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This article will review:
- How the Partnerize Shopify Integration functions
- How to install the application and enable all features
- What tracking features are included
- Access to additional technical documentation
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Index
- Overview
- Implementation Steps
- Shopify App Integration: Ecommerce platform vs. Ecommerce Checkout
- Next Steps
- FAQ's
Overview
Partnerize has a Shopify application which allows brands that use Shopify as their eCommerce platform or for eCommerce checkout to easily integrate their conversion tracking. This integration uses a 1st party cookie tracking solution using Shopify webhooks. This ensures that the brand’s tracking is not reliant on 3rd party cookies, and is therefore ITP (and equivalent) compliant. The app is also compliant with Shopify’s Checkout Extensibility.
The application creates a pixel, which is then implemented onto all site pages to ensure that first-party cookies are stored with information on the last click from a partner. Conversion information is then sent from checkout using webhooks directly to the Partnerize API. These webhooks automatically read the transactional data from Shopify and send it to Partnerize for purchase tracking, which reduces the need for any complex integration and development work.
In addition to conversion tracking, the integration will also handle the validation of transactions where items have been returned, based on the transaction statuses within Shopify.
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Implementation Steps
Shopify App Integration: Ecommerce platform vs. Ecommerce Checkout
Advertisers that use Shopify have two options for integrating with Partnerize via the Shopify app:
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Ecommerce platform. Advertisers that use Shopify as their ecommerce platform can implement the latest version of the Shopify app by following the steps detailed under “Install Application” below.
- If you are an advertisers that is upgrading to the latest version of the Shopify app, please note that you must first uninstall your existing app before proceeding.
- Ecommerce checkout. Often referred to as ‘headless Shopify websites’, this setup requires feature allows advertisers that use Shopify for their checkout solution to capture our unique Partnerize ID (“clickref”) and store it as a first-party cookie. To implement this type of tracking, you will need to apply the code on each of your website’s pages in addition to installing the Shopify app. To integrate with Partnerize as an advertisers that uses Shopify exclusively for checkout, you must implement the Partnerize Tag as well as install the Shopify app. Begin this process by navigating to “Where is the Partnerize Tag Located?” below and following the steps provided.
Install Application
Advertisers upgrading to the latest Shopify app:
Advertisers that are currently integrated via the Shopify app and upgrading to the latest version must also uninstall the older version of the app to ensure that tracking is not duplicated. To uninstall:
- In Shopify, navigate to Settings -> App and sales channels -> Click on the 3 dots -> Uninstall
If you are not in extensibility checkout, you must also need to remove the pixel script:
- Settings -> Checkout -> At the bottom, “Order status page additional scripts”.
Advertisers installing the Shopify app for the first time:
- Within the Shopify App Store, locate the Partnerize app
- Click 'Add app'
- Choose the store for which the app should be installed
- Click Install App:
Configure Application
Once the application has been installed, the configuration settings must be applied.
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❗NOTE: Before configuring the cartridge, the below information is required, which can be obtained via the Partnerize platform:
- User Key (Settings > Account Settings > User API Key) (first key)
- API Key (Settings > Account Settings > User Application Key) (second key)
- Brand ID - (Settings > Brand Settings > Advertiser ID)
- Campaign ID - (Settings - at the top )
If access to the Partnerize platform is required, contact your Partnerize Customer Success Manager for more information.
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Once this information has been obtained, access the Partnerize app to set up the app.The configuration screen is split into two sections:
- Partnerize Account Information
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Tax Settings
- This option will only be displayed if a specific store setting is enabled. This is covered in more detail below
Partnerize Account Information:
The following information should be input into this section, as per the earlier comments:
- API Key
- User Key
- Brand ID
- Campaign ID
Input the required values and click Save.
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❗NOTE: If an error is returned stating "You do not have "update" access on this resource", check that the keys and IDs entered are correct.
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Tax Settings:
The purpose of this setting is to ensure that the correct item value tracks for each item within a transaction. The overall store settings dictate whether or not the tracked item value will include taxes. If the brand wants to ensure that the NET item value is tracked (value minus any taxes), then this setting should be used.
To ensure that any taxes are deducted from the tracked value, the 'Track NET item value' setting should be enabled, and then the local tax value entered as a percentage (i.e. 20% as shown in the above example). This will then be automatically deducted from the item values. Click Save.
This section will only appear if the 'All prices include tax' setting is enabled with the 'Taxes and duties' section of the Shopify store. This is a store level setting and is independent to the Partnerize application:
Conversion Tracking Webhook
As part of the configuration, Shopify will send Partnerize a webhook for every conversion unconditionally.
Where Is the Partnerize Tag Located?
The Partnerize Tag can be managed in the platform using the Partnerize Tag setup interface, which can be located in the Settings section of the drop-down menu at the left end of the top menu.
Partnerize tags
Here you can create and manage tags for your websites. To create a tag, click Create a new tag +
Enter a name for the tag in the Value field, then click Save at the bottom of the screen. The new tag will now be added to the list of displayed tags, and set to a status of Enabled.
Once you create the tag, make sure you enable 1st party tracking on the list of features.
Implementation of Partnerize tag
Copy the JS code from the righthand side of the dashboard and you will need to place it at the bottom of ALL pages of the site. The following should help you determine which pages the tag should be present on:
- Any page of which an inbound referral may land on
- The checkout confirmation page
Example Partnerize landing page tag
<script src="https://pzapi-kg.com/b/XXXXX/YYYYY.js"></script>
- The domain (pzapi-kg.com) may differ for your exact tag
- XXXXX will be replaced by the brand ID
- YYYYY will be replaced by a specific tag ID
Testing
Testing should be done by submitting a test transaction via the brand’s live website. A non-session test should be performed, which simulates a returning customer who originally followed a partner link but purchased at a later date. Providing the sale is made within the cookie period of the brand, the transaction should track successfully.
Testing Instructions
- Follow a test partner link. To obtain a link, go to the ‘Partners’ section of the Partnerize platform, locate the ‘test’ partner account, copy the tracking link and paste it into the browser window. Email integrations.support@partnerize.com if you cannot locate the link
- Let browser load page
- Once loaded, exit browser
- Reopen browser and go directly to brand site without following test link
- Purchase multiple items (if applicable)
- Save order number with purchase costs
- Provide order ID to integrations.support@partnerize.com
Expected Outcome
- Transactions is recorded in the Partnerize dashboard
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All parameters are populated correctly, and that the conversion call is correctly formatted. The following parameters should be checked closely:
- Value - Ensure that this is populated with the NET item value for each item
- Currency - Ensure that this is populated with the correct currency used at point of sale
- Clickref - Check that the most recent clickref has been passed into the parameter
- Check that the tracking solution has been fired from the live confirmation page
Validations
The Partnerize Shopify application will automatically process transaction validations for returned items between Shopify and Partnerize, to ensure that transaction statuses are in sync across the two platforms. For example, if an order status in Shopify has been set to REFUND, whether this is for all items within the order or only individual items within the order, the conversion item status will be automatically updated to ‘rejected’ within the Partnerize system. The validations are performed using a webhook that gets fired from Shopify every time an order changes i.e. returns. This change will be reflected in the Partnerize system shortly after the update within Shopify.
Approvals would need to be handled separately within the Partnerize platform, by either;
- Manually approving any transactions which remain in a pending status
- Setting a force approval period, to automatically approve any remaining pending transactions after a specified number of days, typically once the returns period has passed
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❗NOTE:
The validations job will only sync the statues between Shopify and Partnerize once the Shopify status for the item/order is set to REFUNDED, not RETURNED.
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Next Steps
- Request a campaign_id from the Partnerize Integration team. Email integrations.support@partnerize.com if you do not already have this.
- Install the Shopify application and apply all configuration settings using the instructions above. Inform the Partnerize Integration team once this has been completed
- Perform testing using the above instructions - Transactions will need to be submitted via the brand’s live website, so that the implementation can be fully tested.