SYNOPSIS:
User completes the checkout is using Paypal Standard plugin. It works in such a way that user is presented with "Confirm" button that takes them to the Paypal website. When Confirm buttton is pressed the user is redirected (via POST) to PayPal. Order placed page (which includes google analytics e-commerce tracking) is NOT shown and transaction is not recorded.
User completes the payment but because the paypal requires two explicit actions for user to return to the store, this very often doesn't happen. User just closes the browser while on paypal page and transaction never gets recorded.
In my store this is what happens maybe 50% of the time.
RESULT:
About 50% of paypal transactions are not recorded which makes making any meaningful marketing decisions very difficult.
SUGGESTION:
After user confirms the order, show user the "thank you - your order has been placed page". If Paypal standard payment is used after showing the page create a redirect. A nice "countdown" or something to indicate that redirect is about to happen would be nice.
Google Analytics not recording significant numer of e-commerce transactions
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- 217
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- 9/20/2010
- Poland
In addition if the user doesn't pay for the order placed, it is not recorded in google analytics. This approach might seem correct from the logistics point of view, however it's NOT correct from marketing point of view.
If we spent money on marketing we want to know it resulted in sale, even if customer was unable to complete the payment eg. due to credit card declined.
If we spent money on marketing we want to know it resulted in sale, even if customer was unable to complete the payment eg. due to credit card declined.
Team Member
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- 10/22/2008
- Armenia
Hi Filip,
I agree that it could happen but I'm not sure that it's correct to track "placed" orders with redirection payment method. Although there should be some people who could not agree with me.
Your solution could work but it looks more like a hack. I've just created a work item here.
What do other people think about this issue?
I agree that it could happen but I'm not sure that it's correct to track "placed" orders with redirection payment method. Although there should be some people who could not agree with me.
Your solution could work but it looks more like a hack. I've just created a work item here.
What do other people think about this issue?
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shayt wrote:
the order does NOT resulted in a sale.
Shayt - you're (re)stating the obvious. If it was not paid you don't ship it, but from marketing point of view you're still interested to know whether was direct, organic, CPC, social, what keyword, where the person comes from etc. so you know what worked and where to spend your marketing money. This may be less of an issue if you have store taking 1000 orders per day but it becomes much more of an issue if you're taking 10 orders / day as every bit of information becomes valuable.
Further as an example when using google adwords in CPA (cost per action) model you're telling goggle to pay this much for success (i.e. sale). If transaction isn't recorded Google is in the dark about the fact that what it did actually worked and ends up spending your funds in sub-optimal way.
I am sure the solution to the problem I proposed is optimal. I've been also thinking that we could send info to analytics in "onclick" javascript event attached to the confim button.
Filip
the order does NOT resulted in a sale.
Shayt - you're (re)stating the obvious. If it was not paid you don't ship it, but from marketing point of view you're still interested to know whether was direct, organic, CPC, social, what keyword, where the person comes from etc. so you know what worked and where to spend your marketing money. This may be less of an issue if you have store taking 1000 orders per day but it becomes much more of an issue if you're taking 10 orders / day as every bit of information becomes valuable.
Further as an example when using google adwords in CPA (cost per action) model you're telling goggle to pay this much for success (i.e. sale). If transaction isn't recorded Google is in the dark about the fact that what it did actually worked and ends up spending your funds in sub-optimal way.
I am sure the solution to the problem I proposed is optimal. I've been also thinking that we could send info to analytics in "onclick" javascript event attached to the confim button.
Filip
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- 12/28/2012
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We thought we had this same issue for a week or so and ran in circles trying to find out what was going on and reinstalling different code snippets and the like.
As it turns out (for our scenario):
Anytime there is or was a redirect in the process, Google would claim the purchase or conversion, but it would dump it into the google organic bucket. Again, in our scenario, it was because we had old URL that were all set to redirect to the new URLs, then the customer would continue on. During that process, Google would drop the association and "keep the conversion in the google / organic" reporting section. So we saw a drop to zero in other areas, but a huge inflation in the organic.
It self corrected as we added tracking code to all feeds and sources, as well as with MSN and other pay-per-click channels.
Hope that helps some.
As it turns out (for our scenario):
Anytime there is or was a redirect in the process, Google would claim the purchase or conversion, but it would dump it into the google organic bucket. Again, in our scenario, it was because we had old URL that were all set to redirect to the new URLs, then the customer would continue on. During that process, Google would drop the association and "keep the conversion in the google / organic" reporting section. So we saw a drop to zero in other areas, but a huge inflation in the organic.
It self corrected as we added tracking code to all feeds and sources, as well as with MSN and other pay-per-click channels.
Hope that helps some.
MVP
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@fkierzek
It would require custom coding, but I suspect you could use GA Event Tracking on the Confirm button click.
It would require custom coding, but I suspect you could use GA Event Tracking on the Confirm button click.
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New York wrote:
It would require custom coding, but I suspect you could use GA Event Tracking on the Confirm button click.
Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think event tracking covers Ecommerce Tracking.
Filip
It would require custom coding, but I suspect you could use GA Event Tracking on the Confirm button click.
Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think event tracking covers Ecommerce Tracking.
Filip
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