Online store audit: the 20 things I check first

When I take over a new online store, I don't start with campaigns. I start with an audit. In the first days I check the same 20 things, in the same order, because the big problems almost always hide in the same places. Below is the full list, so you can go through it yourself. Why you start with the audit, not the ads If tracking is wrong, campaigns optimise on false data. If checkout loses customers, every extra euro spent on ads leaks away. A good audit shows you where you lose money before you put more money into traffic. 1. Tracking and data .comparison-cards { display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 1.5rem; } .comparison-card { background: #fff; border-radius: 16px; padding: 20px; border: 2px solid #efefef; } .comparison-header { display: flex; justify-content: space-between; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 12px; } .comparison-row { display: flex; justify-content: space-between; padding: 8px 0; border-top: 1px solid #efefef; font-size: 14px; color: #1f2937; } .comparison-label { font-size: 14px; width: 100%; } .comparison-value { width: 100%; text-align: right; } @media (max-width: 600px) { .comparison-row { flex-direction: column; align-items: flex-start; } .comparison-value { text-align: left; margin-top: 4px; } } 1. Reported orders vs. real orders What I check How compare the last 30 days in the admin with GA4, Meta and Google Ads Red flag differences above 15-20% with no explanation 2. E-commerce events What I check How check view_item, add_to_cart, begin_checkout and purchase, with value and transaction ID Red flag duplicate purchases or purchases without value 3. Cookie consent What I check How check in the Network tab what loads before consent Red flag the Meta pixel or GA fire before consent 4. Conversions used for optimisation What I check How check which conversions are set as primary in Google Ads and Meta Red flag campaigns optimise for clicks or micro-conversions 2. Speed and technical 5. Mobile speed What I check How PageSpeed Insights and…