Yes, this is common, and you’re not alone. Here’s why you see such a mismatch:
Why Pinterest Clicks > Shopify Sessions
Clicks count all link taps, including multiple taps by the same person.
Shopify counts unique sessions, filtering bots and rapid reloads.
Some users bounce before the page fully loads, so Shopify doesn’t record them.
Ad blockers and privacy settings block tracking scripts or UTM tags.
What you can do
Compare Pinterest outbound clicks vs. landing page views in Pinterest Analytics—landing page views are a closer match to Shopify sessions.
Use Pinterest’s Event Tag Helper to confirm the page view tag fires properly.
Check your site speed—slow load times lead to high drop-off before tracking fires.
Cross-reference UTM data in Shopify Analytics with Pinterest campaign reports.
Bottom line
Some discrepancy is normal (often 20–40%). If you’re seeing an 85%+ drop, it usually means bot clicks, fast bounces, or tracking blocked. Focus on landing page views rather than raw clicks for a more realistic view of traffic.