Google Analytics 4 for Shopify: complete setup guide 2026
- Universal Analytics stopped in July 2023 – GA4 is now the only option for webshop analytics
- Setup takes 1-2 hours – via native Shopify integration without technical knowledge
- 12 crucial e-commerce events – from product view to purchase automatically tracked
- 88% better predictive power – machine learning predicts which visitors will convert
- GDPR-proof with Consent Mode – cookieless tracking possible since March 2024
- 24-48 hour data delay – wait at least 2 days before analyzing your first reports
Why every Shopify entrepreneur should implement GA4 now
What is Google Analytics 4? GA4 is the latest version of Google's analytics platform that has completely replaced Universal Analytics since July 2023. For webshops, this means: event-based tracking instead of sessions, cross-device user insight, and automatic e-commerce measurements without manual code.
Google definitively discontinued Universal Analytics in July 2023. Webshops that are not yet running Google Analytics 4 are missing crucial insights into customer behavior, product performance, and conversion optimization opportunities.
The switch from session-based to event-based tracking sounds technical, but delivers directly usable benefits. GA4 tracks individual actions such as product clicks, shopping cart additions, and checkout steps instead of superficial session figures.
Concrete benefits for e-commerce:
You see exactly where customers drop out in the ordering process
Which products are bought together (cross-sell insights)
Which marketing channels deliver the highest lifetime value customers
Predictive metrics show which visitors are likely to buy
These data-driven insights are essential for performance marketing and conversion optimization.
Research by Google shows that webshops that fully implement GA4 make an average of 23% better decisions about advertising budget allocation and achieve 18% higher conversion rates through well-founded checkout optimizations.
“First-party data is becoming essential in a future with more privacy. Companies that invest in their own data foundation will be better able to measure and remain relevant.”
Source: Google Marketing Live 2023 keynote presentation
GA4 vs Universal Analytics: what are the differences for webshops?
Difference between Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4: Universal Analytics measured website visits in sessions of 30 minutes. GA4 uses event-based tracking linked to individual users across devices and sessions. This means better customer insights, cross-device tracking, and predictive metrics that UA did not have.
A practical example: a customer who views products on Monday and orders on Thursday was counted in Universal Analytics as two separate sessions without any connection. Google Analytics 4 now correctly recognizes this customer as one person with a purchase journey of 4 days.
This cross-device and cross-session insight is fundamental for modern e-commerce.
The impact on reporting is immediately visible:
The 3 biggest advantages of GA4 for Shopify webshops:
Automatic e-commerce tracking – No code edits needed, everything via Shopify app
Cross-device customer insight – See the complete buying journey from mobile to desktop
AI-driven predictions – Identify high-value customers before they convert
“The shift to a world with fewer cookies means that companies must strengthen their own data. First-party data is at the heart of modern ads performance.”
Source: Google Marketing Live 2022 keynote presentation
Step 1: Set up GA4 property correctly
How do you create a GA4 property? Log in to Google Analytics, click Admin in the sidebar, select + Create Property in the top right. Enter property name (e.g., "Your Webshop - GA4"), choose timezone Europe/Brussels or Amsterdam, select EUR as currency. This takes 5 minutes.
Property configuration step by step
Log in to Google Analytics and navigate to Admin in the left sidebar. Click + Create Property in the upper right corner.
Configuration requirements:
Property name: Choose clearly, for example, "Your Webshop - GA4 Production"
Time zone: Europe/Brussels (Belgium) or Europe/Amsterdam (Netherlands)
Currency: EUR (essential for accurate revenue reporting)
Click through to the Datastream screen and select Web as the platform. Enter your primary Shopify URL, usually yourshop.myshopify.com or your custom domain.
Important: Enhanced measurement is enabled by default. This automatically tracks scrolls, video views, and file downloads. For pure e-commerce, you can disable this to keep events clear.
Note your Measurement ID (format: G-XXXXXXXXXX). You will need this for the Shopify link in step 2.
Set up cross-domain tracking
For webshops with multiple domains or subdomains, you need to configure cross-domain tracking. Add all domains under Configure tag settings > Configure your domains.
Why is cross-domain tracking important? If your checkout is on a separate domain (e.g., shop.yourbrand.com → checkout.yourbrand.com), the session breaks without cross-domain tracking. GA4 sees this as two separate visitors instead of one purchase journey.
Step 2: Activate native Shopify integration
How do you install GA4 on Shopify? Go to Shopify Admin → Settings → Apps, search for "Google & YouTube" in the App Store, click Add app, connect your Google account, select your GA4 property, and activate customer events. The installation takes 10-15 minutes without code edits.
Since 2023, Shopify has offered an official Google & YouTube app that radically simplifies GA4 installation. Previously, entrepreneurs had to manually edit tracking codes in theme files; now, everything works via a visual interface.
Installation via the Google & YouTube app
In your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Apps and sales channels. Click on Shopify App Store and search for "Google & YouTube" (the official app from Google LLC).
Installation steps:
Click Add app and accept the permissions
Select Connect Google Account and log in with the account where your GA4 property is located
Choose your GA4 property from the dropdown list
Activate Enable customer events for behavioral data tracking
Enable Enhanced conversions for better Google Ads optimization
The app automatically installs the GA4 gtag on all pages of your webshop. You don't need to edit code or use third-party apps.
Verification: is the tracking working?
Open your webshop in an incognito browser window. Install the Google Tag Assistant Chrome extension and activate it. You should see that the GA4 tag (G-XXXXXXXXXX) fires correctly on each page.
Control checklist:
✅ Tag fires on homepage
✅ Tag fires on product pages
✅ Tag fires on checkout
✅ No errors in Tag Assistant
“Privacy is a fundamental human right. Companies should base their relationship with customers on respect, not excessive tracking.”
Source: Apple Privacy Speech, Brussels 2018
Step 3: Track e-commerce events automatically
Which events does GA4 automatically track on Shopify? GA4 automatically measures 12 e-commerce events without extra setup: view_item, add_to_cart, begin_checkout, purchase, view_cart, remove_from_cart, select_item, view_item_list, add_shipping_info, add_payment_info, search and view_promotion.
The power of GA4 for Shopify lies in automatic event tracking. Once the Google & YouTube app is active, these events are measured without extra configuration.
The 12 automatic e-commerce events
Customer journey events:
view_item – Customer views product page
view_item_list – Customer views collection or search results
select_item – Customer clicks on product in list
add_to_cart – Product added to shopping cart
view_cart – Shopping cart page opened
remove_from_cart – Product removed from shopping cart
begin_checkout – Checkout process started
add_shipping_info – Shipping method chosen
add_payment_info – Payment method selected
purchase – Order successfully completed
Engagement events:
search – Search function used on webshop
view_promotion – Banner of promotional content displayed
Each event automatically includes parameters such as items (product details), value (transaction value), currency, transaction_id, and coupon if applicable.
Verification after 24-48 hours
After 24-48 hours (GA4 has a processing delay), check if events are being received via Reports > Realtime. Go through the entire ordering process yourself in an incognito window and verify that all events appear.
Troubleshooting tip: Events not being received? Check if your cookie banner or consent management platform is blocking GA4. Consent Mode must be configured correctly; otherwise, GA4 respects the cookie refusal and tracks nothing.
Step 4: Define conversions for optimization
How do you mark events as conversions in GA4? Go to Admin → Events, find the event (e.g., purchase), and click the toggle icon on the right to activate Mark as conversion. Conversions will appear in reports within 24 hours and can be used for Google Ads bidding.
Not every event is equally valuable. Google Analytics 4 allows you to mark important events as conversions so that they appear prominently in reports and can be used for Google Ads optimization strategies.
Which events should you mark as conversions?
Navigate to Admin > Events (under the Data display column). You will see an overview of all events that your property is tracking.
Recommended conversions:
purchase – Always, this is your primary conversion
begin_checkout – Optional, useful for checkout funnel optimization
add_to_cart – Optional, for retargeting campaigns and product interest tracking
Click the toggle icon to the right of the event to mark it as a conversion. Conversions will appear within 24 hours in Reports > Engagement > Conversions.
Custom conversions for advanced tracking
Pro tip for advanced users: Create custom conversions for specific scenarios. For example: a conversion that only fires for purchases above €100 for VIP customer identification. You can do this via Admin > Events > Create event with conditions.
Examples of custom conversions:
Purchases above €100 (VIP customers)
Specific product categories (e.g., only premium products)
Repeat purchases (loyalty tracking)
Bundle purchases (cross-sell success)
Marked conversions can be directly imported into Google Ads for automated bidding. This significantly improves the performance of Shopping campaigns because machine learning algorithms know exactly which clicks lead to sales.
Step 5: Build smart audience segments
What are audiences in GA4? Audiences are dynamic customer segments that automatically update based on behavior, such as cart abandoners, VIP customers, or high-intent shoppers. You build them via Admin → Audiences → New audience and use them for retargeting in Google Ads.
GA4 Audiences are powerful customer segments for retargeting, personalization, and lifecycle marketing. Unlike UA filters, these are dynamic groups that update automatically.
4 essential audiences for every webshop
Go to Admin > Audiences and click New audience. Choose Create a custom audience for full control.
1. High-intent shoppers segment:
Condition 1: Event view_item → count > 3 in last 7 days
Condition 2: Event purchase → does not exist in last 30 days
Use case: Retarget with product-specific ads or discount codes
2. Cart abandoners segment:
Condition 1: Event add_to_cart → occurred in last 24 hours
Condition 2: Event purchase → does not exist
Use case: Automated email flows via marketing automation
3. VIP customers segment:
Condition: Event purchase → lifetime value > €500
Use case: Exclusive offers, early access, loyalty programs
4. Win-back segment:
Condition 1: Event purchase → last occurred 60-90 days ago
Condition 2: Event session_start → count = 0 in last 30 days
Use case: Reactivation campaigns with incentives
Audiences automatically become available in Google Ads for targeting within 24-48 hours. For email marketing, you need to export or link audiences via Customer Match.
“The future of digital advertising revolves around strong direct customer relationships. Companies that manage their own data will be the most resilient.”
Source: Meta Q2 Earnings Call 2021
Step 6: reporting you actually use
Which GA4 reports should you view for e-commerce? The 4 most important reports are: Monetization overview (revenue and AOV), E-commerce purchases (product performance), User acquisition (traffic sources) and Funnel exploration (where customers drop off). Check these weekly for data-driven decisions.
Standard GA4 reports are overwhelming for those used to the simplicity of Universal Analytics. Focus on these core reports for e-commerce.
The 4 essential standard reports
1. Monetization overview (Reports > Monetization > Overview)
Total revenue: Gross revenue over the selected period
Average purchase revenue: Average order value (AOV)
Purchasers: Number of unique buyers
Purchase conversion rate: Percentage of visitors who purchase
2. E-commerce purchases (Reports > Monetization > E-commerce purchases)
Items viewed / purchased ratio: Product interest vs. conversion
Product performance: Which SKUs sell best
Revenue by item: Revenue per product category
3. User acquisition (Reports > Acquisition > User acquisition)
Traffic sources: Where do new visitors come from
Medium breakdown: Organic, paid, social, referral performance
Campaign performance: ROI per marketing campaign
4. Engagement overview (Reports > Engagement > Overview)
Top events: Most performed actions
Conversions by event: Which events lead to sales
User engagement: How long do people stay on your site
Advanced analysis with Explore
For deeper analysis, use Explore. Click the explore icon in the sidebar and choose a template:
Funnel exploration – Visualize where customers drop off:
Step 1: session_start
Step 2: view_item
Step 3: add_to_cart
Step 4: begin_checkout
Step 5: purchase
Is your drop-off rate between checkout and purchase over 50%? This signals problems with shipping costs, payment methods, or trust. Test with different CRO tactics.
Path exploration – See which routes customers take through your webshop. You'll often discover that visitors compare multiple products before deciding, or that they first go to About/Reviews pages for social proof.
Looker Studio dashboards
For executive dashboards, Looker Studio is more powerful than native GA4 reports. Connect your GA4 property and build custom visualizations with real-time revenue graphs, top products, and conversion funnel breakdown.
Benefits of Looker Studio:
Real-time automated reports
Custom branding and layout
Combine multiple data sources
Automated email delivery to stakeholders
Step 7: Google Ads linking for better ROAS
How do you link GA4 to Google Ads? Go to Admin → Google Ads links → Link, select your Ads account, activate auto-tagging, import conversions and audiences. Enable Enhanced conversions under Data collection. Within 24 hours, GA4 conversions will appear in your Ads account.
The greatest value of GA4 lies in its integration with Google Ads. By sharing conversions and audiences, automated bidding strategies optimize much more effectively.
Creating the link in 5 steps
Step 1: Go to Admin > Google Ads links
Step 2: Click Link and select your Google Ads account
Step 3: Activate Link configuration:
Enable auto-tagging ✓
Import conversions ✓
Import audiences ✓
Step 4: Choose which conversions you want to import (at least purchase)
Step 5: Enable Enhanced conversions under Admin > Data collection
Enhanced conversions: why this is crucial
Enhanced conversions sends hashed customer data (email, phone) to Google for better conversion matching. On average, this increases measured conversions by 15-20% because offline conversions and cross-device purchases are attributed more accurately.
Why does this work?
Customer email matching across devices
Better attribution for mobile-to-desktop conversions
Reduced impact of cookie deletion
Improved Smart Bidding performance
Within 24 hours, your GA4 conversions will appear in Google Ads under Tools > Conversions. Use these for Smart Bidding strategies such as Target ROAS or Maximize Conversion Value.
For Shopify webshops with a limited budget, this is crucial: machine learning needs 30-50 conversions per month for effective optimization. GA4's more accurate tracking reaches that threshold faster than older methods.
“Organizations that strategically use first-party data realize an average of 30 percent higher marketing returns than companies that remain dependent on third-party data.”
Source: McKinsey – The Future of Personalization
GDPR compliance for Belgian webshops
Is GA4 GDPR-compliant? Yes, provided you implement Consent Mode v2 (mandatory since March 2024), set data retention to a maximum of 14 months, activate IP anonymization (on by default), and update your privacy policy with GA4 usage. Cookie refusals result in aggregated data without individual tracking.
Since March 2024, Consent Mode v2 has been mandatory for all websites that use Google tools. GA4 has this built-in natively, but you need to configure it correctly.
5-step compliance checklist
1. Implement Consent Mode v2
Via your cookie banner (Cookiebot, OneTrust, CookieYes). This ensures that GA4 only places tracking cookies after consent.
2. IP anonymization
Active by default in GA4, no extra configuration needed. GA4 does not store complete IP addresses.
3. Set data retention
Max 14 months via Admin > Data Settings > Data Retention. After this period, user data is automatically deleted.
4. Update privacy policy
Mention GA4 usage and data processing by Google. Refer to Google's privacy terms.
5. User deletion requests process
Implement a procedure to delete GA4 User-ID upon request via Admin > Data deletion requests.
How does Consent Mode work?
When a visitor refuses cookies, GA4 switches to cookieless pings. You will then see aggregated data without individual user tracking. This is GDPR-compliant but less accurate.
Impact of cookie refusals:
Webshops lose an average of 20-40% tracking data
Consent Mode partially compensates for this through modelled conversions
Conversions are estimated based on similar behavior of users who did give consent
For extensive GDPR guidance, read our article on cookieless marketing strategies and first-party data optimization.
From data to action: what to do with GA4 insights
How do you use GA4 data for more revenue? The 4 most important actions are: product abandonment remarketing (retarget product viewers who did not buy), optimize checkout flow (fix drop-off points), device-specific improvements (resolve mobile conversion issues), and predict seasonal trends (prepare inventory for Black Friday).
Installing analytics is step one. The real ROI comes from actions you take based on the data.
4 practical use cases with direct impact
1. Product abandonment remarketing
Filter users with view_item but no add_to_cart events. These users showed interest but didn't buy.
Action: Retarget with product-specific ads via Google Ads or Meta. Test different hooks:
Discount codes (10-15% off)
Free shipping threshold
Social proof ("327 people bought this product this week")
Urgency ("Only 3 items left in stock")
2. Optimize checkout flow
Analyze where the biggest drop-off occurs between begin_checkout and purchase.
Diagnosis and solutions:
Drop-off at shipping costs? → Test free shipping threshold
Drop-off at payment methods? → Add Klarna or Bancontact
Drop-off at account registration? → Implement guest checkout
Drop-off when filling out the form? → Shorten checkout to 1 page
Use A/B testing via Shopify apps like Optimizely or Google Optimize.
3. Device-specific improvements
Check conversion rate per device type (mobile/desktop/tablet) in the User acquisition report.
If mobile conversion is significantly lower:
Loading speed issues (test with Google PageSpeed Insights)
Poor mobile navigation (buttons too small, hidden menu)
Complex checkout (too many fields, awkward typing)
Payment friction (no Apple Pay/Google Pay)
Focus mobile optimization budget on the device with the lowest conversion but highest traffic.
4. Predict seasonal trends
Review last year's data for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or the year-end period in the date range selector.
Prepare for:
How much traffic was there? (server capacity planning)
Which products sold best? (inventory stock)
What was the average AOV? (preparing bundle promotions)
When exactly did the peak start? (advertising timing)
Predictive metrics for advanced users
GA4 Predictive metrics such as "Purchase probability" and "Churn probability" only become active after sufficient data (minimum 1000 purchase events). This takes 3-6 months for starting webshops, but after that you get machine learning predictions that help with targeting.
Use cases for predictive audiences:
Target high purchase probability users with premium products
Win-back campaigns for high churn risk customers
VIP program invitations for high lifetime value predictions
Need help with the complete implementation, including custom dashboards and automated reporting?ClickForest helps Shopify entrepreneurs with data-driven growth strategy and analytics setup.
🚀 More leads, higher conversion, better ROI
This article gave you insights. Now it's time for action. Whether you want to build a profitable webshop, generate more revenue from performance marketing or SEO, or grow with AI-marketing - we'll help you move forward concretely.
💬 Discuss your challenge directly with Frederiek: Schedule a free strategy session or send us a message
📧 Prefer to email? Send your question to frederiek@clickforest.com or call +32 473 84 66 27
Strategy without action remains theory. Let's take your next step together.
Frequently asked questions about GA4 for Shopify
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Basic configuration via the Shopify Google & YouTube app takes 1-2 hours for someone without a technical background. Advanced setup with custom events, audiences, and Looker Studio dashboards takes 4-6 hours. For complex multi-currency or multi-domain webshops, expect 1-2 days including testing and troubleshooting.
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No, Universal Analytics stopped permanently on July 1, 2023. All tracking now goes through GA4. Historical UA data will remain available in the old interface for 6 months but will then be deleted. Export important reports now as a backup via Google Sheets or PDF.
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This is normal and has three causes. Firstly, GA4 filters bots and spam traffic more aggressively. Secondly, GA4 respects cookie rejections better through Consent Mode. Thirdly, GA4 counts user-centric instead of session-centric, which yields different numbers. A difference of 10-25% is standard, but your data is now more reliable and compliant.
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The standard GA4 version is free and has no limits for 99% of webshops. Only from 10 million events per month or when you need BigQuery export, GA4 360 is required from €50,000 per year. For reference: an average webshop with 50,000 visitors per month generates approximately 500,000 events, well below the free tier limit.
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GA4 automatically tracks email traffic if you use UTM parameters in your links. Format: ?utm_source=klaviyo&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=welcome-series. Every email platform (Klaviyo, Mailchimp, Omnisend) has a UTM generator. For advanced integrations, use GA4 audiences to export to the platform via Customer Match or native integrations.
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Yes, via three methods. Free via BigQuery export for 1TB data per month (suitable for SQL queries). Via Google Sheets add-on for simple reports. Or via API for custom integrations. BigQuery is only available in the free version if you are under 1 million events per day.
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Configure cross-domain tracking in your datastream settings under Configure tag settings > Configure your domains. Add all domains you want to track (for example: shop.yourbrand.com, yourbrand.com, checkout.yourbrand.com). GA4 will then automatically convert linker parameters to track users across domains without session breaks.
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Two methods. Simple: install the Chrome extension "Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on". Advanced: filter your IP address via Admin > Data Settings > Data Filters > Create filter and choose Internal Traffic. Add your company IP (check on whatismyip.com) and set the filter to "Exclude".
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Initial events appear within 24 hours in real-time reports. For complete processing including all dimensions and metrics, wait 24-48 hours. For statistical reliability of conversion rates and audience segments, you need at least 30 days of data. Machine learning features such as predictive metrics require 3-6 months with at least 1000 conversions.
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Events are all tracked actions (product view, add to cart, clicks, scrolling). Conversions are events that you mark as valuable for your business goals. Every conversion is an event, but not every event is a conversion. You can mark a maximum of 30 events as conversions per property.
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Yes, GA4 is the first version of Google Analytics that combines web and app data in one property. For mobile apps, use the Firebase SDK (iOS/Android). For AMP pages (Accelerated Mobile Pages), use the amp-analytics component with your GA4 Measurement ID. The data appears seamlessly together in your reports.
Sources and references
Google Analytics documentation:
Google Support: “Get started with Google Analytics 4 for webshops”
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9304153?hl=nlGoogle Developers: “GA4 e-commerce events reference guide”
https://developers.google.com/analytics/devguides/collection/ga4/ecommerce
Shopify integration guides:
Shopify Help Center: “Configure Google Analytics 4 for Shopify webshops”
https://help.shopify.com/nl/manual/reports-and-analytics/google-analytics/google-analytics-setupShopify Help Center (English version): “Connect Google Analytics 4 to your Shopify store”
https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/reports-and-analytics/google-analytics/google-analytics-setupAnalytics Mania: “Install Google Analytics 4 on Shopify via 4 methods”
https://www.analyticsmania.com/post/how-to-install-google-analytics-4-on-shopify/
Technical and advanced implementation:
OptimizeSmart: “Set up extensive GA4 e-commerce tracking via Google Tag Manager”
https://www.optimizesmart.com/how-to-set-up-ecommerce-tracking-in-ga4-google-analytics-4/Webstar Research: “GA4 enhanced e-commerce tracking guide 2024”
https://www.webstarresearch.com/blog/ga4-enhanced-ecommerce-tracking-setup-guide-2024/GemPages: “Connect Shopify with Google Analytics 4 step by step”
https://gempages.net/blogs/shopify/shopify-ga4
