E-commerce tracking and store analysis are essential components for measuring and optimizing the success of your online store. By analyzing the shopping funnel from “item viewed” to “added to shopping cart” and “added to watch list” to “ordered”, you can gain valuable insights into the behaviour of your customers and increase the conversion rate.

Definition and importance of e-commerce tracking

E-commerce tracking refers to the collection and analysis of data about user behavior in your online store. It allows you to track every step of the purchasing process, from the product search to the final purchase. This data helps you to identify weak points and take targeted measures for optimization.

The shopping tunnel

The shopping funnel describes the various phases that a user goes through before making a purchase. A typical funnel comprises the following steps:

  1. Article viewed
  2. Added to shopping cart
  3. Put on watch list
  4. Ordered

Article viewed

Definition of

“Items viewed” refers to the number of users who view a product page. This key figure provides information about which products arouse the greatest interest. In many stores, products can also be selected directly from lists and placed in the shopping cart. It is therefore important to analyze both the view on lists and the call-up of the product detail page.

Analysis and optimization

  • Product descriptions: Make sure your product descriptions are informative and appealing.
  • Images and videos: Use high-quality images and videos to present the products in the best possible way.
  • SEO: Optimize your product pages for search engines to generate more traffic.

Added to shopping cart

Definition of

“Added to cart” measures how many users add a product to their shopping cart. This key figure is an important indicator of purchase interest. The shopping cart function can also be used as a temporary watch list. This should be taken into account when evaluating subsequent events such as “deleted from the shopping cart”. Completely abandoned shopping carts, on the other hand, can indicate problems.

Analysis and optimization

  • Usability: Make sure that the “Add to cart” button is clearly visible and easy to use.
  • Product details: Provide all the necessary information for the customer to make a purchase decision.
  • Discounts and incentives: Use special offers and discounts to motivate users to buy.

Put on watch list

Definition of

“Added to watchlist” refers to the number of users who have added a product to their watchlist. This key figure shows products that users find interesting but do not want to buy immediately. The function is particularly important in multi- or omni-channel retail, when the journey often leads from the web store to the brick-and-mortar store.

Analysis and optimization

  • Reminders: Send reminders or special offers to users who have products on their watch list.
  • Make the watch list accessible: Make sure that the watch list is easily accessible and usable.
  • Availability notifications: Inform users when a product on their watch list is available again or has been reduced in price.

Ordered

Definition of

“Ordered” measures the number of completed orders. This key figure is the most important indicator for the success of your online store and your marketing measures. In addition to order sales, the evaluation of campaigns also looks at sales adjusted for cancellations and returns, takes margins into account and evaluates newly acquired customers. The effects are worth analysing, but they are less relevant for operational campaign management and bid optimization.

Analysis and optimization

  • Checkout process: Optimize the checkout process to make it as simple and smooth as possible.
  • Payment options: Offer different payment methods to meet the needs of your customers.
  • Trustworthiness: Show security certificates and positive customer reviews to strengthen user trust.

E-Commerce Reports

There are various reports that can help you to analyze and optimize the shopping funnel. The most popular include:

  1. Product Performance: Depicts the funnel steps as groups of key figures and enables product range analysis at item and category level.
  2. Ripper-bum matrix: Visualizes the ratio of “product viewed” to “ordered” in four segments: “Rippers” are products that are viewed frequently and ordered a lot. “Bums” are products that are rarely viewed and rarely ordered. “Hype” are products that are viewed more frequently but ordered relatively little. On the other hand, products are classified as “hidden champions” if they only generate a few product views but are ordered relatively frequently.
  3. Orders: Used for quality assurance with regard to the database and enables a link to CRM data via the order number.

The order process (check-out) is analyzed in the individual steps in the Conversion Processes report. There are further reports for the evaluation of coupons and discount vouchers, as well as for the analysis of internal promotions and functions such as product recommendations, internal searches, etc. using so-called onsite campaigns.

Conclusion

E-commerce tracking and store analysis are crucial to maximizing the success of your online store. By analyzing the shopping funnel in detail, you can gain valuable insights into your customers’ behavior and maintain product range performance. By continuously working to improve your online store and monitoring the relevant metrics, you can improve the user experience, increase the conversion rate and ultimately increase sales.