QA Pages

The setPageType method is used to set a page type that describes the type of page a visitor views on your site. You can pass any string value for page type, but Monetate recommends using a single word with lowercase values because they're easier to remember. Key pages to set page types for include the home or main page, index page, search page, product detail page, cart page, checkout page, and purchase confirmation page.

As part of your implementation of the Monetate JavaScript API, you should ensure that the each setPageType method call works correctly so that the information from each page is correctly passed to Monetate.

Main Page Type

The main page is generally the first page that a site visitor lands on when navigating your site. The Monetate Inspector browser plug-in should report the following:

Page Type = main
Page Event = viewPage

See Home Page Example for more information.

Testing Recommendations

Create an account for your site, and then navigate back to the home page. Ensure Page Type = main appears in Monetate Inspector whether or not you're logged in.

Category Page Type

This page usually includes thumbnail images or links that direct site visitors to specific index pages. A category page for furniture may include "Outdoor Furniture," "Bedroom Furniture," and "Living Room Furniture" options. Category pages do not generally collect PIDs but should track the following:

Page Type = category
Page Event = viewPage

The Components tab of Monetate Inspector, with viewPage in the Event row and category in the Page Type row

Testing Recommendations

Check several different category pages to verify that they share a consistent layout and overall look.

Index Page Type

Index pages generally display a thumbnail view of products, their descriptions, and their prices. If you select a product, then you are taken to the product description page. Product IDs should remain consistent on every page of your site. Index pages must collect PIDs and should report the following in Monetate Inspector:

Page Type = index
Page Event = viewPage

The Components tab of Monetate Inspector, with viewPage in the Event row and index in the Page Type row

Testing Recommendations

Most index pages should share a consistent layout and overall look. Apply a filter and alter the sort order, and then ensure that the right number of PIDs are collected. Some index pages allow the customer to change the way the thumbnail images are presented, such as a list view and a thumbnail view. Ensure that the information collected doesn't break after changing the display view.

Ensure that you verify that the information collected accurately reflects the correct number of PIDs on the page after a filter is applied. For example, if 100 PIDs are present on the page and then you apply a filter to that page to limit the number to 50 PIDs, then ensure that 50 PIDs are displayed.

You should also verify that the information collected for the number of PIDs is accurate when you apply sorting. For example, if a site visitor sees 10 PIDs and then sorts by price, then 10 should still be collected.

Product Page Type

This page loads after you click a product image or link on an index page. It displays specific product information in detail and allows you to add an item to the cart. Product pages should collect a single PID that remains consistent across the site unless you use SKUs and should report the following in Monetate Inspector:

Page Type = product
Page Event = viewPage, viewProduct
Products: XXXXXX

The Components tab of Monetate Inspector, with viewProduct and viewPage in the Event row, product in the Page Type row, and both product IDs and product SKUs in the Products row

Although both PID and SKU are required in a product catalog, Monetate only requires you to implement method calls for PID. However, you should implement SKUs if you intend to use the recommendations and product-badging features.

See Product Detail Page Example for more information.

Testing Recommendations

Search for multiproduct product pages, products with warranties, and gift cards. Ensure the information collected is correct for all varieties of product pages.

Additionally, visit a product page, refresh that page, change the shoe size or color, add the item to the cart, and then confirm the information collected is still correct.

Cart Page Type

The cart page is the page that displays all products that a site visitor is ready to purchase. You can remove an item from the cart, change the quantity of an item, or continue to the checkout process. Cart pages should collect PIDs that remains consistent across the site unless you use SKUs and should report the following in the Monetate Inspector tool:

Page Type = cart
Page Event = viewPage, viewCart
Cart Products = Product ID Unit Price Quantity

The Components tab of Monetate Inspector, with viewCart and viewPage in the Event row, cart in the Page Type row, and both product IDs and product SKUs in the Cart Products row

See Cart Page Example for more information.

Testing Recommendations

Since the cart page is critical for how your site records conversions, it must be extensively tested.

Place at least 15 products in the cart including free products, sale products, two-for-one deals, and products that are paired with additional products. On the cart page, verify that the information collected reflects the unit price instead of the total price. To test the veracity, add more than one of the same item to the cart. Monetate analyzes both the unit price and the total cart value when collecting and reporting information on the cart page.

You should also test sales price functionality for the cart page. To do this, launch the Monetate Inspector tool on the cart page, then click the Track tab, and then verify that the unit price is reflected next to the appropriate PID. Apply a promo code to the cart and a gift card, if possible, to see how these actions impact the information collected, if it all.

To test retracks on the page, add two items to the cart and then remove one of them. Verify that only one product is displayed in the Monetate Inspector tool. Repeat this process with one item in the cart and then remove it. Make sure that Monetate Inspector still identifies the page as Cart with no PIDs present. Repeat this process again with an item in the cart, and then increase that quantity from the cart page. Verify that Monetate Inspector reflects this change.

When you have items in the cart, refresh the page and verify that ID, price, and quantity don't change. Coupons and promo codes should not affect the page collect information.

When you compare PIDs from index or product pages with PIDs on the cart page, make sure to test products that have different color and size combinations. Sometimes the PID that Monetate collects from index or product pages is different than the cart page because the site visitor hasn't selected the color or size yet. Once the visitor makes a selection, the PID that Monetate collects is actually the SKU.

International Currencies

If you use a currency other than US dollars ($), then verify that the price and currency values that Monetate collects correspond to that currency when you add items to the cart.

Billing and Shipping Page Types

These page types typically appear after the cart page:

  • Billing: The page on which customers typically enter their billing information
  • Shipping: The page on which customers typically enter their shipping information

There isn't much you must test or check on these pages except the page type in Monetate Inspector and the overall look of the pages.

Login, CheckoutLogin, Sign-Up Page Types

The login page appears when a site visitor clicks Log In, My Account, or Sign Up somewhere on your site outside of the checkout process. This page should display the following in Monetate Inspector:

Page Type = login
Page Event = viewPage

The Components tab of Monetate Inspector, with viewPage in the Event row and login in the Page Type row

Your site may use separate page types for login and sign-up pages. In this case the page should display the following in Monetate Inspector:

Page Type = signup
Page Event = viewPage

The Components tab of Monetate Inspector, with viewPage in the Event row and signup in the Page Type row

The checkoutLogin pages typically appear during the checkout process. These pages may look exactly like the login page, but some piece of the URL should indicate to you that you're in the checkout process. This page should report the following in Monetate Inspector:

Page Type = checkoutLogin
Page Event = viewPage

The Components tab of Monetate Inspector, with viewPage in the Event row and checkoutLogin in the Page Type row

Checkout Page Type

The checkout page is the page that a site visitor sees right before they place an order. This page should list billing and shipping information along with the contents of the cart. It should also report the following in Monetate Inspector:

Page Type = checkout
Page Event = viewPage, viewCart
Cart Products = Product ID Unit Price Quantity

See Checkout Page Example for more information.

Testing Recommendations

Try to break this page by adding a promo code, whether it's valid or invalid. Try to edit your billing or shipping address. If this attempt returns you to the shipping page, verify that Page Type = shipping shows in the Monetate Inspector tool. Your checkout page may or may not collect the cart here (productId, price, quantity). It's only 100% necessary to collect the cart here under these circumstances:

  • You can get to this page by skipping the cart page.
  • You can edit your cart (items you're buying) on this page.

Purchase Page Type

The purchase page is the page that customers see after completing an order. It usually displays the following information needing to be tracked:

Page Type = purchase
Page Event = viewPage, viewPurchase

This page should also track the purchase ID or confirmation number and in most cases should also track purchase page cart data.

The Components tab of Monetate Inspector, with viewPage and viewPurchase in the Event row, purchase in the Page Type row, and product ID, product SKU, unit price, and quantity in the Cart Products row

See Purchase Page Example for more information.

Testing Recommendations

After completing a purchase, copy the purchase ID, log into the account, and verify that you can search for your order using the purchase/order ID captured in the collect. In some instances, the order ID that's captured is incorrect.

If the client indicates that there is no way to make a test purchase, you'll need to make an actual purchase to verify its functionality.

By default, Monetate collects order-level discounts on the Purchase page. Verify that a separate line item of _DISCOUNT or DISCOUNT appears in the Monetate Inspector tool. If your site is only set up to collect the order ID on the purchase page, you must rely on the last known cart and account for order-level discounts on the cart page. However, this method may affect experiences that rely on cart thresholds for PageType = cart.

The Components tab of Monetate Inspector, with viewPage and viewPurchase in the Event row, purchase in the Page Type row, and product ID, product SKU, unit price, and quantity in the Cart Products row

PayPal Testing

If you accept PayPal on your site, then you should make an additional test purchase using PayPal. You need the following information on the page for PayPal purchase to function properly:

Page Event = viewPage, viewPurchase
Cart Products = Product ID Unit Price Quantity

This page should track the purchase ID and in most cases should also track purchase page cart data.