This article transparently outlines how Heatmap calculates each key and core metric, specifically highlighting what's included or excluded, and clarifying why Heatmap data intentionally differs from platforms like Shopify or Google Analytics.
Dive deeper into how Heatmap's data compares to Shopify. Click here to learn more.
Heatmap Data Definitions
Here’s how we define each metric specifically designed for ecommerce growth:
Name | Definition |
Engaged Session (Sessions) | A session only counts as engaged if the visitor clicks on the page (any element), scrolls down at least once, and/or remains on the page for at least 5 seconds |
Captured revenue from completed purchases at the exact moment the visitor hits the "Thank You" page. | |
Percentage of engaged sessions that result in a purchase.
| |
Revenue generated per engaged session.
| |
Average amount spent per order at checkout, including shipping and taxes.
| |
Counts each individual page visited within an engaged session. | |
Counts sessions where a visitor clicks Add to Cart (ATC) at least once. | |
Counts sessions that reach the checkout payment page after a session begins on a web page. | |
Counts completed purchases where the visitor reaches the "Thank You" page. |
Understanding How Our Data is Defined
1. Engaged Sessions
How Heatmap Calculates:
A session only counts as engaged if the visitor meets at least one of these criteria:
Clicks on the page (any element)
Scrolls down at least once
Remains on the page for at least 5 seconds
What's Excluded:
Instant bounces (sessions <5 seconds with no interaction)
Bots, crawlers, spam traffic
Sessions with no detectable engagement
Shopify vs Heatmap:
Shopify includes all sessions, quick visits, non-loaded page sessions, and bot traffic. Heatmap only collects engaged, human sessions with intent to purchase
Example:
User A lands, scrolls immediately → Engaged Session ✅
User B lands, exits in 3 seconds, no clicks/scroll → Not counted ❌
2. Website Revenue
How Heatmap Calculates:
Captured revenue from completed purchases at the exact moment the visitor hits the "Thank You" page.
What's Included:
Product price
Shipping costs
Taxes collected at checkout
What's Excluded:
Refunds and returns after purchase
Order edits after checkout
Subscription renewals (automatic recurring charges)
Shopify vs Heatmap:
Shopify includes post-purchase refunds, adjustments, and revenue from non-website channels (Shop App, Mobile Apps, Subscriptions, TikTok/Instagram Shop, etc.).
Example:
Customer pays $100 for products + $10 shipping + $5 tax = $115 total revenue
Heatmap records revenue as $115 at purchase completion.
3. Website Conversion Rate
How Heatmap Calculates:
Only includes engaged sessions that result in purchases.
Formula:
What's Excluded:
Purchases from non-engaged sessions (sessions without a click, scroll, or stay less than 5 seconds)
Shopify vs Heatmap:
Shopify counts all sessions, including unengaged traffic, therefore typically showing a lower conversion rate than Heatmap will. This is due to Heatmap restricting the definition of an Engaged Session with the same number of purchases. This makes your Heatmap Website Conversion Rate more actionable for website optimization
TLDR: Shopify includes all sessions, engaged or not, resulting in a lower and less actionable conversion rate.
Example:
1,000 Engaged Sessions, 50 orders → Conversion Rate = (50 ÷ 1,000) × 100 = 5%
4. Revenue per Session (RPS)
How Heatmap Calculates:
Measures revenue per engaged session only.
Formula:
What's Excluded:
Unengaged sessions (no interactions or less than 5 seconds)
Shopify vs Heatmap:
Shopify uses all sessions (passive sessions, instant bounces, mixing low or no-intent traffic, etc), resulting in a lower RPS metric compared to Heatmap.
Example:
Revenue: $5,000, Engaged Sessions: 1,000 → RPS = $5,000 ÷ 1,000 = $5.00
5. Website Average Order Value (AOV)
How Heatmap Calculates:
Measures total spent per order at checkout, including taxes and shipping.
Formula:
What's Included:
Total revenue spent per purchase. This includes product price, taxes, shipping, which is the true amount of revenue collected per transaction.
What's Excluded:
Returns, refunds
Recurring subscription charges post-initial purchase
Off-website transactions
Shopify Difference:
Shopify excludes taxes/shipping and factors in returns/refunds, typically reporting a “lower AOV.” It’s important to note that AOV of transactions off-website (Shop App, TikTok Shop, etc) often have a lower AOV than website purchases.
Example:
Customer purchases a $50 product, $5 shipping, $3 tax = Heatmap AOV: $58
Shopify would report $50 AOV (excluding shipping and tax).
6. Pageviews
How Heatmap Calculates:
Counts each individual page visited within an engaged session.
What's Excluded:
Pageviews during passive, unengaged sessions (no click, no scroll, <5 sec duration)
Shopify Difference:
Shopify counts all pageviews, including from passive or accidental sessions.
Example:
User visits homepage (10 sec), clicks to product page → 2 pageviews ✅
User quickly clicks and immediately exits (<5 sec, no click) → 0 pageviews ❌
7. Add to Cart
How Heatmap Calculates:
Counts sessions where a visitor clicks Add to Cart (ATC) at least once. This is session-based counting, meaning heatmap counts Add to Carts as “did this session Add to Cart or not.” If yes, you will see one ATC in your dashboard.
What's Excluded:
Multiple Add-to-Cart clicks within the same session (session-based reporting)
Sessions without engagement
Shopify vs Heatmap:
Shopify reports sessions where Add to Cart occurred, but doesn't differentiate multiple ATCs within one session explicitly. Their documentation does not disclose this, while Heatmap’s does.
Example:
User clicks Add-to-Cart three times in same session → counted as 1 Add to Cart
8. Begin Checkout
How Heatmap Calculates:
Counts sessions that reach the checkout payment page after a session begins on a web page. Very important, if a user lands in Checkout as their entry page, Heatmap does not record this as a true Begin Checkout.
What's Excluded:
Sessions that begin directly on checkout (direct links, email checkout links, external shops like TikTok Shop, etc)
Shopify Difference:
Shopify counts all sessions reaching checkout, including direct-to-checkout sessions.
Example:
User browses products, proceeds to checkout page → Counted ✅
User lands directly on checkout from external link → Not counted ❌
9. Transaction (Purchase)
How Heatmap Calculates:
Counts completed purchases where the visitor reaches the "Thank You" page.
What's Excluded:
Incomplete Thank You page load (never reached the Thank You page or instant bounce from Thank You page)
Purchases starting directly at checkout (without prior browsing session)
Off-website transactions
Shopify Difference:
Shopify counts all completed transactions regardless of where the purchase is made
Example:
User browses site, initiates checkout, hits Thank You page → Transaction counted ✅
User lands directly on checkout, completes purchase → Not counted ❌
User buys from Shop App, not website → Not counted ❌
Element-Specific Definitions
Here’s how we define each element-specific metric with our Heatmaps to understand how often that element plays a role in driving conversions:
Name | Definition |
Clicks | The total number of clicks associated with an element. |
Purchases | The total number of purchases associated with an element. |
Revenue | The total revenue generated from all purchases linked to a particular element. |
Average Order Value (AOV) | The average amount spent per order on the element. |
Conversion Rate (eCVR) | Percentage of clicks on an element that result in a purchase.
= Element Purchases / Element Clicks |
Revenue per Session (eRPS) | The total revenue of users who clicked on a specific element per visit on a page.
= Element Revenue / Engaged Page Sessions |
Revenue per Click (eRPC) | The total revenue generated per click on a specific element.
= Element Revenue / Element Clicks |
Understanding data discrepancies
Not all platforms measure traffic the same way and not all data is created equal. That’s by design. While other platforms may log every page load or transaction (bots included), Heatmap filters for intent-driven, high-quality user behavior. This means you get cleaner, more actionable insights focused on what truly matters: optimizing your website for real customers.
👉 Want to learn more how our data compares? Check out:
Heatmap vs Google Analytics