GDPR compliance doesn't have to be complicated. Alia includes everything you need to collect proper consent, respect user privacy choices, and stay compliant with EU regulations. This guide shows you how to configure each feature correctly.
Why GDPR compliance matters for your business
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires explicit consent for data collection and processing from EU visitors. Non-compliance can result in fines up to 4% of annual revenue or €20 million. More importantly, GDPR compliance builds customer trust and can actually improve conversion rates by demonstrating transparency.
While Alia provides powerful tools to support your GDPR compliance efforts, the responsibility for proper configuration and legal compliance ultimately rests with you as the merchant. We recommend consulting with legal counsel to ensure your specific implementation meets all regulatory requirements.
Alia's GDPR compliance toolkit
Disable tracking before users consent
Alia includes a setting that disables tracking of visitor personal information before that visitor consents. This setting integrates with Shopify's Privacy API.
Set up this setting by following the help article here.
EU geolocation targeting
Use our geolocation targeting rules to create a campaign specifically for EU customers. To use this:
Go to a campaign and click "Edit targeting"
Add an "In countries" targeting rule
In the list of countries, add "All EU countries"
Consent checkboxes
Add GDPR compliant consent checkboxes to any form with zero coding required. To set it up:
Open any popup in Alia
Add the "Consent checkbox" to any form
Customize the consent language to match your privacy policy. You can add links to your privacy policy & terms inside the text editor.
If you collect consent for more than one channel (for example, email and SMS, or email and WhatsApp), add a separate consent checkbox for each channel with distinct language, such as "I consent to receive marketing emails" and "I consent to receive marketing text messages." A single combined checkbox does not provide adequately separated consent across channels. This applies even when the WhatsApp phone number is collected through a step that looks like a standard phone or SMS input; the compliance text requirement doesn't change based on which downstream platform (for example Klaviyo) the WhatsApp opt-in flows through.
Suppress popup based on cookie consent
Automatically hide popups and promotional content for users who haven't consented, powered by Shopify's Customer Privacy API. To enable this:
Go to a campaign and click "Edit targeting"
Add a "Cookie consent allowed" targeting rule
In the dropdown, choose which types of consent need to be allowed for the campaign to show. The default is Marketing (only marketing consent needs to be given for the campaign to show).
Alia's Shopify web pixel declares the "analytics" purpose only under Shopify's Customer Privacy API. It does not declare "marketing," since the pixel isn't used to target visitors on ad networks. Keep this in mind when deciding which consent types to require in the Cookie consent allowed rule above.
Popups appearing over your consent banner
This rule is also the fix for a popup that renders on top of Shopify's consent banner on first visit and stops the visitor from being able to accept or decline. With the rule applied, the popup waits until the banner has been answered.
Expect this to reduce popup views and signups, sometimes sharply, since visitors who never answer the banner never see the popup. Apply it when showing the popup itself requires consent in your jurisdiction, and confirm that with your legal team first, as it often is not the case.
If you use a consent tool other than Shopify's banner, see How to Hide Popups on Certain Pages for the cookie-based alternative.
Ready to get started?
Setting up GDPR compliance with Alia takes just minutes, not months. Our intuitive dashboard guides you through each step, and our support team is standing by to help ensure your configuration meets your specific needs.
Questions about implementation? Our privacy compliance specialists are here to help you navigate the setup process and optimize your configuration for both compliance and conversion.
Disclaimer: This guide provides information about Alia's privacy features but does not constitute legal advice. Merchants are responsible for ensuring their specific implementation complies with applicable privacy laws. We recommend consulting with qualified legal counsel for compliance guidance tailored to your business.