Google Analytics 4 uses an event-based data model where every interaction is tracked as an event. This reference documents the recommended events and their parameters for e-commerce tracking and user engagement.
E-Commerce Events
Product Discovery
- page_view - Track page views and navigation
- view_item - When a user views a product detail page
- view_item_list - When a user views a list of products
- select_item - When a user selects a product from a list
Shopping Cart
- add_to_cart - When a user adds an item to the cart
- remove_from_cart - When a user removes an item from the cart
- view_cart - When a user views their shopping cart
- add_to_wishlist - When a user adds an item to their wishlist
Checkout & Purchase
- begin_checkout - When a user initiates checkout
- add_shipping_info - When shipping information is submitted
- add_payment_info - When payment information is submitted
- purchase - When a purchase is completed
- refund - When a purchase is refunded
Promotions
- view_promotion - When a user views a promotion
- select_promotion - When a user clicks on a promotion
User Engagement Events
- login - When a user logs in
- sign_up - When a user creates an account
- search - When a user performs a search
- generate_lead - When a user submits a lead form
Implementation Notes
Each event documentation page includes:
- Required and optional parameters
- Example implementation code
- Best practices for data quality
For Server Side GTM implementations with owntag, these events can be enriched with additional data from your backend systems before being forwarded to Google Analytics.