Sorry, we can't find the page you're looking for 404 errors is top landing page?

[digitalQ]

Hi,

Since December 8th 2023 our site sales have plummutted (Google ads conversion is now zero). After some reserach ive found that "Sorry, we can't find the page you're looking for" has become almost the top page visited (via Google Analytics) which is basically a 404 error.

I have checked the product feed in Merchant centre and the product URL's seem to work okay. Can anyone explain this behaviour? 

It developed out of no-where with no unusual changes. Our catalogue contains over 1500 products. All dashboards in Merchant Centre / Ads and Shopify look fine. I reconnected the Google App JIC but am still getting 404 as the top landing page.

Any advice welcome.

Thankyou.

[YOD_Solutions]

I have seen similar issues in the past when we used inventory management apps that hide sold-out products (unpublish them from online store channel). Do you hide sold-out products from online store channel?

[digitalQ]

Thanks. Generally we do hide items that are sold out and this is reflected in Google Search consoles 404 page index analysis. The issue is the sudden spike in Page not found 404 errors. The normal attrition of stock would not create this amount of 404 errors firstly as Google ads / shopping would be updated for external traffic and secondly you would not be able to see these products navigating aroung the site. For the first few years we had negligible 404 site page ranking but from Dec 8th it is number 3. I have a ticket with Shopify to try and get to the bottom of it in terms of what URL's are generating these 404's. Its been very difficult to see this key data as Google simply lists the 404 page error and not the requested URL and Shopify also lists the 404 without lisiting the original URL requested. (as far as im aware).

[onescales]

Change the "page title and screen class" to "page path" and then add a secondary column via the plus icon right next to it and add "page title" and search about the column for 404 to discover the url

[NotFoundBot]

Hi,

I'm sure you've resolved your issue by now but this might help others.  It's an article on how to find 404 errors in GA4 for your Shopify store.

Best--

[onescales]

in analytics, next to that column is a plus icon to add another column,  add "page path" and search "not" for not found to see your data. you will be able to see the url and then redirect it.

see attached screenshot of how it looks