Here's my problem:

  • I have a static site with Google Analytics tracking code.
  • To buy one of my services, users call me, and when their order is ready (many days later), I send them an e-mail link to a special page (download.php) where I have GA tracking code that is executed the first time they visit, so I track a "sale".
  • The issue is, GA thinks that "sale" was a separate visit, and erroneously shows that only direct visits to my site result in sales. I don't understand how I can view stats (Pages / Visit, Avg. Time on Site, etc.) about users who eventually bought something.

I've tried events and e-commerce tracking with no luck. Please help!

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Member Avatar for LastMitch

I've tried events and e-commerce tracking with no luck. Please help!

It really depends on what platform you are using and also where you put the code.

What platform do you mean? Isn't GA my platform? The site is custom coded.

Could you give some examples of platforms that could theoretically support this?

Member Avatar for LastMitch

What platform do you mean? Isn't GA my platform? The site is custom coded.

Platform mean e-commerece kinda like Prestashop or Magento those are called platform or someone create custom coded e-commerece would be much easier to add Google Analytics.

If you are gonna to put a Google Analytics on each page to track it then will will appear on Google Analytics.

Google Analytics is tracking visitors not to track with sales you need to create a separate code for your website.

Tracking sale you can look at your Payment plan (PayPal or etc).

Yes, I already know all this. Please look at my original question. Treating a specific page load as a conversion, but across visits, is my question. Not adding GA code.

Member Avatar for LastMitch

Please look at my original question. Treating a specific page load as a conversion, but across visits, is my question. Not adding GA code.

Google Analytics track visitors.

You want the sales appear on Google Analytics? Is that what you are asking?

Exactly, I want to treat a specific page load as a GA conversion. That page is being tracked by GA as is the rest of the site.

Unfortunately, that page load is often a separate visit since its an email link, which makes GA think conversions usually come from direct visits to that page, which is wrong.

Member Avatar for LastMitch

Exactly, I want to treat a specific page load as a GA conversion.

It's not gonna to appear on GA

Unfortunately, that page load is often a separate visit since its an email link, which makes GA think conversions usually come from direct visits to that page, which is wrong.

Correct, conversion on visit on that page is different when it redirect to the payment website.

You can't create a sale conversion on GA. It's a separate code it has nothing to do with GA.

It will count as a visit even though it's redirect.

I was afraid that might be the case :/ thanks for your responses.

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