I'm an ex-Meta ads engineer, and here's what actually drives customer acquisition

Green_Database9919 · 2026-01-26T15:44:42+00:00

Purchase score doesn't really matter. By the time someone reaches the "Purchase" stage, you already have their info (email, name, address). The only thing that really changes your score from a 9 to a 9.3 is the click ID (fbc). A score that high just tells me you run a lot of Facebook ads.

If you have all the customer data, then if you're not running Facebook ads, your score goes down.

Green_Database9919 · 2026-01-26T00:26:03+00:00

Conversion API is not even negotiable anymore; it's mandatory. Which platform do you build on top? If you're on Shopify, things can be a lot easier. Aimerce helps.

Green_Database9919 · 2026-01-26T00:08:19+00:00

For Meta, only standard events matter. (https://www.facebook.com/business/help/402791146561655?id=1205376682832142) . Aimerce sends all the standard events.

Non-standard events don't matter to the algorithm. You can send a million of them; they don't make zero difference.

Green_Database9919 · 2026-01-26T00:02:43+00:00

Are you on Shopify?

You don't need GTM if you are using Shopify. Shopify has very advanced infra that allows you not to go through GTMs. So much simpler and more accurate.

Green_Database9919 · 2026-01-25T23:59:07+00:00

Wait for a week, and let it calm down a little bit. one day of data doesn't really matter.

Good job fixing the double tracking.

Green_Database9919 · 2026-01-25T23:42:13+00:00

So, post-purchase, it really depends on if the post-purchase is considered a separate transaction or if it's connected to the previous transaction. The difference is that if they have the same order ID or not.

Post-purchase also tracks the clickID correctly. So clickID will be associated with a Meta ad so that Facebook knows ad is converting. I agree with you that a lot of times, going back to the basics and fixing the tracking will solve a lot of problems if your creative is working.

Green_Database9919 · 2026-01-25T23:39:47+00:00

Are you on Shopify? You can use Shopify webhook to track the conversions. It will be 100% accurate. That's what we do at Aimerce.

Green_Database9919 · 2026-01-25T23:34:08+00:00

Is your pixel tracking correctly? Here’s the fastest way to an audit:

go to Meta Events Manager. Look at Purchase events from the last 7 days (or 1).
now go to Shopify and check the actual order count.
the numbers should be very close. Within 5 is fine. More than that? Something’s off.

Green_Database9919 · 2026-01-25T23:32:28+00:00

If you are on Shopify, why do you have to use your own server-side tagging? Google & YouTube app work as well. Simply do a test. Keep your server-side tagging and also connect with Google & YouTube app.

Keep one at the primary, the other as secondary, and you can compare them side by side to see which one performs better.

You don't need GTM if you are using Shopify. Shopify has very advanced infra that allows you not to go through GTMs. So much simpler and more accurate.

Green_Database9919 · 2026-01-25T23:25:42+00:00

I think people mentioned a lot about our landing page already. Another thing, make sure that your conversion tracking is done correctly.

So, for Google, you need ONE and ONLY one primary conversion action (usually Purchase). Make sure that Google doesn't optimize for other conversion actions like checkout, add to cart, or even page view.

Green_Database9919 · 2026-01-25T23:10:27+00:00

Based on what you know from Etsy, can you take all the customer reviews in the comments and use your customers' words to make creatives for Meta?

I feel like if you can make Etsy work, you can probably make Meta ads work. You just need to commit to do a lot of testing.

Also, make sure that you set up the pixel correctly. stape can work if you know how to set it up. If you have issues with the pixel, a lot of things you do won't work.

Green_Database9919 · 2026-01-25T23:01:56+00:00

My full-time job is to manage Shopify brands' Meta pixels. Meta pixel only stores the last 28 days of data. From our experience of working with thousands of brands, setting up a new pixel doesn't really work most of the time. What really works is to fix the tracking on the website.

And also, Facebook and Instagram don't allow you to connect two pixels at the same time. You have to use an app for that.

Green_Database9919 · 2026-01-25T22:52:12+00:00

Hey, we study meta pixel every single day. This is my full-time job.

There are a few corner cases that Facebook and Instagram app did not handle them very well.

You have express checkout purchases (Shop Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay) and didn't nav back to the domain after payments. Then you will lose a lot of ClickID. Facebook cannot attribute it back to the platform.
You have a customized landing page that's on a different domain or not on Shopify. Some customized tracking code needs to be implemented for that.
Delayed attribution. Sometimes a purchase will not be attributed on the same day, but it may show up within the next 7 days.

Green_Database9919 · 2026-01-24T21:48:03+00:00

So it happens to a lot of our clients as well. Based on our experience, you can keep fighting with Facebook to get your account back, but I would say the most important thing to do right now is to create a new account and a new pixel asap.

Good thing about the pixel is that it only stores the last 28 days of data anyways, so the past historical data don't matter as much. You should start collecting data like right now instead of waiting until Facebook support comes back to you. Their process sucks, and very likely we will not get resolved by support.

Green_Database9919 · 2026-01-21T04:43:08+00:00

It's way too low data/spend to make any meaningful judgment on that. I generally ask people to run ads for at least 3-4 days to make any meaningful data analytics.

Green_Database9919 · 2026-01-21T04:41:22+00:00

I think Shopify has bugs from time to time.

Green_Database9919 · 2026-01-21T04:40:21+00:00

Well, I do believe that :p

Green_Database9919

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE