A conversion in the Connection's application is a mix of direct and indirect marketing. You directly market to individuals using the messaging connections (Email, Text). You indirectly market by sending social media posts. These posts target many individuals, but it is not possible for Connections to calculate who exactly viewed these posts. To account for this, and not to over-inflate your conversions, Connections combines 2 calculations when determining a conversion. Conversions are only applicable to a product and product sale connection. It does now apply to general, event or discount connections.
Conversion Factor
Connections uses a conversion factor for determining the length of time between when you send a product connection and when an actual product sale is completed. The conversion factor defaults to 14 days but may be changed by the shop owner in the settings/content tab. Typically, the lower the conversion factor, the lower the conversion rate. Use your best judgement as to how long you feel it should take for your marketing to produce value.
Direct Calculations
Direct calculations for a conversion are done when you send messaging connections. Since the Connections application knows who you sent these connections to, it can use this to calculate against sales by that customer. If one of these direct marketing customers receives the connection, and purchases that product within the conversion factor, the sale is considered converted.
Indirect Calculations
Indirect calculations occur when you send social media connections. These types of connections target large audiences through posting. There is not a way for Connections to determine exactly who is seeing these posts. Connections does know the product that was sent though, and any sale of that product after the post and within the conversion factor is considered converted.