Skip to content
  • There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

Processing Returned and Cancelled Orders in Google Analytics

Can You Process Returns in Google Analytics?

Simply put, Google Analytics does NOT process returns. Instead, Google Analytics passively collects information passed from your website or apps as it happens. This means you cannot go back in time and change the transaction events or data that has been recorded if a customer cancels or returns an item or order.
 

How ProductCart Order Tracking Works in Google Analytics

Once a successful transaction is completed through checkout, ProductCart signals Google Analytics with a “purchase” event on the “orderComplete.asp” page. This event passes information like order ID, order total, and taxes. You can find information from your "purchase" events in Conversions/Ecommerce reports on Universal Analytics. To recognize "purchase" events on Google Analytics 4, you'll need to use Google Tag Manager.

Ways to Utilize Google Analytics Order Tracking

If you wish to run reports in Google Analytics and account for returns, you can always export your Google Analytics report and adjust your data through spreadsheets or SQL solutions like Big Query. This would also involve exporting your orders from ProductCart and matching records based on Order ID.

Despite Google Analytics not having a way to submit returns, you can filter data to focus on specific page performance and product statistics. This is where Google Analytics shines and can reveal key performance information on your products and website as a whole. However,  webpage performance and customer satisfaction are not always the same thing.

If returns seem to be higher than desired, then other variables need to be considered like:

 
  • Did your product supplier change quality of materials or sent a batch of faulty inventory?
  • Are your product images and descriptions clear and accurate?
  • Is there a "newer" version of your product customers could mistake yours with?
  • Are there shipping issues (damages or wrong item) or delays (slow or lost)?
  • Are you collecting and reviewing return feedback?
  • What are your competitors doing that you are not?
If you desire to focus on balancing the financial and inventory books, using a solution like QuickBooks would be your best solution to handle processing returns and running current revenue reports.