Pinterest is where people go for ideas, and many of them are planning what to buy. If you advertise there, the Pinterest pixel, which Pinterest calls the Pinterest tag, shows what people do on your Shopify store after seeing your ads, so you can measure sales, optimize campaigns and retarget visitors.
This guide covers how to add a Pinterest pixel to your Shopify store, from the business account to testing, plus best practices and the usual fixes.
Key takeaways
- The Pinterest pixel (Pinterest tag) records what visitors do on your store after seeing your Pinterest ads.
- You need a Pinterest Business account and access to Pinterest Ads Manager.
- On Shopify, the Pinterest app installs the tag without code and covers checkout.
- Code pasted into your theme cannot record purchases, because it does not run on Shopify's checkout.
- Turn on Enhanced Match or the Conversions API in the app, and test with Pinterest Tag Helper.
What Pinterest Pixel Is and Why It Matters for Shopify Stores
The Pinterest pixel is code on your website that records what visitors do after seeing or clicking your Pinterest ads.
It sends events such as page visits, add-to-carts and purchases to Pinterest, which lets you see which ads lead to sales, optimize campaigns toward buyers, and build audiences of past visitors. It works much like the Meta and Snapchat pixels, and Pinterest's own name for it is the Pinterest tag.
Things You’ll Need Before Adding Pinterest Pixel to Shopify
Have these ready before you start.
- A Pinterest Business account. A Pinterest Business account gives you analytics and lets you run ads.
- Access to Pinterest Ads Manager. This is where you create the tag, check its events and run campaigns.
- Admin access to your Shopify store. You need permission to install apps.
- Your Pinterest tag. You can create it in Ads Manager, or let the Pinterest app create it during setup.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Add Pinterest Pixel to Shopify
The process is similar to installing the Snapchat pixel on Shopify: set up the account, connect the pixel through an app, then test.
Step 1: Create a Pinterest Business Account (if you don't have one)
- Go to business.pinterest.com.
- Choose to join as a business.
- Enter your email, password and business name.
- Follow the prompts to finish and verify the account.
If you already have a personal account, you can convert it to a business account instead.
Step 2: Create a Pinterest Pixel in Pinterest Ads Manager
- Log in to Pinterest Ads Manager.
- Go to Ads, then Conversions.
- Choose to set up the Pinterest tag.
You can also skip this step: the Pinterest app for Shopify can create the tag for you in step 4.
Step 3: Copy Your Pinterest Pixel Code
If you set the tag up manually, Pinterest shows a tag ID and a block of base code. Note the tag ID. You only need the code itself if you install by hand.
Step 4: Add Pinterest Pixel Code to Shopify via the Theme Editor
The simplest way is Shopify's Pinterest app:
- In your Shopify admin, install the Pinterest app from the Shopify App Store.
- Connect your Pinterest Business account and ad account.
- Select your tag, or let the app create one.
- In the app's settings, turn on Enhanced Match and the Conversions API if they are offered.
The app adds the tag to your store and sends the standard events, including checkout. Enhanced Match uses hashed customer details, such as email addresses, to match more conversions. The Conversions API sends events from a server, so they still arrive when a browser blocks the tag.
You can still paste the base code into your theme: go to Online Store > Themes, choose Edit code for your live theme, open theme.liquid and paste it just above </head>. But theme code does not run on Shopify's checkout, so it cannot record purchases, and using it alongside the app counts events twice. Use the app, or a pixel app such as MultiPixels, instead.
Step 5: Test the Pixel to Ensure It’s Working Properly
Install the Pinterest Tag Helper extension for Chrome and browse your store. It shows whether the tag loads and which events fire on each page.
Then check Ads > Conversions in Pinterest Ads Manager. Place a test order and confirm the checkout event arrives with the order value. Events sent through the Conversions API are listed with an API source rather than the tag.
Best Practices for Using Pinterest Pixel on Shopify
A few habits make your Pinterest data more useful.
Track key conversion events
Track more than page visits. Pinterest's standard events include page visit, view category, search, add to cart, signup, lead and checkout. In Pinterest's terms, checkout is the completed purchase, so make sure it fires on every order.
Use event codes correctly
Events must fire on the right pages: add to cart when a product goes in the cart, checkout when an order completes. The Pinterest app handles the standard ones. For extra events, use an app or Shopify's customer events rather than editing theme templates.
Enable enhanced match
Enhanced Match sends hashed customer data, such as email addresses, so Pinterest can match more conversions to its users. Turn it on in the Pinterest app or in Ads Manager.
Set up custom conversions
Define conversions that matter to your store, such as orders over a certain value, so your reports focus on the actions you care about.
Segment your audience for retargeting
Build audiences from your tag data, such as people who viewed a product but did not buy, and retarget them with ads for those products.
Regularly monitor pixel performance
Check Ads > Conversions regularly to see that events still arrive. Re-test after theme changes, new apps or checkout changes.
Be transparent with users
Tell visitors in your privacy policy that you use Pinterest tracking, and respect cookie consent where the law requires it.
Manage multiple pixels with one tool
If you also run Meta, TikTok or Snapchat ads, a single app such as MultiPixels manages all your pixels in one place.
Common Issues While Installing Pinterest Pixel and How to Resolve Them
Most problems come from duplicate installs, missing events or timing.
Pixel not firing
Check that the Pinterest app is connected to the right tag ID. If you used theme code, check it sits just above </head> in theme.liquid and that the change was saved.
Duplicate pixel firing
Installing the tag through the app and by hand, or through two apps, counts events twice. Keep one method and remove the others from your theme and apps.
Events not triggering or reporting incorrectly
If an event such as add to cart is missing or appears on the wrong page, the event code is missing or in the wrong place. Use Tag Helper to see what fires where. If purchases are missing, check that you are not relying on theme code, which does not run at checkout.
Pinterest Tag Helper shows errors
Errors usually mean formatting problems or missing parameters, such as an order value without a currency. Check the event against Pinterest's documentation, or reconnect the Pinterest app to reset the setup.
Slow tracking or no data tracking in Ads Manager
New tags can take a few hours to show events. If there is still nothing after 24 hours, check the setup again or contact Pinterest support.
Conflicts with third-party Shopify apps
Some apps add their own scripts, which can clash with hand-added code. Installing the tag through an app rather than theme code avoids most conflicts.
Conclusion
Adding the Pinterest pixel to your Shopify store shows what your Pinterest traffic does and which ads lead to sales. Install it with the Pinterest app, turn on Enhanced Match and the Conversions API, track the checkout event, and test with Tag Helper.
MultiPixels installs Pinterest, Meta, TikTok, Snapchat and GA4 pixels on a Shopify store without editing theme code. Install MultiPixels on your Shopify store to run several tracking pixels at once.
FAQs
What’s the quickest way to get Pinterest Pixel set up on a Shopify store?
Install Shopify's Pinterest app, connect your Pinterest Business account and ad account, and select or create your tag. The app installs it for you.
Why should I bother adding Pinterest Pixel to my store in the first place?
It shows which Pinterest ads lead to sales, lets Pinterest optimize your campaigns toward buyers, and lets you retarget people who visited but did not buy.
How do I know for sure that my Pinterest Pixel is actually tracking?
Use the Pinterest Tag Helper extension in Chrome while you browse your store, then check events under Ads > Conversions in Pinterest Ads Manager. Place a test order to check the checkout event.
Can I run Pinterest Pixel across more than one Shopify store?
Yes, but create a separate tag for each store so their data stays apart.
What tends to go wrong when merchants set up Pinterest Pixel?
- The tag installed twice, by app and by hand
- Purchases missing because the tag was only added to the theme
- Events firing on the wrong pages
Most of these are fixed by removing hand-added code and using one app.
Where do I go to update or delete an existing Pinterest Pixel?
If you used the Pinterest app, change or disconnect the tag in the app. If you added code by hand, go to Online Store > Themes > Edit code and remove it from theme.liquid.
Do any apps make installing Pinterest Pixel easier than doing it by hand?
Yes. Shopify's Pinterest app installs the tag without code. MultiPixels does the same for Pinterest alongside Meta, TikTok, Snapchat and GA4, which helps if you advertise on several platforms.