Lesson 2 of 8
Getting Access To Customer Events
Before you write a line of pixel code, make sure you can actually use Customer Events. Three things have to be true, and missing any one of them is a common reason a setup "works in code but collects nothing."
1. The store is on Checkout Extensibility
Custom pixels only fire on checkout once the store has upgraded its Thank you and Order status pages to Checkout Extensibility. On a store still using legacy checkout.liquid, your pixel will run on the storefront but go silent through checkout. This is the first thing to verify.
2. You can reach the Customer events settings
Customer Events lives at Settings → Customer events in the Shopify admin. Adding a custom pixel needs an admin account with settings access (the store owner, or a staff account granted the relevant permissions). If you don't see the page, that's a permissions problem, not a code problem.
3. Protected customer data approval (for PII)
Fields like email, phone, name and address are protected customer data. They only populate if the app/pixel has been granted access and the store has completed Shopify's protected-customer-data requirements. Non-PII fields (order id, totals, currency, line items) flow without it.
Key takeaway
Confirm three things before building: the store is on Checkout Extensibility, you have admin access to Settings → Customer events, and — if you need email/phone/address — protected customer data is approved. Order totals and items don't need that approval.