Overview
This article explains why you might notice differences in data between Shopify Analytics and Polar Analytics and provides step-by-step instructions for troubleshooting these discrepancies. These differences typically arise due to variations in formulas, data sources, or filtering methods. By following the steps below, you can pinpoint and resolve the source of the discrepancies.
Troubleshooting Steps
If you notice differences between your Shopify Analytics data and Polar, follow these steps to identify the cause:
Step 1: Use the Drill Down feature
The drill down feature allows you to access the underlying data by Order ID based on the applied filters in your report.
Select the drill down button
On the pop up verify the Applied filters
At the bottom verify the formula being used for Total Sales
Download the report or Select Open as Custom Report to continue troubleshooting
Step 2: Verify Revenue & Orders Settings
Go to Settings > Data Settings > Total Sales Calculation in Polar.
Ensure you're using the same formula as Shopify for Total Sales:
Shopify's Total Sales = Gross Sales - Discounts + Shipping + Tax - Returns.
Note: Gift cards are excluded.
For more on why Shopify excludes gift cards, refer to this Shopify Community article.
Step 3: Verify Total Sales Source
If you notice an issue with Total Sales:
Ensure you are comparing Total Sales from the Sales Report in Shopify Analytics, not from the Shopify homepage.
On the Shopify homepage, returns include tax and shipping for returned orders on that day, while Shopify Analytics does not include these.
When comparing to Shopify Analytics, apply the filter "Sale Kind = 'order'" in Shopify.
For reference, this is the Shopify Homepage.
Step 4: Check New vs. Repeat Customers
Shopify sometimes marks orders as "Customer type = N/A" that should be classified as new or repeat customers. Polar recalculates this based on order history, not directly pulling Shopify's customer type.
Identify an order with "Customer type = N/A" in Shopify.
Click on the customer ID to view their order history in Shopify.
In Polar, use Custom Report to:
Select a sales metric (e.g., Total Sales).
Filter by customer ID.
Add "Purchase Type" and "Order ID" as dimensions.
You'll see the first order as "New" and subsequent ones as "Repeat." Ensure the correct time range to view the customer's full history.
Step 5: Ensure Consistent Filters
Confirm that no Views are selected in Polar, and that the same filters are applied in both Polar and Shopify Analytics.
Step 6: Compare Custom Reports
If discrepancies persist:
Create a custom report in Polar matching your Shopify Sales Report metrics (e.g., Gross Sales, Discounts).
This is the same report you can create by using the Drill Down feature in Step 1.
The Shopify Sales Report template mimics Shopify's Sales over time report:
Select a small date range for easier comparison.
Break down the report by dimensions like Order ID and sort by highest values.
If a discrepancy appears, check the original order in Shopify under 'Orders.'
Important Notes
Order Adjustments: Item exchanges can sometimes cause discrepancies as Shopify counts these orders twice—once when processed and again when edited. Returns are still calculated at the time they are processed like on Shopify Analytics. Polar uses original order data from Shopify's API, ensuring accuracy.
Total Sales Differences: Shopify may show slightly higher Total Sales due to tax amounts on $0.00 orders, which Polar does not count. These tax amounts will not show up on the original orders, but may be included on the Shopify Analytics Total Sales metric.
Duties and Additional Fees: By default Polar does not include duties and additional fees in the Total Sales and Shopify does. You can create a custom metric to include Total Duties in Total Sales. Please note at this time Polar does not import the Additional Fees metric from Shopify.
Product Data: When comparing product data, use the Product ID breakdown in Polar. Polar displays the latest product title for each Product ID, while Shopify retains historical product titles.