How to verify your pixel is working
Option 1 — Dashboard live events
- Open your NSM dashboard
- Navigate to Settings → Tracking
- Look for the Pixel Status indicator — it should show Active
- Open your store in a new browser tab
- Return to the dashboard — you should see a new
page_viewevent appear within 30 seconds
Option 2 — Browser console
- Open your store in a browser
- Open the browser console (
F12orCmd+Option+I) - Check that the NSM pixel object is initialized — the dashboard’s Pixel Status indicator is the easiest way to confirm this
Option 3 — Network tab
- Open your store with browser developer tools open
- Go to the Network tab and filter by
northstarmetric - You should see outbound tracking requests appearing as you navigate the store
- A
200status code means tracking is working correctly
What events are tracked?
| Event | When it fires | Used for |
|---|---|---|
page_view | Every page load | Visitor identification, session tracking |
add_to_cart | When item is added to cart | Funnel analysis |
checkout_started | Checkout page visited | Funnel drop-off |
payment_info | Payment step reached | Conversion funnel |
purchase | Order placed | Attribution matching |
Match rate
Your match rate shows what percentage of orders were successfully attributed to an ad click or visitor session. A healthy match rate is typically above 70%. Factors that affect it:| Factor | Impact |
|---|---|
| Direct traffic (type-in URL) | Orders with no prior ad click cannot be attributed |
| Very long delay between click and purchase | Outside the 30-day attribution window |
| New device at checkout | Cross-device matching may not link the sessions |
| Heavy VPN usage by customers | IP-based signals are less reliable |
Troubleshooting
Pixel Status shows 'Not detected'
Pixel Status shows 'Not detected'
- Go to your Shopify Admin → Online Store → Themes → Customize
- Check that no theme customizations are removing scripts from
<head> - Try uninstalling and reinstalling the NSM app — the pixel is re-registered automatically
- Contact support@northstarmetric.io if the issue persists
Events are appearing but match rate is 0%
Events are appearing but match rate is 0%
This typically means your attribution window hasn’t been reached yet — you need orders to come in after the pixel was installed. Match rate populates within 24-48 hours of your first orders.
I see duplicate events
I see duplicate events
This can happen if the tracking script is loaded twice (e.g., via both the web pixel and a theme modification). Check your theme for any manual NSM script tags and remove them — the web pixel handles loading automatically.