view_item Event

The view_item event tracks when a user views a product detail page. This is a foundational event in ecommerce tracking, helping measure interest in specific products.

The view_item model

This model describes the product being viewed and relevant context.

Properties

Name
event
Type
string
Description
Must be set to view_item.
Name
user_id
Type
string
Description
Unique ID for the user viewing the item.
Name
session_id
Type
string
Description
ID of the current session.
Name
ecommerce.currency
Type
string
Description
ISO 4217 currency code (e.g., USD).
Name
ecommerce.value
Type
float
Description
Product value (price - discount).
Name
ecommerce.items
Type
array
Description
Array of item objects (typically one for this event).
Name
ecommerce.items[].item_id
Type
string
Description
SKU or product 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 category.
Name
ecommerce.items[].item_variant
Type
string
Description
Variant name (e.g., color, size).
Name
ecommerce.items[].price
Type
float
Description
Product price.
Name
ecommerce.items[].discount
Type
float
Description
Discount amount.

Push event to the dataLayer

dataLayer.push example

dataLayer.push({
  event: 'view_item',
  user_id: 'user-456',
  session_id: 'session-789',
  ecommerce: {
    currency: 'USD',
    value: 29.99,
    items: [
      {
        item_id: 'SKU-202',
        item_name: 'Minimalist Desk Lamp',
        item_brand: 'Brightify',
        item_category: 'Home Office',
        item_variant: 'Matte White',
        price: 39.99,
        discount: 10.00
      }
    ]
  }
});

Best Practices

Fire this event only on the product detail view.
Ensure all product metadata matches catalog data.
Keep consistent structure with other ecommerce events like add_to_cart.

Use Cases

The view_item event supports:

Product-level analytics and impressions
Retargeting and audience building
Funnel and interest scoring
Dynamic ad optimization