The view_cart event
view_cart is one of GA4's recommended retail/e-commerce events. You send it when a user opens or displays their shopping cart, with an items array plus currency and value parameters so reports can attribute cart-viewing behavior. It sits between product-list events and begin_checkout in the standard purchase journey, and like all recommended events it has a documented name and parameter shape GA4 understands without custom configuration.
What this means
view_cart is a GA4 recommended e-commerce event. Recommended events have predefined names and parameters that Google documents, so populating them unlocks standard reports (here, the e-commerce funnel) without bespoke setup. You fire view_cart when the cart UI is shown.
The event expects an items array describing each product in the cart, alongside currency (an ISO 4217 code) and value (the total monetary value of the items).
Parameters and sequence
Each entry in items can carry fields such as item_id, item_name, price, and quantity. The currency and value parameters at the event level summarise the cart. In the canonical journey, view_cart follows add_to_cart and precedes begin_checkout, so it is the natural place to read cart abandonment from the cart screen itself.
- items: array of products currently in the cart
- currency: ISO 4217 code, required when value is set
- value: total monetary value of the cart contents
How it appears in analytics and logs
A view_cart event means a shopper displayed their cart contents. A drop between view_cart and begin_checkout points to friction at the cart-to-checkout transition.
Diagnostic use case
Measure how many sessions reach the cart view and which products are in those carts, as a mid-funnel step before checkout.
What WebmasterID can help detect
WebmasterID can record a cart-view event first-party so you see the cart step in your funnel without depending on third-party cookies.
Common mistakes
- Sending value without a matching currency parameter.
- Putting customer PII into item parameters.
- Firing view_cart on every page instead of the cart view.
Privacy and accuracy notes
Send only non-PII item and value parameters — product IDs, names, prices, currency. Never place emails, names, or addresses in event parameters. This page is educational, not legal advice.
Related pages
- The add_to_cart event
add_to_cart is a GA4 recommended e-commerce event that fires when a visitor adds a product to the cart. It carries the items added plus currency and value. It is a strong mid-funnel intent signal — stronger than a product view — and the denominator for cart-to-checkout and cart-to-purchase analysis.
- The remove_from_cart event
remove_from_cart is a GA4 recommended retail event you fire when a user takes a product out of their cart. It mirrors add_to_cart in shape — an items array plus currency and value — but signals the opposite intent. Tracking it alongside add_to_cart lets you read net cart behavior and spot products that are frequently added then discarded, which is hard to see from add events alone.
- 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.
- Event Explorer
Inspect cart events and their item parameters.
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.