Google Analytics Audit Test #

127

More 'select_item' than 'view_item_list'

Why It Matters:

Critical to understanding shopping 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 checks whether your Google Analytics property is showing more select_item events than view_item_list events. In a properly implemented ecommerce setup:

  • view_item_list fires when a list of products (e.g., category page, search results, carousel) is displayed
  • select_item fires when a user clicks or taps on a product from that list

It’s expected that view_item_list ≥ select_item, because selection can only happen after viewing the list. If select_item counts exceed view_item_list, it typically indicates:

  • Missing or broken view_item_list tracking
  • select_item being fired in contexts that aren’t tied to visible product lists
  • Duplicate or improperly scoped select_item events
  • SPA routing that skips triggering list views

This causes inaccurate funnel analysis and weakens product performance insights.

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Google Analytics audit test results.

How to Conduct This Test

Basic Tests

  • In Google Analytics > Explore, create a Free-form report:
    • Dimensions: Event name
    • Metrics: Event count
    • Filter for: view_item_list and select_item

Advanced QA

  • In BigQuery, run this query:
    SELECT event_name, COUNT(*) AS event_count
    FROM `your_dataset.events_*`
    WHERE event_name IN ('view_item_list', 'select_item')
    GROUP BY event_name
  • If select_item outpaces view_item_list by a significant margin, there may be an issue in how product impressions or selections are being tracked.

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How To Fix

  • Review your ecommerce tagging setup:
    • Ensure view_item_list is triggered any time a product list or gallery is rendered
    • Check that items array is passed properly with relevant metadata (item_id, item_list_name, etc.)
    • Ensure select_item is only triggered when a product is selected from a known list context
    • Don’t fire select_item for interactions that aren’t tied to a list impression
  • In SPAs, ensure both events are being triggered appropriately as users navigate—especially when content loads dynamically
  • Use Google Analytics DebugView to step through typical user flows and confirm event sequencing and values
  • Hire a pro to repair your product interaction tracking and gain confidence in what drives item interest and engagement.

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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