Why you shouldn’t use many reports by Google Analytics for Magento e-store

Every day many owners of the ecommerce sites ask Magento developers to set up detailed Google Analytics report. But in most cases it doesn’t make sense. Why?

You can see many extensions on Marketplace which help you set up Google Analytics in the proper way (or “proper way”). Many owners and managers of ecommerce sites believe that Google Analytics give a full explanation about sites, visitors, revenue and opportunities.

But they don’t.

The Google Analytics is the most power tool that I saw

It is my opinion but it is true. Google Analytics is free. Don’t waste you money. It is really simple tool. You need to create account, follow instructions and implement tracking code. Magento 2 help you do it in easier way than Magento 1. Magento 2 improved Google Analytics code implementation.

You get many really useful info. And… you want more.

Funnel visualization, shopping behavior, checkout behavior, many goals, events, clicks, conversions, enhanced ecommerce, etc.

Why?

You make decision with lack of information

You need valuable and right info when you make decision. And you try to find it. Google Analytics seems the good source.

In fact you take info that a little bit useful for business. For example many owners of sites are waiting that traffic will increase. Because they make many things (SEO, paid ad, SMM, offline ad). But in real life it doesn’t work. The reasons are competition, market evolution, new products and other factors. Sometimes you need to work hard to preserve your achievements.

And Google Analytics can’t predict it. No sense here to waste resources to take info that won’t help you. Yes you can see the problem when Google update search algorithms or some pages have problem. But it’s not enough.
So, you take info from the past that a little bit helpful in the present and completely useless in future.

You need to have your skin in the game.

That is why I recommend use “standard” Google Analytics code on ecommerce sites. To use tests if you need more info about user experience. In many cases you can make it by yourself. Because you are customer, visitor, buyer. If you have doubts, you can use Hotjar or same solutions.