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Module eCommerce & Goals – Google Analytics

by | 22 December 2021 | eCommerce analytics | 0 comments

In the module eCommerce report, we get 3 key information, which include the store’s revenue, tax, delivery and the quantity of products ordered in relation to 1 transaction. The report is also used to filter transactions with the highest revenue and the largest number of products ordered.In the following case, we will discuss two main types of goals that will help you analyse your customer’s purchase journey. These include: adding to the cart and thanking for the purchase. We will need cart urls and a thank you page to set goals.

 

The module eCommerce in google analytics differs from the standard acquisition report in that, in addition to information on sales volume, conversion value, etc. we receive a lot of data on the exact course of these transactions. Therefore, if we analyse sales globally, the standard module should be sufficient, but if we want to understand the sales process more precisely, the e-commerce module will be used for that. Thanks to this, we will find out what the customer’s shopping path looks like, which promotions contribute to the transaction, which products are the most effective, how product lists work and many others.

 

Google Analytics conversions report

 

The purpose of the Conversions report is to answer the following questions: How are the defined goals being achieved? What is the customer’s shopping path? What does the shopping funnel visualisation look like? Which products are bought the most? Which pages have the highest conversion and what is their share in sales? How much are Assisted Conversions?

 

Google Analytics Goals report

 

A goal is a completed action (or Conversion) that contributes to the goals of the enterprise. Due to the fact that this is an eCommerce blog, we will only focus on goals related to checkout (online stores). However, we can define the goals freely, for example: subscribing to the Newsletter, downloading an ebook, registering etc.

 

Conversions → Goals

 

module e-commerce

 

How to add goals in module eCommerce in Google Analytics?

 

In the following case, we will discuss two main types of goals that will help you analyse your customer’s purchase journey. These include: adding to the cart and thanking for the purchase. We will need cart urls and a thank you page to set goals. Below I will present how to configure goals for the Shopify system in Google Analytics.

 

Step 1 – Adding to Cart
Step 2 – Customer Data
Step 3 – Order confirmation

 

Administration → View → Goals → Add Goal

 

setting goals in google analytics

 

1. Goal description

In this step, we create a Goal, which we will call Placing an Order. Below we define which pages we want to monitor from the moment the product is added to the cart to the finalisation of the purchase.

 

setting goals in google analytics

 

 

  • In the name field, enter: Placing an order
  • Type: destination

 

 

setting goals in google analytics

 

2. Goal details

 

Module ecommerce Checkout golas

 

2.1. Destination:

 

  • Choose the phrase: It begins with
  • Enter the URL of the page thanking you for the purchase: /checkout/thank_you

 

We should also note that in the case of various store systems, order numbers are added to the URL after the transaction is completed. For example, the order confirmation page will be at: https://xyz.pl/checkout/thank_you

Therefore, in the select destination selection field, select the option: starts with and enter the shortened URL in the field: /checkout/thank_you

In order to be able to analyse the complete ordering process, in this step we will add the individual URLs of the pages that the user goes through to checkout. To do this, turn on the path button and complete the steps according to the graphics below.

 

2.2. Funnel:

Step 1

Add the product to their cart → /cart

Step 2

Provide their address → /checkout/contact_information

Step 3

Select their shipping method → /checkout/shipping

Step 4

Provide their payment info → /checkout/payment

 

After correct configuration, click the Save button.

Conversions → Goals → Visualisation of paths

In the path visualisation module, we get a graphical representation of what the path flow looks like from the moment the product is added to the cart, to the finalisation of the transaction. In the analysed example, we can see that only about 27% of users go to the summary stage. The good news for the store owner in the example discussed here is that all users who were at the stage of filling in the data have completed the purchase in the next step. 🙂

 

funnel goals

 

How to add goals in Google Analytics for eCommerce?

 

E-commerce reports allow you to analyse the shopping activity in your store. You’ll find information about the product and transaction, average order value, ecommerce conversion rate, time to purchase, product performance, checkout behaviour, and other data, among other things.

 

How to add an eCommerce module?

 

(1) Administration → (2) View → (3) Ecommerce Settings → (4) Enable Ecommerce → (5) Enable Enhanced Ecommerce Reporting → (6) Save

 

how to add module

 

how to add module

 

Available reports – eCommerce module in Google Analytics

 

Conversions → Ecommerce → Overview

 

The eCommerce module in google analytics allows you to receive the most important information related to the implementation of orders, i.e. transactions, revenues, conversion rate, average order value, products with the highest revenues, promotions and campaigns. In short, it is a mini cheat sheet that allows you to check all key sales parameters in one place.

 

 

Conversions → Ecommerce → Shopping behaviour

The shopping behaviour report allows you to visualise the exact path in the online store that a potential customer is following. Thanks to this, we can easily check at which stage the problem with finalising the transaction arises. At each step, we can analyse what percentage of users has gone to the next step. Main indicators included in the report:

 

All sessions:

  • Sessions with the display of products
  • Sessions with a full basket
  • Sessions with the execution of transactions (i.e. entering the basket)
  • Sessions with transactions (a purchase was made)

 

Shopping behaviour

 

The report is important because it shows at which stage which percentage of users is lost. For example, we see that at the stage of displaying the product to the full basket, about 94% of users dropped out, which may mean that it is worth working on this element and similarly for the remaining steps.

 

We can try to raise the indicators. For example, if you want to close the product card and exit the product, we may display an exit pop-up with a rebate code or other type of “groundbait” that will allow you to add the product to the cart or complete the transaction.

 

The blue bars are divided by a horizontal white line. Movement under the dash is going through the steps in one session. Movement above the white line is a new session that has been started (e.g. the user has returned to the payment selection page after a 30-minute break)

Conversions → Ecommerce → Checkout Behaviour 

 

Contrary to the purchase behaviour report, in this module we only analyse the course of transactions from adding a product to the cart to sessions with transactions. This is one of the most important places in the entire enhanced e-commerce module, especially when it comes to improving the conversion rate. We should start all activities related to increasing and optimising conversions from the analysis of this report.

 

Zachowania na etapie realizacji transakcji

 

The checkout behaviour report names correspond to the configuration names in the e-commerce module settings:

 

Administration → View → Ecommerce Set-up

 

ecommerce settings

 

In order to increase the global conversion rate in the store, at each of the individual steps, we should try to reduce the number of users dropping off.

 

Conversions → Ecommerce → Product Performance

 

The report contains key information from the marketing point of view, but also from the e-commerce strategy itself. Here, we will obtain information on sales effectiveness, product revenues, unique purchases, the number of purchases or the average price.

 

Product performance report

 

Cart-to-detail ratio – a percentage indicator that tells us what percentage of people who saw our product added it to the cart.

Purchase to detail ratio – the percentage of people who, seeing the product, completed the transaction.

 

Conversions → Ecommerce → Sales Performance

 

In the sales effectiveness report, we will find information that will allow for a more detailed sales analysis. As we know perfectly well, the amounts of revenues in GA reports are given gross and with delivery costs. However, in this tab, we are able to filter what part of the total sale is delivery and tax. Thus, we will be able to effectively calculate the individual profits from the transaction (especially important information in the context of budgeting an online store and calculating its profitability).

 

sales performance

 

In the report, we get 3 key information, which include the store’s revenue, tax, delivery and the quantity of products ordered in relation to 1 transaction. The report is also used to filter transactions with the highest revenue and the largest number of products ordered.

 

Conversions → Ecommerce → Performance Product List

 

One of the more interesting modules in the enhanced e-commerce report is the product list performance module. In short, it allows you to verify how products are displayed and how potential customers are led to selected products.

 

Product lists are all pages where products are placed. These include, among others: category pages, subcategory pages, search results, and ad slots. The information we receive includes: CTRs of the product list, adding products to the cart, unique purchases and product revenues.

 

Conversions → Ecommerce → Marketing

 

The module was created to monitor, mainly promotional campaigns within the store itself. Among other things, to track traffic and conversions from internal promotional banners, or the use of promotional coupons by customers.

 

Summary

 

Compared to the standard Google Analytics acquisition report, the eCommerce module allows you to monitor much more. The standard sourcing report will answer our questions: where did the customer come from and for how much he bought. On the other hand, enhanced ecommerce, as a “sales detective”, monitors every small step, i.e. which product the customer put in the cart, which products left before reaching the checkout, how many customers gave up on the purchase, e.g. due to unclear pricing policy and additional selling costs at the checkout . One thing is certain, if you want to better understand your customers’ purchasing behaviour, it’s worth spending some time on the eCommerce module in google analytics. Hope the article was of help to you and will help you better understand this part of the web store analytics. 🙂

Grzegorz Sękowski
Grzegorz Sękowski

eCommerce Manager at Paul Rich – multimillion jewellery premium watch brand. Shopify & Shopify PLUS consultant, blogger and ex-founder of napnell.pl

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ECommerce manager blog, dedicated to store owner’s and eCommerce Specialist. Proven tips how to increase conversion & revenue in on-lie stores.

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