How to start tracking your online store performance
A practical, step-by-step plan to implement GA4, clean UTMs, and KPI dashboards for your store.
Great products deserve great measurement. If you are launching a new store or finally getting serious about e-commerce analytics, this guide gives you a clean, step-by-step plan to track performance in GA4 and your Shopify or WooCommerce stack.
Step 1: Define success before you track it 🧭
Write down the outcomes you care about and the KPIs that reflect them:
Growth: Revenue, orders, CR, AOV, RPV.
Efficiency: CAC, ROAS, contribution margin.
Retention: Repeat rate, LTV, time-to-second-order.
Keep this list short and stable. Changing definitions causes confusion and rework.
Step 2: Implement GA4 correctly
Install GA4: Use your platform’s native integration where possible.
Enable e-commerce events: view_item, add_to_cart, begin_checkout, purchase with value and currency.
Validate: Compare GA4 revenue to your store’s orders. Aim for a small, explained variance.
Consent and duplication: Ensure events respect consent and do not double-fire on redirects.
Step 3: UTM governance and channel clarity
Standardize UTMs: Decide on source, medium, campaign, content, term; document examples.
Enforce in tools: Use templates in Google Ads and Meta; train creators and partners.
Protect direct traffic: Avoid untagged links in social bios, email footers, and influencer posts.
Step 4: Shopify or WooCommerce instrumentation
Payments: Ensure all gateways are tracked consistently and pass back purchase values.
Checkout settings: Reduce steps, enable wallet pay, and surface shipping/returns info.
Catalog hygiene: Consistent titles, options, and images help conversion and analytics.
Step 5: Create a single KPI dashboard
Build a simple view that blends GA4 and store data:
Revenue, orders, CR, AOV, RPV
CAC, ROAS by channel
Top products and low-CR products
Funnel drop-offs from add_to_cart to purchase
The trick is not fancy charts; it is consistent definitions and a weekly review ritual.
Step 6: First 30-day operating cadence
Week 1: Verify tracking and UTMs; fix any gaps. Ship one UX improvement on your highest-traffic PDP.
Week 2: Build your KPI dashboard; set targets for CR, AOV, and CAC.
Week 3: Run one funnel experiment. Measure impact on RPV.
Week 4: Launch a post-purchase email flow aimed at second order within 30–45 days.
Common pitfalls and how to avoid them
Over-customization: Start simple. You can add complexity once the basics work.
ROAS tunnel vision: Pair ROAS with first-order margin and cohort LTV before scaling spend.
Messy UTMs: One naming doc and a quick weekly audit prevent costly misattribution.
Where to go next
Segmentation: New vs returning, device, country, and campaign.
Cohorts: Track LTV by acquisition month to find scalable channels.
Testing program: Prioritize pages with high traffic and low CR. Measure RPV to include AOV effects.
Start small, make measurement trustworthy, and build a steady weekly habit. The result is clarity — and clarity compounds.
Want a head start with clean tracking and practical dashboards? Get started with Peasy at peasy.nu and turn signal into growth.
