Overview
Accurate data is the lifeblood of a scaling DTC brand. In an era of privacy restrictions (like iOS 14+) and ad-blockers, standard browser tracking often misses up to 30% of your conversion data.
The Polar Pixel is our proprietary first-party, server-side tracking solution designed to bridge this gap. By installing the Pixel, you move beyond "estimated" data to a "source of truth" that identifies hidden customer journeys, enriches your marketing flows, and powers our advanced attribution models.
In this guide, you will learn:
How to install the Polar Pixel on Shopify and Headless environments.
The critical role of Tracking Parameters (UTMs) in attribution.
Best practices for verifying your setup to ensure 100% data accuracy.
Section 1: Installing the Polar Pixel (Shopify & Headless)
The Polar Pixel is built as a Shopify App Pixel, meaning it runs in a secure, isolated sandbox. This ensures it never slows down your site speed while remaining resilient to "Checkout Extensibility" updates.
At this time, the Pixel cannot be installed while on the Free Trial.
For Shopify Merchants (1-Click Install)
Enable the Add-on: Navigate to the Acquisition page in your Polar dashboard. Ensure the "Polar Pixel" add-on is toggled ON.
Execute Installation: Visit the Pixel Setup Page and click Install. Polar will automatically inject the necessary logic into your Shopify Customer Events.
Third-Party Checkouts: If you use tools like Recharge, ensure you follow our specific sub-guides to bridge the tracking between your store and the subscription checkout: How-To: Add the Polar Pixel to 3rd-Party Checkouts
Note: Currently, the Polar Pixel cannot be installed on:
Amazon Seller
Facebook/Instagram Checkout
TikTok Shop
Shopify Shop App
However, orders processed through these channels will still be tracked if they sync with Shopify.
For Headless & Custom Builds
If your store runs on a custom frontend (Hydrogen, Next.js, etc.), use the Polar SDK. This lightweight JavaScript library allows you to manually fire events like page_view, add_to_cart, and purchase directly to our servers, bypassing browser limitations entirely. See the article for instructions here on how to install the Pixel For Headless Stores.
For additional troubleshooting of the Polar Pixel on your Headless store, see this article.
Section 2: Configuring Ad Tracking Parameters
The Pixel "sees" the visitor, but Tracking Parameters tell the Pixel which specific ad brought them there. Without proper UTMs, your conversions will end up in "Direct" or "Unknown" categories.
The "Gold Standard" Configuration
To get the most out of Polar’s attribution, you must append specific IDs to your ad URLs using our tracking guides:
Use our Universal Tracking Parameters for non-integrated channels (like LinkedIn or Influencer links) to maintain a unified view of your marketing ecosystem.
Note: Comprehensive attribution requires specific tracking parameters. Ads without these parameters may not capture all data.
Section 3: Verification and Identity Resolution
Once installed, the Polar Pixel begins building a LifetimeID for your customers. This "digital fingerprint" recognizes users across devices and sessions, even if they clear their cookies.
How to Verify the Pixel is Firing
Don't leave your data to chance. For headless stores, it is expected that you will see "No Attribution data" under the Pixel setup section on the connector page. Use the Network Console to verify the connection:
Open your website and right-click to select Inspect (DevTools).
Navigate to the Network tab and refresh the page.
Filter the search for "Polar".
Look for a successful status (200) to confirm the Pixel is communicating with the Polar servers.
The 14-Day Baseline
The Polar Pixel does not track retroactively. It begins learning your traffic the moment it is installed. We recommend a 14-day "burn-in" period to establish a baseline before making major shifts in your ad spend based on Polar attribution.
F.A.Qs
Can the Pixel affect my store in any way?
Can the Pixel affect my store in any way?
The Polar Analytics Pixel uses the Shopify App Pixels. It runs on an isolated environment and uses Shopify-controlled APIs to collect data.
This is the recommended way to add pixels and has minimal impact on the performance, security, and privacy of your website.
"Additional scripts" are not allowed in Shopify checkouts anymore. How does installation work?
"Additional scripts" are not allowed in Shopify checkouts anymore. How does installation work?
There is no need for an additional script, the polar pixel is a Shopify App Pixel. This is the recommended way to use Pixels on Shopify stores as it offers the most secure, reliable, and performant pixels.
We have other tracking pixels. Is this a problem?
We have other tracking pixels. Is this a problem?
No problem, our tracking pixel is independent from other tracking sources, you can install it in parallel.
Do you foresee any issues in compatibility with consent banner app?
Do you foresee any issues in compatibility with consent banner app?
We don't foresee any issues. The Polar Pixel is compatible with Shopify customer privacy settings. If you use a third-party provider for marketing consent, please ensure that they are compatible with Shopify customer privacy settings
You can check here: Shopify Admin > Customer Privacy > Cookie banner the list of countries
When a country is not selected, the pixel fires without waiting for consent.
Do you support headless stores?
Do you support headless stores?
Yes, this guide has a section on how to install the pixel for headless stores.
Do we need to set up a new Conversion action on ad platforms like Google Ads?
Do we need to set up a new Conversion action on ad platforms like Google Ads?
We are not relying on google ads' pixel for tracking in any way, so there is no need to set up a conversion action on Google Ads or any other ad platform. When you click on "install" a small piece of code will be added to you Shopify theme (like all other pixels), and you then need to configure UTM parameters in your ad platforms, that's all.
Does the Polar Pixel work with Shopify's checkout extensibility?
Does the Polar Pixel work with Shopify's checkout extensibility?
The Polar Pixel is a Shopify App Pixel, designed to work seamlessly with checkout extensibility. It remains unaffected by any changes to checkout extensibility, so no action is required when you upgrade your checkout.
How are the UTMs setup at ad level? Are they manual/automatic?
How are the UTMs setup at ad level? Are they manual/automatic?
The setup of UTMs at the ad level is similar to that at the campaign level. For Google Ads, UTMs are configured automatically. For all other platforms, UTMs need to be set up manually. Please refer to our Tracking Parameter Guides for more information.
How can I confirm that the Pixel is installed in Shopify?
How can I confirm that the Pixel is installed in Shopify?
If you are using the Pixel Extension you can confirm the Pixel is installed in Shopify under Apps and Sales Channel -> Customer Events.
If you are using the Pixel Script for headless builds or external landing pages you can use the Network Console tool to ensure the Pixel is firing.
To access the Network Console tool, you can:
Open DevTools by right-clicking on a webpage and selecting Inspect. You can also use the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl+Shift+I for Windows and Linux, or Command+Option+I for macOS.
Select the Network tab from the main toolbar.
Refresh the webpage.
Search for "Polar Pixel"
Can you help me install the Polar SDK?
Can you help me install the Polar SDK?
Installation of the Polar SDK requires access to your website’s code. We recommend working with your web developer or technical team to implement it.
To make things easier, you can share our SDK documentation with them, which includes step-by-step instructions and code examples for tracking key events.
While we can’t install it directly for you, we’re happy to answer questions about how the SDK works.
What cookies are necessary for the Polar Pixel to fire?
What cookies are necessary for the Polar Pixel to fire?
The Polar Pixel does not use its own cookies
Required cookies can be seen on the Shopify admin
The Pixel stores data in the local storage. The keys the Pixel uses are
tabIdandpap_unique_user_id
Conclusion
Setting up the Polar Pixel is the single most important step you can take to reclaim your data sovereignty. By moving to first-party, server-side tracking, you aren't just "fixing" your reporting—you're feeding cleaner data back to Meta and Google (via CAPI) to improve your ad performance.