The add_shipping_info event
add_shipping_info is a GA4 recommended e-commerce event that fires when a visitor provides shipping information during checkout. It carries the order items, currency, value, and a shipping_tier label such as 'Ground' or 'Express'. It is a mid-to-late checkout step, often where unexpected shipping costs cause abandonment, and like all checkout events it must avoid recording the address itself.
What this means
add_shipping_info is a GA4 recommended retail event fired when a visitor submits shipping information. It includes the `items`, `currency`, `value`, and a `shipping_tier` describing the chosen delivery option. GA4 places it as a defined step in the checkout funnel.
It is the moment delivery costs and timelines become concrete, which makes it a common point of friction.
Where shipping cost bites
Shipping surprises are a frequent abandonment cause, and this event is where they surface. Watching drop-off between add_shipping_info and add_payment_info isolates whether delivery cost or speed is the objection. Record only the generic shipping tier; the visitor's actual address and contact details belong in the order system, never in analytics.
- Fires when shipping info is submitted
- Carries items, value, and a generic shipping_tier
- Drop-off here often reflects shipping cost objections
How it appears in analytics and logs
An add_shipping_info event means a visitor entered shipping details. A drop after this step often points to shipping cost or delivery-time objections revealed at this stage.
Diagnostic use case
Measure how many shoppers complete the shipping step and whether shipping options or costs trigger abandonment before payment.
What WebmasterID can help detect
WebmasterID can record a shipping-step event first-party using only a generic tier label, so checkout flow is measurable without ingesting addresses.
Common mistakes
- Recording the shipping address in the event.
- Sending value without currency.
- Using shipping_tier values that vary per order randomly.
Privacy and accuracy notes
Never include addresses, postcodes, or names in this event. The shipping_tier label is a generic delivery option, not a destination. This is educational, not legal advice.
Related pages
- The begin_checkout event
begin_checkout is a GA4 recommended e-commerce event that fires when a visitor starts checkout. It carries the items in the order plus currency, value, and an optional coupon. It marks the transition from cart to purchase flow and is the entry point for measuring checkout abandonment — the gap between starting checkout and completing a purchase.
- The add_payment_info event
add_payment_info is a GA4 recommended e-commerce event that fires when a visitor submits payment information during checkout. It carries the order items, currency, value, and a payment_type label (such as the card brand or wallet). It is a late-funnel step, just before purchase, and one where privacy discipline matters most: it must record that payment was entered, never the payment details themselves.
- The purchase event and e-commerce
The purchase event records a completed transaction and anchors all e-commerce reporting: revenue, items, and conversion value. It carries a transaction id, a value and currency, and an items array describing what was bought. The discipline is to record the order, not the customer — product and revenue data belong in the event, personal identity does not.
- Event Explorer
Trace shipping and checkout steps.
Sources and verification notes
Last reviewed 2026-06-24. Facts are checked against primary/official sources where available; uncertain specifics are marked “Data not yet verified” rather than guessed.