[GA4] Ecommerce exploration solutions

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Once you set up the ecommerce events on your website or app, you can use the Ecommerce purchases report to view your ecommerce data. If you have Editor or above permissions, you also can customize the reports to show additional dimensions and metrics.

When you want to query your data further within Google Analytics (for example, to explore your checkout funnel), you can use various exploration techniques. This article provides some suggestions on how you can explore the different aspects of your ecommerce data.

Note: The examples in this article are based on the Google Analytics Demo Account. To follow along with the steps below, make sure you can access this account first.

Checkout funnel performance

You can identify the points where users abandon the checkout process by creating a checkout funnel. For example, if a lot of users leave at the first step where you require them to log in to an account, consider adding an option to checkout as a guest, or let them sign in with an existing Google or Twitter account to simplify the process.

High abandonment at any point can also signal a technical problem. For example, while you may let users sign in with a different account, you have problems accepting OpenID authentication. Or it could be something simple like a page taking an excessively long time to load.

If the reasons for abandonment aren’t obvious, conduct usability testing.

Create a Checkout funnel performance exploration

Step 1 of 3: Create a new funnel exploration

Start with the Funnel exploration template.

1. Select the GA4 - Google Merchandise Store demo property.
2. In Explore, under Start a new exploration, select the Funnel exploration template.
   Note: The previous link opens to the last Analytics property you accessed. You can change the property using the property selector. You must be an Analyst or above to create a funnel exploration.

Step 2 of 3: Add the steps in the checkout funnel

Start by removing steps that you don't need for this exploration.

1. In Settings, click next to each step.
2. Click Edit next to Steps.
3. Next to Step 1, enter "Begin checkout".
4. Select the Add new condition drop-down and choose begin_checkout.
5. Click Add step, then enter "Add payment information".
6. Select the Add new condition drop-down and choose add_payment_info.
7. Click Add step, then enter "Add shipping information".
8. Select the Add new condition drop-down and choose add_shipping_info.
9. Click Add step, then enter "Purchase".
10. Select the Add new condition drop-down and choose purchase.
11. Click Apply.

Step 3 of 3: Add the data to the exploration (Optional)

The following steps show you how to view a breakdown by country in the table below the funnel.

1. In Settings, click in the Breakdown section.
2. Drag the Country dimension from the Dimensions section to the Breakdown section.

Note: To measure the number of customers who completed a step in the checkout funnel without completing earlier steps in the funnel, create an open funnel exploration. For example, if someone added something to the cart during one session, and then came back to complete the purchase in a subsequent session, the funnel visualization would count the person as reentering at the Checkout step.

Promotion performance

You can measure how often users view your promotions and the impact of those promotion views and clicks on revenue. The exploration described in this section displays the change in item promotion views over time; however, you can use the dimensions and metrics to create more customized explorations.

Create a Promotion performance exploration

Step 1 of 3: Create a new free form exploration

Start with the Free form template.

1. Select the GA4 - Google Merchandise Store demo property.
2. In Explore, under Start a new exploration, select the Free form template.
   Note: The previous link opens to the last Analytics property you accessed. You can change the property using the property selector. You must be an Analyst or above to create a free-form exploration.

Step 2 of 3: Make the "promotion" dimensions and metrics available to use

The required dimensions and metrics aren't available by default, so you'll need to add them.

1. In Variables, click next to Dimensions.
2. Select the Item promotion name checkbox.
3. Click Confirm.
4. In Variables, click next to Metrics.
5. Select the Items viewed in promotion checkbox.
6. Click Confirm.

Step 3 of 3: Add the dimensions and change the visualization

1. In Settings > VISUALIZATION, select Line chart.
2. Drag and drop the Item promotion name dimension into the Breakdowns section.
3. Drag and drop the Items viewed in promotion metric into the Values section.