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Configure Checkout Flow Metrics

Bold uses the Checkout Power Trio to define three metrics to capture the performance of each checkout flow:

  1. Conversions
  2. Average Order Value (AOV)
  3. Lifetime Value (LTV)

Use this page to troubleshoot any issues you are having with your metrics.

Checkout Completion Rate​

One of the main impacts on a store's conversion is checkout completion rate (CCR). This value measures the percentage of completed orders, and it is calculated using the completed order count divided by the API session count.

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To retrieve your store's checkout completion rate, reach out to Bold.

Bold uses the concept of an API session to track and calculate the CCR. For more information and to ensure that your CCR is calculated correctly, refer to the following section.

Defining an API session​

In general, Bold considers an order "started" when the store calls the Initialize Order or the Create Order endpoints. Bold considers an order "completed" when the Process Order endpoint is called.

However, some stores initialize orders when they never intend to complete the order. This can happen in a variety of scenarios:

  • The merchant wants to validate the customer's email address before they enter the checkout.
  • The merchant wants to pre-calculate the customer's shipping options based on their zip code or cart contents before they enter the checkout.
  • The shopper enters and leaves the checkout several times before completing their purchase.

In all of these scenarios, many orders might be started and never finished, which can artificially decrease the checkout completion rate.

If you use this approach, it is important to associate each order created during the customer journey with one API session. An API session is simply a group of orders that are related, for the purpose of Bold's checkout completion rate calculation.

Tagging orders to a single API session​

Associate an order with an API session using the api_session_id field in the Initialize Order or the Create Order call.

Each API session must have a unique api_session_id. If you do not supply the api_session_id, Bold generates one randomly and assumes that the order is not grouped with any others.

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If your implementation assumes that only one Initialize Order or Create Order call happens in each session, there is no need to set the api_session_id. Bold sets a unique value automatically.

The following diagram and steps outline how to use the api_session_id to tag associated orders:

  1. On the first Initialize Order call associated with a given customer, the merchant can choose to supply the api_session_id.
  2. Bold associates the api_session_id with a particular order or group of orders.
  3. On subsequent Initialize Order calls, the merchant applies the same api_session_id to group them under a single session.

Choosing an api_session_id value​

The value you choose for your api_session_id depends on your implementation of Bold Checkout and what you consider a completed order.

The following list includes some examples of how to choose the value of your api_session_id:

  • Use a combination of the customer_id and a time-based value.
  • Use a combination of the cart_id and a time-based value.
  • Use a string representing a cookie or similar data in local storage.
  • Use a string from analytics software that already tracks a customer's journey through the site.
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The moment an API session is started has a large impact on the CCR. Ideally, begin your API session at the moment the customer clicks the Checkout button. Starting a session at a different point changes the meaning of the calculation.

Next steps​

After implementing these steps, you can reach out to Bold again for an updated CCR calculation.

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This process is intended to improve Bold's calculation of the CCR only. Using the api_session_id does not ensure that CCR calculations from external analytics partners are correct.