The background on PixelRelay's GA4 connection: what it sends, where page views come from, and what to check when numbers look off. For the setup steps, see Connect GA4.
What gets sent
| In GA4 you'll see | Sent by |
|---|---|
page_view | PixelRelay's GA4 tag in the shopper's browser. The PixelRelay Pixel app embed loads it for you. |
view_item, view_item_list, search, view_cart, add_to_cart, remove_from_cart, begin_checkout, add_payment_info, purchase, refund | PixelRelay's servers |
Recharge subscription orders show up as purchase too, once you connect Recharge.
GA4 gets every event, whatever you pick in Settings → Attribution. That setting only affects ad networks.
Keep the default sender setting
Keep GA4 on PixelRelay — browser + server (recommended) in Settings → Relay → Who tracks each network?. That's the setting that loads PixelRelay's GA4 tag and records page views. On PixelRelay — server-side only the tag doesn't load, so page views stop.
If an old GA4 tag with the same Measurement ID is still on your store, PixelRelay notices it and doesn't load a second copy, so page views won't double. Shopping events from the old setup still will.
Counting each event once
- GA4 can't merge a browser copy and a server copy of the same browsing event. So PixelRelay sends each event one way only: page views from the browser, everything else from our servers.
- Purchases only merge when both senders use the same transaction ID. If another tool also sends GA4 purchases, they can be counted twice. That's why you turn off the old tracking.
Timing
- Realtime usually shows events within a few minutes.
- Standard reports can take a day or two.
- GA4 can accept an event and still drop it later, so Realtime is the best check. GA4 has no test event code like Meta does.
Troubleshooting
| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| "Measurement ID must start with G-" | Copy the Measurement ID from the web stream, not the property ID or stream ID. |
| Nothing in Realtime | Check that Guided setup says Google Analytics tracking is on, then make some new store activity. Check the Measurement ID and API secret come from the same web stream. |
| Events land in the wrong property | The Measurement ID is per data stream. Copy it from the property you report in. |
| No page views, but shopping events arrive | Check GA4 is on PixelRelay — browser + server in Settings → Relay, and the PixelRelay Pixel app embed is on in your theme. |
| Page views or events doubled | Something from your old setup is still sending. Work through Turn off old GA4 tracking again. |
| Some purchases show as Unassigned | Happens when the shopper's browser blocked Google's tag, so GA4 can't tie the sale to a visit. The sale still counts. |
Disconnect
Connections → Google Analytics 4 → Disconnect stops PixelRelay sending to GA4, and PixelRelay's GA4 tag stops loading too. Turn your old tracking back on if you disconnect (switch back), or GA4 stops getting data. You can delete the API secret in GA4 as well.
Questions
Do I need to add a GA4 tag to my theme? No. PixelRelay's app embed loads one for you. Remove any old one, or at least its shopping events.
Does the Google & YouTube app have to go? Only its GA4 connection. Your product feed and Google Ads can stay connected.
Related
Need help? Email [email protected]