Google Analytics 4 (GA4) Event Tracker Setup

Google Analytics (GA) allows you to perform detailed data analysis of customer behavior in your store and store traffic. With the launch of Google Analytics 4, it is possible to track cross-domain websites more accurately and identify website visitors, which helps you to perform subsequent trial lead conversion analysis, analyze unfamiliar customers and operate CRM management. 

Due to Google's discontinuation of Universal Analytics on July 1, 2023, based on SHOPLINE's internal data transmission and reception recommendations, it is advised to avoid using Universal Analytics and GA4 simultaneously. If you need to continue observing data with Universal Analytics, please embed it through Google Tag Manager (GTM).

⚠️ Note: The Basic plan does not support the "Google Analytics 4 Event Tracker" feature.

This article will cover the following:

• Steps to set up Google Analytics (GA)
• Recommended settings to be completed once connected and notes
• Overview of the differences between Universal Analytics and GA4P

 

1. Steps to set up Google Analytics (GA)

Step 1. Create a GA account

If you haven't created a GA account using your Gmail, please enter Google Analytics to log in to your Gmail account and click Start measuring to proceed.

 

Step 2. Set up an account

i. Account creation

Account name: In the "Account details" section, enter a recognizable name in the "Account name" blank or enter the business/ personal name. And then click on Next.

 

ii. Property creation

Enter your online store name under "Property name" and confirm the reporting time zone. Upon completion, click the Next button.

 

iii. Business details

Select your industry category and check the business size according to the operational status of your business. After completion, click Next.

 

iv. Business objectives

Select your business objective(s). Note that there can be multiple choices. Once you've confirmed the objective(s), click Create to continue. 

 

Accept the Google Analytics Terms of Service Agreement

1. Set the country/ region to your location.
2. Upon confirming the terms of service and additional terms, check the box "I also accept the Data Processing Terms as required by the GDPR." and "I accept the "Measurement Controller-Controller Data Protection Terms for the data I share with Google."
3. Click I Accept to create the account.

 

v. Data collection

Choose Web to set up data collection.

Enter your storefront's URL (Website URL) and Stream name, then click Create stream upon completion.

 

On the right side of the screen, you will see "Web stream details." Please copy the "MEASUREMENT ID" tracking code.

⚠️ Note: The tracking code of the new GA4 starts with "G," not "UA." 

*Tip: What's the difference between stream ID and
 measurement ID?

- The stream ID is the unique identifier for the data stream 
from which user activity originates. 
You can add stream IDs to your events to send data
 to certain data streams. Please refer to this article for more reference.

- A Measurement ID is an identifier (e.g., G-12345) 
for a web data stream.
You can use the Measurement ID to send data
 to a specific web data stream.
Please refer to this article for more reference. 

Upon copying the Measurement ID, return to Admin > [Marketing & Tracker] > [Tracker Settings] and click Google Analytics 4.

Fill in the copied Measurement ID in the blank and click Save to complete the setup.

After the GA4 tracking code has been stored, a green tick will appear in the GA4 box on the "Tracker Settings" page.

To edit or delete the GA4 tracking code, please scroll down to the bottom of the "Tracking Settings" page and click Edit or the bin icon.

*Note: Google Analytics starts collecting data after the setup is completed, and the data will not be updated immediately. It is conservatively estimated that it will take about 24-48 hours for the data to be shown in Google Analytics.

 

vi. Setup completed

After completing the setup, click Next on the "Start collecting data" page and it will show that you have successfully created your account and property. Note that data collection may take up to 48 hours to get started.

 

2. Recommended settings to be completed once connected and notes

i. Proceed to your GA4 account to confirm the following related settings are complete: 

• Property settings: Click the "gear" icon to open the settings, select [Property settings] > [Property] > [Property details], and check whether the "Industry category", "Reporting time zone", and "Currency displayed as" options are correct.
  *Note: The industry category field should be "Shopping".
  

  
  
  

• Data collection: Go to [Property settings] > [Data collection and modification] > [Data collection] tab, and turn on "Google signals data collection".
  
  
  
• Data Retention: Go to [Property settings] > [Data collection and modification] > [Data collection] tab, and adjust the "Event data retention" to "14 months".
  
  
• Enhanced measurement: Go to [Property settings] > [Data collection and modification] > [Data streams] tab, and click the website data stream to open the "Web stream details". Please make sure to switch on the toggle in [Events] > [Enhanced Measurement].

 

ii. Set up a list of unwanted referrals

Step 1. Go to [Property settings] > [Data collection and modification] > [Data streams] tab, and click the website data stream to open the "Web stream details".

 

Step 2. In the "Google tag" section, click Configure tag settings.

 

Step 3. First, click the Show more, then click List unwanted referrals.

 

Step 4. Add the URLs you want to exclude in the "Domain" field.

 

The list of URLs to exclude is attached below:

a. If there is an integrated store pickup service, please exclude the following URLs according to the service you use:

• 7-11: emap.pcsc.com.tw
• FamilyMart: map.com.tw

b. If you use an integrated payment service provider, please exclude the following URLs according to the services you use:

• Taishin Bank: taishinbank.com.tw、prod-redirect.tappaysdk.com 
• Bank SinoPac: acs.nccc.com.tw、epos.sinopac.com、prod-redirect.tappaysdk.com 
• LINE Pay: web-pay.line.me
• EcPay: payment.ecpay.com.tw
• Stripe: hooks.stripe.com
• Razer Merchant Services: merchant.razer.com
• JKOPay: onlinepay.jkopay.com

c. If the store is integrated into SHOPLINE Payments, to ensure the security of customer information, each bank's payment service provider URL will be directly based on the credit card bank used by the customer. Please exclude the following URLs and the store's free default URL:

• Cathay United Bank: 3ds.cathaybk.com.tw 
• Taipei Fubon Bank: emv3ds-acs.taipeifubon.com.tw
• CTBC Bank: family.ctbcbank.com 
• Citibank: secureauthentication.citibank.com 、secureauthentication2.citibank.com 
• National Credit Card Center (Taishin, SinoPac, E.SUN): emv3ds-acs.nccc.com.tw
• Financial Information System Corporation: acs3d.fisc.com.tw
• Visa card verification: secure5.arcot.tw 
• Proceed to SHOPLINE Admin > [Settings] > [Domain Settings] to get your free domain. 

d. If your store has connected to LINE quick login, customers will go through the LINE account authorization page. Please exclude the following URLs:

• LINE Login: access.line.me

 

iii. If you haven't created a Google Analytics account, you can only apply for a GA4 account from now on (the page will automatically redirect).

iv. Universal Analytics will no longer process new data in standard properties beginning July 1, 2023. Universal Analytics reports will continue to be available for viewing for a period after July 1, 2023. However, new data will only flow to Google Analytics 4 resources. Please refer to this article for details.
*Note: Please disconnect your Universal Analytics and retain only GA4 to prevent data loss or duplicate event tracking.

v. Please set up GA4 as the primary configuration and avoid simultaneous use of Universal Analytics and GA4 in the SHOPLINE Admin to prevent data loss or duplicate event tracking.

 

3. Overview of the differences between Universal Analytics and GA4P

Universal Analytics	-	New GA4P
Follow the web page information and user behavior.	Application scenario	Integrate tracking web pages and apps and user behavior
Focus on the session (measuring unit: users | session | Views)	Data model	Focus on users and behaviors (session). *Note: Many commonly used reports and measuring units need to set additional sessions manually to complete the tracking
The measuring unit is mainly based on page view.	Measurement unit	Mainly page views/ screen views*Note: Enhanced configuration File download Web rolling depth Outbound clicks Embedded YouTube Interactive Information
Bounce Rate Time on site Pages/session	Interactive tracking unit	Interaction (Definition: Enter  the website/ app for more than 10 seconds) Interaction rate Interactive time
Yes *Note: Default reports are not subject to sampling. Ad-hoc queries of your data are subject to the following general thresholds for sampling: Analytics Standard: 500k sessions at the property level for the date range you are using Analytics 360: 100M sessions at the view level for the date range you are using	Sampling	None, but the queries are stricter *Note: Because the measurement method is different, the data of the new version of GA will be relatively small.
14 months by default （You can choose 14, 26, 38, or 50 months）and set it "Do not automatically expire."	Data retention period	2 months by default, you can be set to a maximum of 14 months. The two-month retention period is always applied to age, gender, and interest data regardless of your settings. You can use BigQuery to save indefinitely.
Gtag.js / UA ID（Ending with the serial number of the property） UA-XXXXXXX-Y	ID	Gtag.js / G ID（No more serial number） G-XXXXXXX *Note: In the past, you could use Tag Assistant to find the website's tracking code and copy it directly on the GA background to find resources, but it's not applicable on GA4.
Segments	Breakdown	Change to new features: audience (automatic screening of recent active users and non-shoppers)
Event category/ Event action/ Campaign level/ Event value	Event level	Replaced to fixed event structures, there are only two levels: Event name/ Event parameters
None	Recommended sessions	A new feature, the system will add some events by itself: File download Web rolling depth Outbound clicks Embedded YouTube Interactive Information
Yes, 20 metrics for free. If the metric is set, you cannot delete it but only replace it.	Custom metrics	No. The metrics are replaced by events. There are quantities limits (50 text parameters and 50 numeric parameters, but numbers have been changing)
Yes, 20 dimensions for free. If the metric is set, you cannot delete it but only replace it.	Custom dimensions	Removed and replaced by user properties
Yes	View data	No. *Note: GA4's data view has been removed. In the future, a new property will be required to separate different data views.
Yes	Data filters	Yes, but the feature is yet to be optimized
Not by default, but can be set up manually	IP masking	By default
Only available on GA360	Funnel analysis	Open for all
Only available on GA360	Segment overlap report	Open for all
Yes	Path analysis report	Advanced: offer backward pathing report
Connect manually	BigQuery setup	Export BigQuery every day automatically

 

Event	New GA4P Trigger point
Browse product list	view_item_list: When entering the product list page for browsing
Click product list	select_item: When clicking on the button to view the product list on the homepage
Browse products	view_item: When entering a single product page for browsing
Add product to wishlist	add_to_wishlist: When adding a product to the wishlist (click the "heart" icon)
Add to cart	add_to_cart: When adding a product to the cart (click the "cart" icon)
Browse shopping cart page	view_cart: When loading the cart page
Start checkout	begin_checkout: When moving from the shopping cart page to the checkout page
Add delivery details when checkout	add_shipping_info: When adding a delivery address on the checkout page
Add payment details when checkout	add_payment_info: When adding a payment option on the checkout page
Complete purchase	purchase: When the checkout is successful, and the customer enters the order confirmation page
Search	search: When entering the product name in the "Search field" and click to search for the product
Registration	lead/complete_registration: When clicking "Register" and going to the registration completion page
Remove a product from the cart	remove_from_cart: When removing a product from the shopping cart
Enhanced event measurement Please refer to this article on Google	*Note: The events below will be triggered by Google automatically Page views page_view  Scrolls scroll  Outbound clicks click Site search view_search_results Video engagement video_start video_progress video_complete File downloads file_download Form interactions form_start form_submit

 

 

 

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