--- title: "Meta says 500. Shopify says 350 | Proof of Pixel" description: "Neither your ad platform nor your backend counts sales right. This free four-page guide shows how far your numbers are off, and how to fix it fast." url: https://proofofpixel.agency/guides/tracking author: "Proof of Pixel" modified: 2026-10-19 --- # Meta says 500. Shopify says 350. Neither number is right. The ad platform over-reports because it is built to claim credit; your backend under-reports because last click hands the whole sale to whoever touched it last. This is how to find your gap in an afternoon. - **7 days** Safari's cap on cookies set by JavaScript (WebKit Intelligent Tracking Prevention) - **iOS 14.5** Apps must ask before tracking across other apps, since 2021 (Apple App Tracking Transparency) - **Required** Consent Mode v2 for EEA traffic, since March 2024 (Google) ## What is inside: 6 steps in 4 pages 1. **Measure the gap.** Compare last month's platform-reported conversions with real orders in your store. Write the percentage down. 2. **Check the purchase event.** In Tag Manager, confirm it fires exactly once, carries a value, and sits on the real confirmation page. 3. **Check the consent banner.** It should pass a consent signal to Google and Meta, not block them outright. 4. **Move key events server side.** 5. **Pick one source of truth.** 6. **Judge spend on blended numbers.** Go deeper: [The tracking gap, explained](https://proofofpixel.agency/blog/conversion-tracking-gap) ## Compare - [Pixel vs Conversions API](https://proofofpixel.agency/compare/meta-pixel-vs-conversions-api) Why Meta wants both, how deduplication works, what consent still blocks, and which setup fits a store or a business on enquiries. - [Tag gateway vs server-side GTM](https://proofofpixel.agency/compare/google-tag-gateway-vs-server-side-gtm) What Google's free gateway changes, what a server container adds, what each costs, and why Google recommends both. - [Stape vs Google Cloud](https://proofofpixel.agency/compare/stape-vs-google-cloud) Where to host a server-side Tag Manager container: what each costs at small-business traffic, what each leaves to you, and how to switch. - [Consent Mode basic vs advanced](https://proofofpixel.agency/compare/consent-mode-basic-vs-advanced) What each mode sends before and after a choice, what Google models back, the open legal question, and why neither covers Meta. Proof of Pixel: marketing and consulting agency. Dubai, New York, London, Antwerp, Kuala Lumpur. [business@proofofpixel.agency](mailto:business@proofofpixel.agency) - [Home](https://proofofpixel.agency/) - [Services](https://proofofpixel.agency/services) - [Website](https://proofofpixel.agency/services/websites) - [SEO and AI search](https://proofofpixel.agency/services/seo) - [Tracking and follow-up](https://proofofpixel.agency/services/marketing) - [Automation and AI](https://proofofpixel.agency/services/automation) - [Strategy](https://proofofpixel.agency/services/strategy) - [Merch](https://proofofpixel.agency/services/merch) - [Work](https://proofofpixel.agency/work) - [Pricing](https://proofofpixel.agency/pricing) - [Blog](https://proofofpixel.agency/blog) - [Free field guides](https://proofofpixel.agency/guides) - [POP Playbooks](https://proofofpixel.agency/playbooks) - [Help](https://proofofpixel.agency/help) - [About](https://proofofpixel.agency/about) - [Careers](https://proofofpixel.agency/careers) - [Referral program](https://proofofpixel.agency/refer) - [Contact](https://proofofpixel.agency/contact) - [Free audit](https://proofofpixel.agency/free-audit) - [AI crawler checker](https://proofofpixel.agency/ai-crawler-checker) - [Compare](https://proofofpixel.agency/compare) - [Terms and Conditions](https://proofofpixel.agency/terms) - [Privacy Policy](https://proofofpixel.agency/privacy) POP Playbooks - [Every flow. Every email. Written.](https://proofofpixel.agency/playbooks/email-flows) - [Count every sale once.](https://proofofpixel.agency/playbooks/tracking) - [Get named by AI answers.](https://proofofpixel.agency/playbooks/ai-search) - [A site that sells.](https://proofofpixel.agency/playbooks/website) - [Claude, set up as a system.](https://proofofpixel.agency/playbooks/claude-business-system) - [Build your audience from your texts.](https://proofofpixel.agency/playbooks/stanley-course) Who we build for - [Dentists](https://proofofpixel.agency/for/dentists) - [Real estate](https://proofofpixel.agency/for/real-estate) - [Construction](https://proofofpixel.agency/for/construction) - [Studios and coaches](https://proofofpixel.agency/for/studios) - [Online shops](https://proofofpixel.agency/for/ecommerce) - [YouTube creators](https://proofofpixel.agency/for/youtube-creators) - [Law and accounting](https://proofofpixel.agency/for/law-firms) - [Agencies](https://proofofpixel.agency/for/agencies) - [Clinics](https://proofofpixel.agency/for/clinics) - [Home services](https://proofofpixel.agency/for/home-services) - [Hospitality](https://proofofpixel.agency/for/hospitality) Where we work - [Locations](https://proofofpixel.agency/locations) - [Dubai](https://proofofpixel.agency/locations/dubai) - [Belgium](https://proofofpixel.agency/locations/belgium) - [Netherlands](https://proofofpixel.agency/locations/netherlands) - [London](https://proofofpixel.agency/locations/london) - [New York](https://proofofpixel.agency/locations/new-york) - [Kuala Lumpur](https://proofofpixel.agency/locations/malaysia)