dashboard
anomaly alerts	analytics.spend.metric_alert

Analytics and attribution

What the phrases mean

Phrases left out

Sources