nb_visits vs nb_uniq_visitors vs nb_visits_returning

Support & Bugs
1

What is the difference or corelation between nb_visits, nb_uniq_visitors, nb_visits_returning.
If vb_visits is the total number visitors (of course with session timeout clause of 30 minutes) and nb_uniq_visitors is the number of visitors coming for the first time, should this equation be correct?
nb_visits = nb_uniq_visitors + nb_visits_returning.
Well, the data is way different making my assumption prove wrong. Please help me understand. What is nb_visits_returning.

I am using API modules VisitsSummary.getVisits, VisitsSummary.getUniqueVisitors & VisitFrequency.getVisitsReturning to fetch data.
Links: http://dev.piwik.org/trac/wiki/API/Reference
http://piwik.org/faq/general/#faq_36

I am getting 4401 Visits, 2754 Unique Visitors, 2657 Returning Visitors for yesterday.

2

I’d also be interested in this information.

Also, if the cookie is set to expire in 2 years, how, then, is a unique visitor counted?

Scenario 1: A user visits the counted domain, and leaves, and comes back in 2 hours. Is that only counted as 2 visits, or does it also count as 2 unique visitors?

3

That would be 2 visits and 1 unique visitor…

4

Well there is something wrong with the way visits are calculated.
We started gathering data on March 02, 2009.
I get the following data for the month of march.
Unique Visitors : 11370
Visits : 18222
Returning Visits : 10240
.
When I started collecting data in the month of march, so let’s count each unique visitor having first visit as 1 visit. So visits by unique visitors = number of unique visitors i.e. 11370. Then, next, returning visits are 10240. So total visits should be 11370 + 10240 = 21610. Why are the total visits shown at much less i.e. 18222.

5

Hi.

[quote=ldhingra @ Apr 6 2009, 12:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What is the difference or corelation between nb_visits, nb_uniq_visitors, nb_visits_returning.
  • visit = total number of visitors (regarding the 30 minute-rule); as you told and as it is described in the FAQ
  • unique visitors = total number of unique visitors (disregarding the 30 minute-rule, visitor will be counted as a unique visitor again next day); mark that if period is not ‘day’, ‘unique visitors’ is the sum of all days unique visitors, see #640
  • returning visits = total number of (unique ?) visitors having visited your webpage on an earlier date. I’m not sure if those are unique visitors or just visitors, but I’m pretty sure those are uniques as it shows so in the corresponding graph.
QUOTE (ldhingra @ Apr 6 2009, 12:43 PM]nb_visits = nb_uniq_visitors + nb_visits_returning. Well, the data is way different making my assumption prove wrong. Please help me understand.[/quote] The formula to prove your data right should be nb_visits >= nb_uniq_visitors >= nb_visits_returning

Christian

6

http://piwik.org/docs/analytics-api/reference/#toc-api-response-metric-definitions