begin_checkout Event

The begin_checkout event is triggered when a user initiates the checkout process. This marks a key point in the conversion funnel and is valuable for measuring purchase intent.

The begin_checkout model

This model describes the context and contents of the cart when the checkout is initiated.

Properties

Name
event
Type
string
Description
Must be set to begin_checkout.
Name
user_id
Type
string
Description
Unique identifier for the user starting the checkout.
Name
session_id
Type
string
Description
Unique identifier for the session.
Name
ecommerce.currency
Type
string
Description
ISO 4217 currency code, e.g., USD.
Name
ecommerce.value
Type
float
Description
Total cart value at checkout start.
Name
ecommerce.tax
Type
float
Description
Total tax for the cart.
Name
ecommerce.shipping
Type
float
Description
Estimated shipping cost.
Name
ecommerce.items
Type
array
Description
Array of items included in the checkout.
Name
ecommerce.items[].item_id
Type
string
Description
Unique product or SKU ID.
Name
ecommerce.items[].item_name
Type
string
Description
Product name.
Name
ecommerce.items[].item_brand
Type
string
Description
Brand name.
Name
ecommerce.items[].item_category
Type
string
Description
Main product category.
Name
ecommerce.items[].item_variant
Type
string
Description
Specific variant (e.g., color or size).
Name
ecommerce.items[].price
Type
float
Description
Item price.
Name
ecommerce.items[].discount
Type
float
Description
Discount applied.
Name
ecommerce.items[].tax
Type
float
Description
Tax applied to the item.
Name
ecommerce.items[].quantity
Type
int
Description
Quantity selected.

Push event to the dataLayer

dataLayer.push example

dataLayer.push({
  event: 'begin_checkout',
  user_id: 'user-123',
  session_id: 'session-456',
  ecommerce: {
    currency: 'USD',
    value: 99.99,
    tax: 8.00,
    shipping: 5.00,
    items: [
      {
        item_id: 'SKU-456',
        item_name: 'Cozy Hoodie',
        item_brand: 'SoftWear',
        item_category: 'Apparel',
        item_variant: 'Navy Blue',
        price: 59.99,
        discount: 10.00,
        tax: 4.00,
        quantity: 1
      },
      {
        item_id: 'SKU-789',
        item_name: 'Wool Socks Pack',
        item_brand: 'ComfyFeet',
        item_category: 'Apparel',
        item_variant: 'Gray',
        price: 39.99,
        discount: 5.00,
        tax: 4.00,
        quantity: 2
      }
    ]
  }
});

Best Practices

Push this event on the first step of the checkout process.
Ensure product, value, and quantity accuracy.
This event often feeds into remarketing and conversion-based bidding systems.

Use Cases

The begin_checkout event is used for:

Funnel analysis and drop-off tracking
Abandoned checkout remarketing
Purchase intent scoring
Triggering checkout-specific experiments