Transferring eCommerce Events

eCommerce Events

By capturing eCommerce events, the entire user journey through an online store can be tracked and broken down to categories and items. In addition to transaction data when an order is completed, eCommerce events also include interactions that take place before a purchase has been made:

• Product list views
• Product detail calls
• Watch list actions
• Shopping cart actions
• Orders up to conversion into purchases or cancellations.

If, on the other hand, you only want to measure the transactions themselves, the easiest way to do this is to use parameters in the etracker code.

More information about order parameters can be found here.

eCommerce tracking with etracker Analytics for in-depth analysis of shopping patterns can be implemented in three ways:

1. Implementation via plugins.
2. Recording via Google Analytics e-commerce parameters.
3. Manual integration of etracker eCommerce events.

1. Implementation via Plugins

2. Recording via Google Analytics eCommerce parameter

If you use another store system and, for example, a plugin for Google Analytics e-commerce tracking (GA4 or UA), etracker will take over the measurement by adding a supplement to the etracker code.

However, the measurement is only possible if the e-commerce parameters are directly available in the HTML code and have not been implemented via the Google Tag Manager. The use of Google Analytics is not required for this. The Google Tag can remain present or be removed.

Another requirement is that the current etracker code is correctly integrated and supplemented with the data-ecommerce-grabber=”true” data attribute.

The etracker code reads as follows:

<!-- Copyright (c) 2000-2021 etracker GmbH. All rights reserved. -->
<!-- This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed -->
<!-- without the express prior written permission of the copyright holder. -->
<!-- etracker tracklet 5.0 -->
<script type="text/javascript">
// var et_pagename = "";
// var et_areas = "";
// var et_tval = 0;
// var et_tsale = 0;
// var et_tonr = "";
// var et_basket = "";
</script>
<script data-ecommerce-grabber="true" id="_etLoader" type="text/javascript" charset="UTF-8" data-block-cookies="true" data-secure-code="XXXXXX" src="//code.etracker.com/code/e.js" async></script>
<!-- etracker tracklet 5.0 end -->

The data-secure-code “xxxxxx” has to be replaced by the personal account key.

The following eCommerce events are adopted by etracker:

• Product seen on a list
• Product (detail page) viewed
• Added to shopping cart
• Removed from shopping cart
• Product ordered as a lead

3. Manual integration of etracker eCommerce events

The etracker eCommerce API is available for manual integration.

The eCommerce API is a JavaScript interface that is activated when the etracker code is delivered, so that the events can be integrated into the code immediately.

<script>
function _etrackerOnReady() {
etCommerce.sendEvent('viewProduct', { /* product */ } );
}
</script>

Or the following function if multiple events are to be sent at different places in the code:

<script>
var _etrackerOnReady = typeof _etrackerOnReady === 'undefined' ? [] : _etrackerOnReady;
_etrackerOnReady.push(function() { etCommerce.sendEvent('viewProduct', { /* product1 */ } ) });
</script>
...
<script>
_etrackerOnReady.push(function() { etCommerce.sendEvent('viewProduct', { /* product2 */ } ) });
</script>

Debug Mode

The interface is equipped with a debug mode, which is especially helpful during the eCommerce API installation. When the debug mode is enabled, error messages, events and the call to the etracker interface are displayed in the JavaScript console of the browser.

Please note: Events are not transmitted to etracker while debug mode is enabled. The mode can only be turned on when the etracker code is completely loaded. To be able to read the output, developer tools like those offered by many browsers today are helpful.

The basic report Last Visitors is very helpful for checking changes in live operation. Here you can see in real time whether the events are transferred correctly. If you trigger the events yourself, make sure that the IP blocking or the individual opt-out does not prevent the collection.

Enable debug mode from the console

Debug mode can be enabled directly in the console with the following commands:

_etracker.tools.enableDebug()
_etracker.tools.enableDebugMode()

A config cookie will be set for this session containing the respective setting.

Note: When debug mode is active, the events are not transmitted to etracker, but only reflected in the console.

After a successful test you have to switch off the debug mode with the following commands:

_etracker.tools.disableDebug()
_etracker.tools.disableDebugMode()

Functions of the eCommerce API

The interface has two basic functions to send information to etracker: sendEvent and attachEvent. sendEvent is the direct call to an eCommerce event defined by the interface, which immediately sends the passed values. If the sending should be linked to a specific JavaScript event – e.g. visitor clicks on “in the shopping cart” – the attachEvent function can be used, which attaches the eCommerce event to a desired object on the website. If the tracking code is embedded at the end of the HTML page or loaded asynchronously, there is a possibility to cache events and attaching events to HTML objects. The functions are executed when the tracking code is completely loaded.

sendEvent – Sending Event directly

etCommerce.sendEvent(event, parameter_1, [parameter_n])

The function sendEvent of the object etCommerce is then called directly in JavaScript. The transferred values are transferred directly to etracker.

Note: Parameters in square brackets [ ] are optional parameters.

Example:

// direct call
etCommerce.sendEvent('viewProduct', product, 'basket 1') ;

attachEvent – Connecting Event to Object

etCommerce.attachEvent(attachObject, event, parameter_1, [parameter_n]) 

With the attachEvent function you can attach an eCommerce Event to every website object which has an ID. This is then triggered by the specified JavaScript event. This way, clicking on the Into the basket button transfers the eCommerce event to etracker.

Note: Parameters in square brackets [ ] are optional parameters.

Example:

// Direct link of an eCommerce Event with a JavaScript-Event 
etCommerce.attachEvent({'mousedown' : ['viewButton']}, 'viewProduct', product, 'basket 1') ;

Possible Events

Currently the eCommerce API supports nine different events which are described in the following section.

viewProduct – Product (detail page) viewed

This event can be sent when the customer is on the product page or on a product overview page.

Example:

// Definition of a product object 
var product = {
  id: '3445',
  name: 'TV 47 Zoll Special Offer',
  price: '1723.60',
  currency: 'EUR',
  category: ['TV', 'LCD', '47', 'Special']
};
function _etrackerOnReady() {  
etCommerce.sendEvent('viewProduct', product);
}

insertToBasket – Product placed into basket

This event is sent when the customer adds a product to their basket.

Example:

// Definition of a product object 
var product = {
  id: '3445',
  name: 'TV 47 Zoll Special Offer',
  price: '1723.60',
  currency: 'EUR',
  category: ['TV', 'LCD', '47', 'Special']
};
   
etCommerce.sendEvent('insertToBasket', product, 3);

removeFromBasket – Product removed from basket

Using this event you can determine which products were removed from the basket.

Example:

// Definition of a product object 
var product = {
  id: '3445',
  name: 'TV 47 Zoll Special Offer',
  price: '1723.60',
  currency: 'EUR',
  category: ['TV', 'LCD', '47', 'Special']
};
   
etCommerce.sendEvent('removeFromBasket', product, 2);

insertToWatchlist – Product added to the watchlist

This event is sent when the customer adds a product to their watchlist.

Note: Parameters in square brackets [ ] are optional parameters. The basket ID is not yet shown in reports.

Example:

// Definition of a product object 
var product = {
  id: '3445',
  name: 'TV 47 Zoll Special Offer',
  price: '1723.60',
  currency: 'EUR',
  category: ['TV', 'LCD', '47', 'Special']
};
   
etCommerce.sendEvent('insertToWatchlist', product, 3);

removeFromWatchlist – Product removed from watchlist

Using this event you can determine which products were removed from the watchlist.

Note: Parameters in square brackets [ ] are optional parameters.

Example:

// Definition of a product object 
var product = {
  id: '3445',
  name: 'TV 47 Zoll Special Offer',
  price: '1723.60',
  currency: 'EUR',
  category: ['TV', 'LCD', '47', 'Special']
};
   
etCommerce.sendEvent('removeFromWatchlist', product, 2);

viewProductList – Product seen on a list

This event can be sent when the customer is on a product list.

Note: Parameters in square brackets [ ] are optional parameters.

Example:

// Definition of a product list object
var productList = {
  listType: 'genericlist',
  products: [
    {
      id: '12345',
      name: 'Silver',
      price: '0',
      currency: 'EUR',
      category: ['Electricity', 'Private customers']
    },
    {
      id: '12346',
      name: 'Gold',
      price: '0',
      currency: 'EUR',
      category: ['Electricity', 'Private customers'],
    },
    {
      id: '12347',
      name: 'Platinum',
      price: '0',
      currency: 'EUR',   
      category: ['Electricity', 'Private customers']
    }
  ]
};
 function _etrackerOnReady() { 
etCommerce.sendEvent('viewProductList', productList) ;
}

order – Order

The event transfers the entire order with all order data as well as well as the basket.

Example:

// Definition of order object
var order = {
  orderNumber: 'Order number 1',
  status: 'sale',
  orderPrice: '1301.30',
  currency: 'EUR',
  basket: {
    id: 'Basket 1',
    products: [
      {
        product: {
          id: '3445',
          name: 'Elfrida',
          price: '200.20',
          currency: 'EUR',
          category: ['Tiere', 'Großwild', 'Giraffen', 'Liebe Giraffen']
        },
        quantity: 2
      }
      ,
      {
        product: {
          id: '3446',
          name: 'Berta',
          price: '300.30',
          currency: 'EUR',
          category: ['Tiere', 'Haustiere', 'Kühe', 'Milchkühe']
        },
        quantity: 3
      }
    ]
  },
  customerGroup: 'Tierliebhaber',
  deliveryConditions: 'Großer Transport',
  paymentConditions: 'Sofortzahlung'
};
 function _etrackerOnReady() { 
etCommerce.sendEvent('order', order);
}

orderCancellation – Order cancelled

This event is sent when the customer cancels the entire order.

Example:

etCommerce.sendEvent('orderCancellation', 'Order number 1') ;

Event Objects

The product and order information is stored in JavaScript objects. In the following you will find a list of these objects and how they are set up.

The Product Object

This object defines a product with the respective attributes.

Examples:

var product = {
  id: '3445',
  name: 'TV 47 Zoll Special Offer', 
  price: '1723.60',
  currency: 'EUR',
  category: ['TV', 'LCD', '47', 'Special']
};

The Product List Object

In a viewProductList event, the product list is passed with this object.

The Basket Object

With an order, the ordered products are placed into a basket object.

The Products Array Object

The products array contains one or more objects which then themselves consist of product objects and the respective number. This product array is also used with partial cancellations.

The Order Object

The object of the order contains all order data and the basket object.

Note: Parameters in square brackets [ ] are optional parameters.

Examples of use

The application areas make clear how the different events for certain actions can be sent to etracker from the website.

Product page viewed

When opening a product page, the product information should be transferred immediately to etracker. Here, a product object is defined for this. The data is sent directly via the sendEvent function.

Example:

var et_Commerce_basketId = '3';
var et_Commerce_product = 
{
    id      : '3445', 
    name      : 'TV 47 Zoll Special Offer', 
    category : ['TV', 'LCD', '47', 'Special'], 
    price      : '1723.60', 
    currency  : 'EUR'
};
   
// Produkt gesehen 
function _etrackerOnReady() {
etCommerce.sendEvent('viewProduct', et_Commerce_product, et_Commerce_basketId);
}

Product placed into basket

To record products which are to be placed into the basket (by clicking on the Place in basket button), an event needs to be defined which will be attached to the existing button. Prior to this, a product object which contains the product data needs to be defined. The ID of the button in this case is “ButtonAddToBasket” and the data transfer occurs when the JavaScript event mousedown is triggered. The quantity of products recorded is determined from the ProductQuantity form field saved on the website.

Example:

var et_Commerce_basketId = '3';
var et_Commerce_product = 
{
 id : '3445', 
 name : 'TV 47 Zoll Special Angebot', 
 category : ['TV', 'LCD', '47', 'Special'], 
 price : '1723.60', 
};
var et_Commerce_quantity = Number(document.getElementById('ProductQuantity').value) ;
etCommerce.attachEvent({'mousedown' : ['ButtonAddToBasket']}, 'insertToBasket', et_Commerce_product, et_Commerce_quantity, et_Commerce_basketId);

Removing a Product from the Basket

To communicate that the customer has removed a product from the basket again, the event removeFromBasket must be called. The data will be sent directly via the sendEvent function.

Example:

var et_Commerce_basketId = '3';
var et_Commerce_product = 
{
 id : '3445', 
 name : 'TV 47 Zoll Special Angebot', 
 category : ['TV', 'LCD', '47', 'Special'], 
 price : '1723.60', 
 currency : 'EUR'
};
etCommerce.sendEvent('removeFromBasket', et_Commerce_product, 1, et_Commerce_basketId);

Sending an order with a click

To report an order to etracker by directly clicking on the order button, you need an event order that will be attached to sendOrder. The data will be sent directly via the sendEvent function.

Example:

var basket = 
{
id : '3',
products : [
{
 product: 
 {
 id : '3445', 
 name : 'Elfrida', 
 category : ['Animals', 'Big', 'Giraffes', 'Love Giraffes'], 
 price : '1723.60', 
 },
 quantity : 1
}]
}

var order = 
{
 orderNumber : '234',
 status : 'sale', 
 orderPrice : '5447.2',
 basket : basket,
 customerGroup : ‘Animallover’,
 deliveryConditions : 'Big transport',
 paymentConditions : 'Direct cash',
}

etCommerce.attachEvent( {'mousedown' : ['sendOrder']}, 'order', order);