Google ecommerce tracking code

So dear reader, I return again with another chapter of “The Torments of a Website Owner”. Today I write so as to learn and to share with others who might stumble on to this path. May they be spared the pain I have felt, and be calmed by the knowledge, however imperfect, I have gathered.

Let me begin by letting you know that I read from the WP-eCommerce version 3.8.8, which is wrapped in theme Twenty Eleven, and Twenty Eleven Child. This supports the noble site of https://www.greenhillsoaps.com.

In my wanderings, I learned that it was important to track who was wandering through the noble site and which pages they were reading. so I traveled to the Google and was told to find a place at the Webmaster Tools and register the noble site there, and this I did and verified it as well. And I felt good and capable and wise.

Then a voice from the Google said that my understanding was shallow and wanting and that I needed to analyze what I knew. And I was sent to the Analytics of the Google to register the noble work again. Then the Goolge said nay, I was not yet done, but had to connect the Analytics of the Google to the Tools of the Webmaster, and this I did.

Then the voice from the Google told me I was stupid and thick and dim witted as I had not provided the Google with the means to get the information it wanted from the noble site. The voice directed me to my profile in the Analytics of Google and told me to read the chapter on tracking code, a chapter of great mystery and deep knowledge. This I did, and I learned, and the Google asked how I use my noble site and it told me to make a choice. Choose between two kinds of tracking code, asynchronous and standard. But I was careful and read the text carefully, and there hidden in parentheses next to the asynchronous was the word “recommended”. So I was wise and chose that option.

The Google then gave me the sacred code which I copied and went back to the noble work and created a file called “analyticstracking.php” and entered the code there. Then in the body of each page of the noble work, in accordance with the instructions handed down from the Google, I entered <?php include_once(“analyticstracking.php”) ?>. Then I waited.

I check the Tools of the Webmaster daily. I checked the analysis of the Google daily. Then there was data, as though by some deep and wonderful magic. And again I felt good.

However, as time passed it became apparent that the Google has mysterious ways to gleen other information from the noble site and this information was also important information. The noble site is also and eCommerce site where wonderful things are sold. So I went back to the Google and read the book of the Analytics again, I read the commentary by the wise Googlers and pondered it deeply. I went to the great Codex of Word Press, the dark forums of GetShopped and contemplated what I learned. Then I ventured into the vastness of the Search of Google. There I learned more.

What I understood is that if one labors on a noble site, be it web or blog, that the Tracking Code of the Google will gather information important to understanding how readers interact with a noble site. And to place the sacred code on a noble site, there are secret tools that do this and they are called Plugins. In particular, the great wise wizard Yoast has one such plugin, as do the wise men Visser and Leewillis.

However, if one also conducts commercial activities on a noble site, then this code is not enough, so says the Google, and it is always right. The Google says that there is additional code that must be on a noble site that tracks eCommerce and tells the Google about what people take away from the noble site and how they take it. And with this additional code the Google can gleen truly amazing knowledge about a noble site and its visitors. Again I am left in awe of the Google and forced to face my wretchedness.

So I returned to the Google and the Analytics of the Google and in my profile I went to the profile settings. There I shamefully admitted to the Google that the noble site was in fact an eCommerce site and that I had erred in not telling the Google before, and begged the Google’s forgiveness. And the Google was kind and told me about the secret link.

Be patient with me dear reader for the story I have told so far is long and full of frustrations, but now we delve into real magic, for now we have been given the Script of Java, a strange and mysterious language full of runes, symbols, and great confusion.

As I read through the Tracking of Ecommerce, I found three strange markings, _addTrans(), _addItem(), and _trackTrans(). These remarkable writings I had not seen before, they were not in the previous tracking code given to me by the Google. So carefully I reread the Tracking of Ecommerce and contemplated the meaning of these new incantations.

I discovered that _addTrans() is what the Google calls a “Transaction Object”. This object stores all the information about a transaction. Deep within this object is an obscure magical instruction called an “order ID” or “ID”. This is important as this information is what binds all the other information in the object together in a unique way. Only information that are part of the order ID can be in a transaction object. There can be many transaction objects, but each is unique as defined by the order ID. I sat back, stunned and amazed by the brilliance of the Googlers and the Google. There is more.

I discovered that within transactions there are items that make up the transactions. The Google needs to collect these items within each transaction. The incantation _addItem()does exactly this.

But I thought to myself, not all transaction are completed and not all items in a transaction are bought. So how does the Google know what is a transaction and what is a completed transaction? A voice rang out from the Google and reprimanded me for being alive and thinking I was more than an apple or a mouse. I was ashamed yet again.

Then I realized that _trackTrans()was the incantation that told the Google if the transaction object was passed all the way through to checkout and should be treated as a completed transaction.

But how are these incantations used? Again I had to choose between asynchronous and standard. Again I was careful and read the text and found the parentheses containing the word “recommended” next to the word asynchronous. So I was wise and chose that option.

The room glowed and I was shown the following:

<html>
<head>
<title>Receipt for your clothing purchase from Acme Clothing</title>
<script type="text/javascript">

  var _gaq = _gaq || [];
  _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-XXXXX-X']);
  _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);
  _gaq.push(['_addTrans',
    '1234',           // order ID - required
    'Acme Clothing',  // affiliation or store name
    '11.99',          // total - required
    '1.29',           // tax
    '5',              // shipping
    'San Jose',       // city
    'California',     // state or province
    'USA'             // country
  ]);

   // add item might be called for every item in the shopping cart
   // where your ecommerce engine loops through each item in the cart and
   // prints out _addItem for each
  _gaq.push(['_addItem',
    '1234',           // order ID - required
    'DD44',           // SKU/code - required
    'T-Shirt',        // product name
    'Green Medium',   // category or variation
    '11.99',          // unit price - required
    '1'               // quantity - required
  ]);
  _gaq.push(['_trackTrans']); //submits transaction to the Analytics servers

  (function() {
    var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true;
    ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'https://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';
    var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
  })();

</script>
</head>
<body>

  Thank you for your order.  You will receive an email containing all your order details.

</body>
</html>

This is Script of Java, that can be placed in your noble site. The first three lines of the Script of Java I remembered from the first tracking code.

The line var _gaq = _gaq || [] defines the variable gaq so that the instructions _gaq.push never fail.

The lines with _gaq.push contain a Script of Java function that tells the Script of Java to get an object and push it to the Google. It is called a “syntax” of the Script of Java used by the Analytics of Google Asynchronous call. It could be roughly translated as “add the function (name) _setAccount onto a queue, and then fire all of the functions in that queue sequentially once ga.js has loaded. It allows you to safely load ga.js asynchronously.

In the first line, is the function ‘_setAccount’ followed by the element UA identifier. This allows the Google to know that the data is from you noble site and not that of the Soft of Micro or the Book of Face.

The The third line is the function_gaq.push([ ‘_addTrans’,”.”…]). This is the transaction object I mentioned above, and is followed by what the Script of Java calls an “Array”. The Array is made up of the individual “Elements” beginning with:

'1234',           // order ID - required

Below the first Script of Java Array is the second Script of Java Array called _addItem() which is then followed by the function

_gaq.push(['_trackTrans']);

This is then followed by the same Script of Java that was used in the first tracking code.

But gentle reader, do not think that this is the end of our mystery or our torment. No, we need to understand the elements of each array for here is the real magic, here is the deep information that the Google want to know, track and understand.

And it is here that I again fell into the pit of eternal ignorance. For you see, in my haste I copied the Script of Java and pasted it, as given to me by the Google, into my noble site. In particular, I pasted it into my “analyticstracking.php” file which the Google suggested I create.

Again, I checked the Tools of the Webmaster daily. Again, I checked the Analysis of the Google daily. Then there was data. Again it was as though by some deep and wonderful magic. I looked at the data, I studied the data, and it was not as it was supposed to be.

My orderID’s were all 1234. My affiliation was Acme Clothing, my totals were all 11.90, my city was always San Jose. No, this was not what was supposed to be, so I wept, I tore my garments, I screamed my pain to the universe; and the Google laughed.

Oh the Google laughed at my ignorance and lack of understanding. I was clearly too simple to understand that the code was an “example”, it must have been so, for it did not work as the Google said it should, and the Google is always right.

That night, I calmed myself with many tipples of bourbon, an fed my weary body and soul with rare meat. I took to my bed still angry at my ignorance. When I woke, I found a new determination to do two things, cure my pounding head and fix the code of the Google.

First, I looked at what I put in my file:

<script type="text/javascript">

  var _gaq = _gaq || [];
  _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-29921530-1']);
  _gaq.push(['_setDomainName', '.greenhillsoaps.com']);
  _gaq.push(['_setCookiePath', '/soap-shop/']);
  _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);
  _gaq.push(['_CookiePathCopy', '/checkout/']);
  _gaq.push(['_addTrans',
    '1234',           // order ID - required
    'Acme Clothing',  // affiliation or store name
    '11.99',          // total - required
    '1.29',           // tax
    '5',              // shipping
    'San Jose',       // city
    'California',     // state or province
    'USA'             // country
  ]);

   // add item might be called for every item in the shopping cart
   // where your ecommerce engine loops through each item in the cart and
   // prints out _addItem for each
  _gaq.push(['_addItem',
    '1234',           // order ID - required
    'DD44',           // SKU/code - required
    'T-Shirt',        // product name
    'Green Medium',   // category or variation
    '11.99',          // unit price - required
    '1'               // quantity - required
  ]);
  _gaq.push(['_trackTrans']);

  (function() {
    var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true;
    ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'https://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';
    var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
  })();

</script>

The Google had advised that I place a “cookie” where I want the tracking to begin. So I entered the function:

_gaq.push(['_setCookiePath', '/soap-shop/']);

I then added the function:

_gaq.push(['_CookiePathCopy', '/checkout/']);

because the Google said “When this function is called, it immediately copies any cookies to the new cookie path. Therefore, if the _trackPageview() method has not been called, the values for any existing Analytics cookies will be supplied. For that reason, we recommend that this method is called after _trackPageview() as well as other configuration methods that might impact cookie values or campaign values that you want to pass along“

The code from the Google clearly worked, but was sending fixed information. How could I change this to display the information that was important? Where would that information come from? How do I find it? Is the world only darkness and gloom?

So I returned to the vast Search of the Google, I returned to the dark forums of Getshopped.org, and I studied the Codex of WordPress. In my blindness I suddenly saw a twinkle of light. I came across a noble site run by the majestic Ben Huson. In his note, he uses different elements for the code of Google!

My pulse quickened and I plunged back into more research. Tucked away in the corner of the Forum of WordPress I found a note by SZYM9341 in which he notes his struggles and tribulations with the Tracking Code of the Google. Others also commented on his note. As I read the comments and empathized with the writers, I came across a note by the incomparable CJ3Wilso. She had figured out how to properly code the Script of Java. The gift she gave was an example of her Script of Java.

I read the note and her incantations then realized that some of her runes were runes of PHP. I went to the tome on PHP and looked in the Base of the Data for my noble site, and there I found the same runes she had used in her Script of Java.

I copied her code and checked the references to my runes of PHP in the Base of Data for my noble site. They were the same and seem correct.

Now my Tracking Code of the Google reads as follows:

<script type="text/javascript">

  var _gaq = _gaq || [];
  _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-29921530-1']);
  _gaq.push(['_setDomainName', '.greenhillsoaps.com']);
  _gaq.push(['_setCookiePath', '/soap-shop/']);
  _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);
  _gaq.push(['_CookiePathCopy', '/checkout/']);
  _gaq.push(['_addTrans',
'<?php echo $purchase_log['id']; ?>', // order ID - required
'<?php echo get_bloginfo('name'); ?>', // affiliation or store name
'<?php echo $purchase_log['totalprice']; ?>', // total - required
'<?php echo $purchase_log['wpec_taxes_total']; ?>', // tax
'<?php echo $purchase_log['base_shipping']; ?>', // shipping
'<?php echo 'NA'; ?>', // city
'<?php echo wpsc_get_region( $purchase_log['billing_region'] ); ?>', // state or province
'<?php echo wpsc_get_country( $purchase_log['billing_country'] ); ?>' // country
  ]);
 _gaq.push(['_addItem',
'<?php echo $purchase_log['id']; ?>', // order ID - required
'<?php echo $sku['meta_value']; ?>', // SKU/code - required
'<?php echo $purchase_log_data_item['name']; ?>', // product name
'<?php echo $category['name']; ?>', // category or variation
'<?php echo $purchase_log_data_item['price']; ?>', // unit price - required
'<?php echo $purchase_log_data_item['quantity']; ?>' // quantity - required
    ]);
  _gaq.push(['_trackTrans']);

  (function() {
    var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true;
    ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'https://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';
    var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
  })();

</script>

I have this posted in the same analyticstracking.php file as before. However, the wise CJ3Wilso says to put it in the wpsc-transaction_results.php file at the bottom of the file. So I copied that file to my Theme Twenty Eleven Child and posted the Script of Java to that new file.

So weary reader, now we wait. If any of you find fault or error in what I have written or done, please be not mad but guide me and others like me out of the darkness. If you find the depth of our understanding to be lacking, then let us drink from your cup of knowledge.

I, for one, do know know if having the Tracking Code of the Google in two places is correct. I believe I have entered all the code correctly and carefully. But I have been wrong before. I have learned the painful lesson that leaving out semicolons, wiggly brackets, forward slashes or other symbols can turn you into a frog. And I can testify that it is much easier to be turned into a frog than to turn oneself back out of a frog.

As the wise monks say: “code may be poetry, but write it carefully”

I await your comments and advice.