Tracking Discrepancy: GA4 Measurement API's Summation Issue

[Morgan]

The discrepancy in total transaction value in GA4 when using the measurement-api to send e-commerce transactions can be due to numerous reasons. One could be a delay in data processing or reporting on GA4. There could also be a difference between how GA4 and Analytics Universal handle or interpret transaction data. Data filters, sampling, or discrepancies between server and browser times could also contribute to the difference. Furthermore, discrepancies may be caused by differences in currency conversion rates if your transactions involve multiple currencies. Other potential issues could be related to how refunds or chargebacks are reported, or even how different platforms classify and report on unique versus repeat customers. It might be beneficial to involve an analytics expert or Google Support to get to the bottom of this.

[Harry]

There could be several reasons why you experience discrepancies in total transaction value in GA4. Firstly, it might be due to differences in how Universal Analytics and GA4 handle e-commerce transactions. GA4 is event-based, which means that purchases are treated as events rather than transactions, potentially leading to discrepancies if not implemented correctly. Also, data processing latencies can cause temporary discrepancies in the real-time and processed data. This may occur if data sent to Google Analytics is not yet processed and reflected in the reports.

Potential timezone differences could also cause discrepancies, as Universal Analytics and GA4 might be set to different timezones. Another common issue is excluding IP addresses. If you’re excluding specific IP addresses in Google Analytics that are not excluded in your shop’s data, it could result in disparities. It’s also worth noting that GA4 employs more sophisticated bot traffic filtering, which may also affect data discrepancies.

Lastly, check if your setup for deduplication is correct. Even if you are not sending additional transactions with the same transaction_id, GA4 could still interpret some events as duplicates if not correctly set up with the measurement protocol API. It’s recommended to take a thorough look into your setup and integration of GA4, or consult with an Analytics expert for detailed insights and potential fixes.