GA4 not tracking Purchase - Google & Youtube App

[Florian_]

Hello Community,

we have a new Shopify Store and have set up a connection to GA4, MC and Ads using the Google&Youtube App.

In GA4 users and different kinds of events are tracked, but not the purchase event. With the direct connection to Ads we can track purchases there, but would like to get an overview with GA4. According to the Documentation Purchases should be a standard tracked element.

I tried implementing Tag Manager, but because we only have the Basic License I can't access the checkout liquid and therefore can't manage to keep the Tag Manager connection through the checkout.

I tried disconnecting and connecting the Google & Youtube App but that didn't help. I'm also aware that there are ways of adding custom pixels to track through the checkout, but that seems a little too advanced for us.

Why doesn't GA4 automatically track purchases? Is that because of the Shopify basic plan?

[Sam_Mahmud]

Hi florian,

Thanks for your query.

GA4 updating its apps and GA4 functions that is why maximum users are having purchase tracking issues with Google And youtube app including many of my clients.

meta pixel working for them but not for GA4 with Google And Youtube App.

So,

if you want to track purchase for Google Analytics the best way to follow is to using Google Tag manager GTM.

GTM is manual process and send data to GA4 smoothly. furthermore you can avail server side tracking for more data accuracy.

Besides, you can control other tracking platforms within on website.

to track using Google Tag Maanger follow these steps:

configure a custom datalayer for dynamic value tracking:  you can place the datalayer 2 way. creating a snippet or using custom pixel in customer events.

or by reverting the additional script in the checkout page.

create datalayer variables 

configure event tag using trigger and variables for begin checkout, purchase and so on.

feel free to ask if you have any questions.
or 

IF you want to discuss more about conversion Tracking using Google Tag manager don't hesitate to send me a PM.

THanks

[Florian_]

Hi Sam, 

thanks for your answer.

So you are saying, that GA4 just doesn't track the purchase event automatically for me? Do you know why that's the case?

Also thanks for suggesting the GTM approach. I have already tried that, but unfortunately it didn't work because I don't have access to the checkout.liquid. Is there another way to track purchases in GA4 without the custom pixel? Creating the custom pixel seems to be very complicated.

[J_mah]

Custom pixel in customer event is the only way to configure the google ads tracking via google tag manager GTM.

GTM is widely recommended by experts and from my experience I can assure you about maximum tracking accuracy.

configure GTM server side tracking for the best possible result.

Thanks

[GeoffJacksonAJP]

Let's not overlook the fact that using GTM is not actually a solution - it is an alternative approach altogether.

If Shopify's native app is not tracking the purchase event by default then it is largely useless and not fit for purpose. This 'should' be handled by default.