This article explains sessions and how we count them. A session is defined the same way as it is within Shopify.
Below is Shopify's definition:
"A session is measured based on cookies, which are small files stored on a shopper's device (desktop or smartphone) when they visit your online store. One cookie identifies the device (visitor), and another keeps track of the session length. A session ends after 30 minutes of no activity or at midnight UTC. Since a single visitor can have multiple sessions, the number of sessions is usually higher than the number of visitors.
Example: A shopper views products in your store for 20 minutes, then returns 2 hours later for another 10 minutes. This counts as two sessions and one visitor. If the shopper views your store for 5 minutes, leaves, and returns 10 minutes later, it counts as one session and one visitor.
To view your online store without it counting as a session in your acquisition reports, click the eye icon on your desktop Shopify admin. Any other method of viewing your store on a desktop will count as a session in your reports.
Viewing your online store from the Shopify app on iPhone or Android counts as a session in your acquisition reports."
Rep AI tracks sessions similarly to Shopify but there might be a slight difference, where Rep might count fewer sessions. That's because:
- Shopify ends sessions at midnight UTC, while Rep ends them at midnight Eastern Time Zone (EST).
- Rep loads on the page later than Shopify, so some visitors might leave the website before Rep starts tracking, resulting in fewer sessions being counted.