GemX tracks and reports key performance metrics based on how user sessions are defined and counted.
To interpret your experiment results accurately, it’s important to understand the two types of sessions and how data is processed through different view modes.
This article explains how sessions are defined, what each data view means, and how metrics are calculated within GemX.
Session Types in GemX
GemX supports two ways of identifying sessions, depending on when and how visitors interact with your experiment page.
Session Starts with Page
In this mode, GemX only counts sessions where your experiment page is the first page viewed during a visitor’s shopping journey.
Metrics are calculated only from sessions that begin on the experiment page.
If the experiment page appears later in the session (for example, after visiting the homepage), that session is not included in this type.
This view is useful when you want to analyze traffic that lands directly on your test page, such as visitors from paid ads or email campaigns.
All Sessions
In this mode, GemX includes every session that contains your experiment page, regardless of its position in the visitor’s journey.
The experiment page can appear first, second, or later during the session.
It counts any user who visited the page — whether they landed on it directly, navigated from another page, or returned later.
This gives you a broader view of how the page performs across all user flows, including returning and cross-navigation sessions.
Data View Modes in GemX
Each session type can be viewed in two different modes to help you analyze performance from various perspectives.
View by “Session Starts with Page”
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Only includes sessions where the experiment page was the first page viewed.
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Metrics such as conversion rate, bounce rate, and engagement are calculated based on this narrow session type.
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Best used when testing landing pages or ad entry pages.
View by “All Sessions”
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Includes every session where the experiment page appeared, no matter when it was visited.
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Metrics are based on the total number of sessions that included your experiment page.
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Ideal for measuring overall engagement and site-wide impact.
Metric Definitions in GemX
The table below shows how each metric is defined and calculated in both view modes.
(Unless noted otherwise, formulas remain the same across both).
|
Metric |
View by Session Starts with Page |
View by All Sessions |
|
Sessions |
A session is recorded when your page is the first page of a visitor’s journey |
A session is recorded when your page is viewed at any point during a visitor’s journey |
|
Bounce Rate |
% of sessions where visitors leave the page without taking any action Formula: sessions without action ÷ total sessions |
Same definition and formula |
|
Click-Through Rate (CTR) |
% of visitors who clicked through the funnel Formula: total clicks ÷ total pageviews |
Same definition and formula |
|
Average Time on Page |
Measured from when the page is opened until the browser is closed Formula: total time on page ÷ (total pageviews − total exits) |
Same definition and formula |
|
Pageviews |
Total number of times your page is loaded or reloaded by users |
Same definition |
|
Revenue per Visitor |
Average revenue earned per unique visitor Formula: total revenue ÷ visitors |
Same definition and formula |
|
Visitors by Type |
Number of new and returning customers during the experiment |
Same definition |
|
Sessions by Device Type |
Sessions segmented by device (desktop, tablet, mobile) |
Same definition |
|
Sessions by Traffic Source |
Sessions grouped by channel (e.g., Direct, Search, Social, Ads) |
Same definition |
|
Path Analysis |
Breakdown of the % of store sessions that result in a sale |
Same definition and formula |
|
Added to Cart Rate |
% of sessions where a product was added to cart Formula: sessions with “Add to Cart” ÷ total sessions |
Same definition and formula |
|
Sessions that Reached Checkout |
Sessions where users reached the checkout page |
Same definition |
|
Total Orders |
Number of orders placed during the experiment |
Same definition |
|
Conversion Rate |
% of sessions that resulted in orders. Formula: sessions that completed checkout ÷ total sessions |
Same definition and formula |
|
Average Order Value (AOV) |
Average revenue per order. Formula: total revenue ÷ total orders |
Same definition and formula |
|
Revenue |
Total amount earned from sessions that began on this page Formula: gross sales − discounts |
Same definition and formula |
|
Visitors |
Total number of unique visitors who accessed the page |
Same definition |
How to Use Session Views Effectively?
|
Goal |
Recommended View Mode |
|
Measure landing page performance (ads, campaigns) |
Session Starts with Page |
|
Analyze page performance across all traffic sources |
All Sessions |
|
Compare variants for store-wide impact |
All Sessions |
|
Evaluate conversion rate from direct visitors |
Session Starts with Page |
Now that you understand how GemX calculates metrics and sessions, you can continue to: Read your experiment reports in GemX.
