Google Analytics Audit Test #

123

Irregularly Low Cart To Checkout Rates

Why It Matters:

Critical to understanding website behavior.

Industries:

Ecommerce

Checks For:

Accuracy

How accurate is your recent data?

Insight Category:

Behavior

Can you tell what visitors are doing?

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Background

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 an item to their cart and proceed to begin the checkout process) is unexpectedly low. A healthy cart-to-checkout rate typically ranges from 30% to 60%, depending on industry and product type. If that rate is consistently below 20%, it may signal:

  • Technical issues preventing checkout access
  • Confusing or broken "Proceed to Checkout" buttons
  • Checkout page loading failures or redirects
  • Mismatch between cart design and user expectations
  • Missing or broken begin_checkout event tracking

Without resolving this issue, a large portion of purchase intent is lost, and potential revenue is left on the table.

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How to Conduct This Test

Basic Tests

  • In Google Analytics > Explore, create a funnel or Free-form report:
    • Metrics: Add-to-carts, Begin checkouts
    • Dimensions: Item name, Device category, Landing page, or Traffic source
    • Create a calculated metric: Cart to Checkout Rate = begin_checkout / add_to_cart
    • Look for product categories, devices, or traffic sources with cart-to-checkout rates consistently under 20%
  • In Google Analytics DebugView, confirm that the begin_checkout event fires correctly only when the user actively starts the checkout process

Automated, Free Audit

Want to automate this diagnostic? Run our Instant Audit

Or hire a pro to identify and fix the blockages in your ecommerce funnel.

How To Fix

  • Check your checkout button UX:
    • Is it clearly visible, functional, and above the fold?
    • Are there blockers like modal windows, login walls, or validation issues?
  • Use Tag Assistant or Google Tag Manager preview to ensure the begin_checkout event fires only when expected—and that it includes all required item details
  • Review your cart page load time and interactivity on both desktop and mobile
  • Analyze whether certain products, user segments, or promotions correlate with lower-than-average checkout progression
  • Hire a pro to investigate the breakdown in the cart-to-checkout experience—and recover lost intent and conversions.

Tips from a Google Analytics Consultant

Focus on Insights

Every Google Analytics audit should result in a plan for more insights.

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An insight is:

  • something you don't know
  • and can act on to improve performance

The Goal

Identify and remove insight blockers. Don't get tempted to track things you can't act on!

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