Google Analytics Audit Test #

A GA4 audit is essential for uncovering missing insights—key data points that organizations don't yet know and can act upon. A well-done audit evaluates both behavioral tracking and traffic attribution, ensuring each is accurate and useful. It also assesses whether the data collected truly supports business decisions and reporting.

Test Detail

This test identifies when the cart-to-checkout rate (the percentage of users who add a product to their cart and then begin checkout) is suspiciously high, often approaching 100%. While a high conversion rate between these stages might sound positive, abnormally high values can indicate:

• Misconfigured or duplicate begin_checkout events
• begin_checkout events firing without user interaction
• A/B test or personalization scripts triggering checkout events prematurely
• Cart abandonment being underreported due to missing data

This leads to misleading funnel performance and can cause teams to overlook real issues in the cart experience.

• Review your Google Tag Manager or site implementation:
  • Ensure begin_checkout only fires on true checkout initiation (e.g., clicking a "Checkout" button)
  • Avoid firing this event automatically on cart load or pageview
• If using server-side tagging or personalization tools, confirm they aren’t unintentionally triggering checkout events
• Test across browsers and devices to ensure user interaction is always required
• Consider using additional parameters (e.g., cart contents or timestamp) to validate unique checkout starts
• Hire a pro to audit your ecommerce funnel tracking and restore reliable cart behavior data.