Summary

Klaviyo’s revenue tracking differs from Triple Whale due to fundamental differences in attribution windows, event tracking, and data sources. Klaviyo may attribute conversions based on email opens or clicks within a 5-day attribution window, while Triple Whale attributes revenue solely based on email clicks within a lifetime attribution window. Additionally, missing UTMs in Klaviyo emails can lead to untracked revenue in Triple Whale.

Why This Happens

• Attribution Window Differences

  • Klaviyo: Uses a 5-day attribution window, meaning conversions occurring within 5 days of an email open or click are attributed to the email. Learn more about Klaviyo’s attribution models.
  • Triple Whale: Uses a lifetime attribution window, attributing revenue only when a user clicks an email, regardless of when the purchase happens. Learn more about Triple Whale's attribution models.

• Tracking Event Differences

  • Klaviyo: Attributes conversions based on email opens and clicks. This includes cases where an email was opened but never clicked, potentially inflating revenue.
  • Triple Whale: Attributes revenue only when an email click occurs. If a user opens but does not click an email before purchasing, Triple Whale will not count the revenue under Klaviyo.

• UTM Tracking Discrepancies

  • Triple Whale: Relies on UTMs or custom parameters to attribute an order to Klaviyo. If these UTMs are missing or not properly appended, Triple Whale may attribute the sale to “(not set)” or another traffic source. Learn how to set up UTMs in Klaviyo for Triple Pixel tracking.
  • Klaviyo: Can attribute revenue to an email campaign even if the UTM is missing, because it has its own tracking logic.

• Klaviyo’s Attribution Model Variability

  • Opened or Clicked Email (Default): Attributes revenue even if the email was only opened. This includes false opens due to Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection.
  • Opened or Clicked Email (Excluding Apple Privacy Opens): Removes false opens for more accuracy.
  • Clicked Email Only: Aligns most closely with Triple Whale, as it requires an actual email click for attribution.

Example Scenarios

Scenario 1: UTM-Based Discrepancy

1. A user receives an email but the UTM parameters are missing or not properly appended.
2. The user clicks the email and makes a purchase.
   • Klaviyo: Attributes the revenue to the email campaign, even without a UTM, because it tracks the user’s journey within its own system.
   • Triple Whale: Fails to identify the sale as Klaviyo-driven due to the missing UTM and may categorize it as “(not set)” or lump it under direct/organic traffic.

Scenario 2: Attribution Model Difference

1. A user receives a Klaviyo email.
2. The email is automatically "opened" by Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection, but the user never actually reads or clicks it.
3. On Day 3, the user clicks on an Instagram ad and makes a purchase.
   • Klaviyo (Default Model): Since the email was recorded as opened, Klaviyo takes credit for the conversion—even though the user never engaged with the email.
   • Klaviyo (Clicked Email Only Model): Would not attribute the conversion to the email since there was no email click.
   • Triple Whale: Would not attribute the conversion to the email, because it requires an actual click event. If a UTM was present on the Instagram ad, it would be properly credited to Instagram.

How This Affects Reporting

• Higher Reported Email Revenue in Klaviyo

  • If Klaviyo is set to “Opened or Clicked Email,” it may attribute more revenue to emails than Triple Whale does—especially if Apple Privacy opens inflate the numbers.
  • If an email click occurred but the UTM was missing, Klaviyo will still report it under email revenue, but Triple Whale may place it in another category.

• Lower Reported Email Revenue in Triple Whale

  • Since Triple Whale only attributes revenue to actual email clicks, any orders attributed by Klaviyo due to opens only will not be counted in Triple Whale’s email revenue.
  • If UTM tracking is inconsistent, some email-driven revenue may end up in “(not set)” or other traffic sources.

• Daily vs. Long-Term Discrepancies

  • On a daily basis, Klaviyo may show revenue from emails even if users didn’t interact with them directly, while Triple Whale’s numbers will be more conservative.
  • Over a longer period, the impact of tracking and attribution differences may level out if UTMs are properly used.

How to Interpret the Data Correctly

• Ensure UTMs Are Enabled

  • Double-check that your email platform automatically appends UTMs to all outgoing Klaviyo emails so Triple Whale can track click-based conversions correctly.

• Compare Like Attribution Models

  • To match Triple Whale’s reporting more closely, switch Klaviyo to "Clicked Email Only" to avoid open-based revenue inflation.

• Investigate the “(not set)” Bucket in Triple Whale

  • Some sales appearing as "(not set)" may actually be email-driven but missing UTMs. Cross-check Klaviyo campaign performance against Triple Whale’s direct/organic traffic.

• Focus on Trends Over Absolute Numbers

  • While individual numbers may not match, observing long-term trends in email-driven revenue can provide more actionable insights.

By understanding how Klaviyo and Triple Whale handle attribution differently—both in terms of tracking (clicks vs. opens) and methodology (5-day vs. lifetime windows, UTM reliance)—you can make better decisions when analyzing email performance.