Question 1

What is multi-touch attribution?

Accepted Answer

Multi-touch attribution tracks every marketing touchpoint a customer interacts with before purchasing, then distributes credit across all of them. Instead of giving 100% credit to one ad, it recognizes that multiple channels (like a TikTok ad, Google search, and email) work together to drive a sale. BlackBox tracks the full customer journey on your Shopify store using first-party data.

Question 2

What's the difference between First Touch, Last Touch, and Linear attribution?

Accepted Answer

First Touch gives 100% credit to the channel that first brought a customer to your store (great for understanding what drives awareness). Last Touch gives 100% credit to the channel that triggered the final purchase (great for understanding what closes sales). Linear distributes credit equally across all touchpoints. BlackBox Pro gives you all three models so you can see the full picture.

Question 3

Why does Facebook show different numbers than Shopify?

Accepted Answer

Facebook uses modeled (estimated) conversions because iOS 14's App Tracking Transparency blocks real tracking for 85% of iPhone users. Facebook guesses how many conversions happened, which leads to over-reporting, under-reporting, and 24-72 hour delays. BlackBox uses first-party data from your Shopify store, so every order is tracked accurately regardless of iOS privacy settings.

Question 4

How did iOS 14 break ad tracking?

Accepted Answer

In 2021, Apple's iOS 14.5 update introduced App Tracking Transparency (ATT), which requires apps to ask permission before tracking users across other apps and websites. 85% of users opt out, which means Facebook, TikTok, and other ad platforms can no longer see what those users do after clicking an ad. This broke conversion tracking, retargeting audiences, and ROAS reporting for Shopify stores. First-party attribution tools like BlackBox aren't affected because they track on your own domain.

Question 5

How does BlackBox track customer journeys?

Accepted Answer

BlackBox installs a lightweight tracking pixel on your Shopify store that captures every visit using first-party cookies. It records where each visitor came from (UTM parameters, referrer, direct), stores their complete journey across multiple visits, then matches it to Shopify order data when they purchase. This gives you the full path from first click to purchase — unaffected by ad blockers or iOS privacy changes.

Question 6

What is Flow Maps?

Accepted Answer

Flow Maps is a Sankey-style visualization that shows how customers flow through your marketing channels before purchasing. It visually maps the most common paths customers take — for example, you might see that 40% of customers first arrive via Facebook Ads, then return via Google search before buying. Flow Maps helps you understand channel interactions and identify your highest-converting paths. Available on BlackBox Pro.

Question 7

Does BlackBox work without UTM parameters?

Accepted Answer

Yes. BlackBox automatically tracks referrer data (the website a visitor came from), so it can identify traffic from Google, Facebook, direct visits, and other sources without any UTM setup. However, UTM parameters give you campaign-level detail — like which specific ad, ad set, or email campaign drove each visit. For the most actionable data, we recommend adding UTMs to all paid ads and email links.

Question 8

How long does setup take?

Accepted Answer

About 2 minutes. Install BlackBox from the Shopify App Store with one click. The tracking pixel auto-deploys to every page of your store — no code, no developers, no manual pixel installation. Data starts flowing immediately from your next visitor. You'll see attribution data on your first order.

Question 9

Does BlackBox collect customer personal data?

Accepted Answer

No. BlackBox is privacy-first by design. We do not collect, store, or process any personally identifiable information (PII) like names, emails, or addresses. We track marketing touchpoints (UTM parameters, referrer URLs, page visits) and connect them to Shopify order IDs — not to individual people. This means BlackBox is compliant with GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy regulations by design.

Question 10

Is there a free plan?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Free plan includes up to 50 attributed orders per month, Last Touch attribution model, 90-day data retention, and basic channel breakdown. It works forever with no credit card required. Most small stores or stores just getting started with attribution can use the Free plan to see immediate value.

Question 11

What does Pro include?

Accepted Answer

Pro costs $19/month and includes unlimited attributed orders, all 3 attribution models (First Touch, Last Touch, Linear), Flow Maps customer journey visualization, 2-year data retention, campaign and ad-level breakdowns, and priority support. Pro is designed for stores actively running paid ads that need detailed attribution data to optimize spend.

Question 12

How does the 7-day free trial work?

Accepted Answer

When you install BlackBox, you get full Pro access for 7 days — no credit card required. You can test all attribution models, Flow Maps, and unlimited order tracking. After 7 days, you can upgrade to Pro ($19/month) or your account automatically downgrades to the Free plan. No surprise charges, no cancellation needed.

Question 13

How is BlackBox different from Triple Whale?

Accepted Answer

Triple Whale costs $129-399/month and uses modeled (estimated) data. BlackBox costs $19/month and uses first-party data from your Shopify store for 100% accurate attribution. Both offer multi-touch attribution, but BlackBox focuses on simplicity and accuracy rather than adding complexity. You save $1,200+/year switching from Triple Whale to BlackBox.

Question 14

How is BlackBox different from Northbeam?

Accepted Answer

Northbeam is an enterprise tool costing $999-2,500/month, designed for brands spending $100K+/month on ads. BlackBox offers 80% of the same attribution insights for $19/month. If your store does under $1M/month in revenue, BlackBox gives you everything you need without the enterprise price tag or complexity.

Question 15

How is BlackBox different from Hyros?

Accepted Answer

Hyros is built primarily for info products, coaching, and high-ticket offers — not ecommerce. It requires complex setup with manual pixel placement and custom integrations. BlackBox is purpose-built for Shopify with one-click install, automatic pixel deployment, and attribution models designed for ecommerce purchase patterns.

Question 16

Why is BlackBox so much cheaper?

Accepted Answer

Most attribution tools charge $100-2,500/month because they use expensive modeled data, employ large data science teams, and target enterprise clients. BlackBox takes a different approach: first-party data tracking is simpler, more accurate, and dramatically cheaper to run. We pass those savings to customers. BlackBox costs $19/month because that's what it costs to run — not because the data is less valuable.

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