Can enhanced ecommerce variables be used to send non-enhanced ecommerce events? How do I determine that?

Question

I am using the data layer inspector to look at events being fired from an e-commerce website. I have an event which I don't think is an enhanced e-commerce one but it is using enhanced e-commerce variables. How do I know if this is being pushed through to Google Analytics or not (no access to the tool evidently)? Which parameter on the code will tell me if this is an enhanced e-commerce event or not?

I am not giving details from the website:

The event category is "stock". pa: "detail", I see the basic product index variables such as ID, name, brand category. I also see custom product index dimensions being sent.

I want to understand when I can use product index dimensions and when I cannot and I want to understand what are the enhanced ecommerce events.

Answer 1

There is no special parameter in the requests that says standard/enhanced e-commerce. Rather a) your view must be configured for Standard- or Enhanced E-Commerce, and b) the structure of your request must match the view configuration.

I want to understand when I can use product index dimensions and when I cannot

Simple, product scope dimensions are available only in EEC.

and I want to understand what are the enhanced ecommerce events

• product impressions (usually as part of some sort if product list)
• clicks in product lists (together with impression tracking this will give you click-through rates for viewed products)
• product details
• add/remove from cart
• checkout (with a number of configurable steps, e.g. "enter billing/shipping address", "select payment" or similar - the name and number of the steps is configurable and is displayed as a funnel in the GA interface)
• purchase
• refund (more often done via imports in the GA backend than in code)

You can also measure internal promotions (e.g. if you have a banner that links to special offers in your site).

Ivj's answer already gave the links to the documentation where the steps are explained in detail.

Standard E-Commcerce has only transaction tracking and no other E-Commerce events.