Massive drop in GA tracking accuracy after moving to Google Channel

[nmjm]

We moved from UA to GA4, opting to use the Google & YouTube Channel App to manage the event tracking on our store but we're now missing a lot of purchase event information in our GA4 account. My analysis shows that we're now only tracking about 40% of purchase events. This is having knock on effects on our PPC campaigns due to that purchase event being mapped to the Google Ads conversion event in our Ads account.

Has anyone else experienced any issues with this channel? I'm trying to avoid having to go back to tagging up the site ourselves manually.

[magecomp]

Hello @nmjm 

• GA4 uses a feature called data thresholding to prevent the collection of data that is considered to be noise. This can happen if you have a small number of users or if your website receives a lot of bot traffic. To check if data thresholding is enabled, go to Admin > Data streams > Your data stream > Settings. Under Data collection, look for the Data thresholding setting. If it is enabled, you can try increasing the threshold value.
• Make sure that the event configuration in your Google & YouTube Channel App is correct. You can check this by going to Admin > Events > All events. Look for the Purchase event and make sure that it is configured correctly.
• Some browser extensions, such as ad blockers, can prevent GA4 from collecting data. Try disabling any browser extensions that you are using and see if that resolves the issue.
• JavaScript errors: If there are any JavaScript errors on your website, they can prevent GA4 from collecting data. Use a tool like Google Lighthouse to check for JavaScript errors.

Once you have identified the reason why you are missing purchase events, you can take steps to fix the issue. If you are still having trouble, you can contact Google Analytics support or a professional SEO Expert for help.

Suggestion to improve the accuracy of your GA4 purchase event data:

• Use a tracking tag manager: A tracking tag manager, such as Google Tag Manager, can help you to ensure that your event tracking is implemented correctly.
• Use a data warehouse: A data warehouse can help you to store and analyze your GA4 data in a more efficient way. This can help you to identify trends and patterns in your purchase event data that you might not be able to see with GA4 alone.
• Use a data visualization tool: A data visualization tool can help you to create reports and dashboards that make your GA4 data easier to understand. This can help you to make better decisions about your marketing campaigns.

[Jimmy87]

You are not alone.

https://community.shopify.com/c/ecommerce-marketing/incomplete-conversion-data-being-sent-to-google-...

Similar thread here, reach out to shopify support quoting both of these posts is probably your best bet. 

[nmjm]

Thanks for this. As an experiment today, I've opted to add my own purchase event to the order success page. I'm replicating how Shopify are generating the Transaction ID of the event to, hopefully, minimise the likelihood of double counting in GA4 and let it deduplicate the event itself.

I'll keep an eye on it over the next few days and report back with findings. I'm not in a position to wait until Shopify fix unfortunately, so need to try something.

If anyone reading is interested, I've implemented like this:

{% if first_time_accessed %}
<script>
  (function () {
    const checkoutId = "{{ checkout.id }}";
    const orderName = "{{ order.order_name }}";

    window.addEventListener("load", (event) => {
      gtag("event", "purchase", {
        transaction_id: orderName || checkoutId,
        value: Shopify.checkout.subtotal_price,
        currency: Shopify.checkout.presentment_currency,
        tax: Shopify.checkout.total_tax,
        shipping: Shopify.checkout.shipping_rate
          ? Shopify.checkout.shipping_rate.price
          : 0,
        items: Shopify.checkout.line_items.map((l) => {
          return {
            id: "shopify_GB_" + l.product_id + "_" + l.variant_id,
            name: l.title,
            brand: l.vendor,
            coupon:
              l.discount_allocations.length.length > 0
                ? l.discount_allocations[0].description
                : undefined,
            price: l.price,
            quantity: l.quantity,
            variant: l.variant_title,
          };
        }),
      });
    });
  })();
</script>
{% endif %}

[ErichaZann23]

Hi! Did this work?? 

[sampymishra]

Hi @ErichaZann23 

Improving GA4 Purchase Event Data Accuracy:

1. Utilize a Tracking Tag Manager: Employ a tracking tag manager like Google Tag Manager to ensure precise and error-free event tracking implementation.

2. Employ a Data Warehouse: Using a data warehouse, you can efficiently store and analyze your GA4 data, allowing you to identify trends and patterns in your purchase event data that may be difficult to discern with GA4 alone.

3. Leverage a Data Visualization Tool: Utilize a data visualization tool to create comprehensive reports and dashboards, making it easier to comprehend your GA4 data. This will empower you to make informed decisions regarding your marketing campaigns.

Hope this helps.