Track Product Categories in Google Analytics 4

Track Product Categories in Google Analytics 4

Product category tracking allows you to send additional product information to Google Analytics 4 (GA4). This gives you more flexibility when analysing how different types of products perform without relying solely on product names. 

For example, you might want to analyse ticket sales based on attributes such as event location, ticket characteristics, product type, or other categories that are relevant to your organisation. 

How does it work? 
GA4 supports up to five item category fields: 
  1. item_category 
  2. item_category2 
  3. item_category3 
  4. item_category4 
  5. item_category5 
You can configure these fields using the existing Metadata section of a product in the Backoffice.

When one of these supported keys is configured, the key and its value (you may choose this) are included in the product information sent to GA4 for the add_to_cart, remove_from_cart, and purchase events. 
Other metadata keys are not sent to GA4 as product categories. 

Configure product category tracking 
  1. Open the relevant Event in the Backoffice. 
  2. Go to Products and open the product you want to configure. 
  3. Find the Metadata section. 
  4. In the Key field, enter one of the supported GA4 category keys, for example item_category2. 
  5. In the Value field, enter the category value you want to associate with that product, for example VIP. 
  6. Save the product. 
You can repeat this for the additional supported category fields where required. 

For example: 
Key
Value
item_category 
Weekend 
item_category2 
Early Bird
item_category3 
VIP

When a fan adds this product to their cart or purchases it, these values are included in the product data sent to GA4. 

What can I use this for? 
Product categories allow you to create more structured reporting in GA4. For example, you could compare purchases, revenue, or marketing performance across different product attributes. 

The categories you choose are flexible, so you can define them according to the information that is most useful for your organisation. 
Alert
Important: Only metadata using the supported item_category keys is included for this type of GA4 tracking. Other product metadata is not sent to GA4 as an item category.