New ecommerce-focused Google Analytics reports could help merchants identify issues with shopper journeys and the checkout process.
The Google Analytics 4 purchase journey report shows the funnel from when a would-be customer starts a web session through purchase. And the newer checkout journey report displays the checkout funnel in four detailed steps.
Both reports show where shoppers abandon the buying journey. The data could identify problems in a store’s navigation or point out opportunities for tests or optimization.
Checkout Journey Report
Found under Reports > Monetization in GA4, the checkout journey report shows the number and percentage of users who start the checkout process on an ecommerce site or app and then complete each subsequent step.
GA4 introduced the checkout journey report in September 2023. Click image to enlarge.
It uses a closed funnel method, focusing only on shoppers who started at the “Begin checkout” step.
The report can identify bottlenecks or issues in the checkout flow. For example, a business with a massive drop-off after the shipping step could have a technical or pricing problem with the available delivery options.
Checkout Steps
For the checkout journey report, data is collected from four GA4 events.
- begin_checkout for the “Begin checkout” step.
- add_shipping_info for the “Add shipping” step.
- add_payment_info for the “Add payment” step.
- purchase for the “Purchase” step.
Merchants will add these events to the checkout flow. Google offers implementation instructions for desktop and mobile devices to ensure the proper GA4 event is specified at each checkout stage.
gtag("event", "begin_checkout", {...
Checkout Dimensions
When its report loads, the checkout journey will show the flow by “device category,” i.e., mobile or desktop. But the report may also include other dimensions. Here is the complete list:
- Device category,
- Country,
- Region,
- City,
- Language,
- Age,
- Gender,
- Browser.
Thus…
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