Shopify’s Cookie Changes: What Merchants Need to Know
Discover the Update: Real-World Impact in Plain English
Starting September 15th, 2025, Shopify will stop setting certain cookies on merchant storefronts. These cookies, _landing_page, _orig_referrer, and _tracking_consent, were traditionally used to track user navigation and consent data. Imagine a physical store suddenly no longer using guest books to track visitor numbers or interests. Businesses must now adopt more modern technology, like browser APIs, to gain these important insights. This change promotes more secure and efficient data strategies, ensuring privacy while preserving essential operational data.
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For developers, this change necessitates replacing cookie-based tracking with API-driven solutions. Instead of relying on outdated cookies for referrer and landing page data, developers should use JavaScript APIs:// Capture the current page URL
const landingPage = window.location.href;
// Capture the referrer URL
const referrerUrl = document.referrer;
To persist this data over a session and beyond, Shopify’s Web Pixels API and GraphQL Admin API are highly recommended. For example, to fetch a customer’s journey data via GraphQL:
query referrerData {
order(id: "gid://shopify/Order/14134963208214") {
customerJourneySummary {
lastVisit {
landingPage
referrerUrl
}
}
}
}For tracking consent, utilize the Customer Privacy API, which provides robust mechanisms to handle privacy preferences effectively.
Business Growth Unleashed: What This Means for Merchants
These changes open up new opportunities for merchants to improve data handling and customer insights. By moving to API-driven tracking, businesses can gather cleaner and more accurate data, which allows for greater precision in marketing efforts and operational decisions. The new approach also means enhanced privacy compliance, building trust with customers. As the digital landscape evolves, embracing these updates allows merchants to remain competitive and agile, ultimately driving growth through more informed strategies. Merchants can also reduce their reliance on third-party cookie tracking, thereby mitigating data privacy concerns and enhancing user experience.
Trident Spark: Your Trusted Shopify Innovation Partner
At Trident Spark, we are committed to helping our clients navigate the shifting ecommerce landscape. Our team of expert Shopify developers is equipped to handle all your platform changes seamlessly. Whether it’s API integration, app development, or strategic consulting, we’ve got you covered. With our deep understanding of the latest Shopify features and best practices, we are the perfect partner to help optimize and future-proof your business operations.
Connect with Trident Spark Today!
Stay ahead of the digital curve by partnering with Trident Spark for all your Shopify development needs. Whether you need to implement these new tracking methods or develop custom solutions tailored to your unique business requirements, our team is ready to assist. Contact us today to unlock your ecommerce potential.