adding custom tracking code to Virtuemart and joomla for Ecommerce

If you are using virtuemart with joomla, and you want to add some custom tracking code, then here is how you do it. Now this method is really biased towards including a google checkout module in your code. If you have a customer who wants to checkout, they should only reach the first page of your checkout and be given the option to checkout straight from that main page. This means they get re-directed to the google checkout page. So its difficult to put tracking code further down the flow of your shopping cart. Normally you would put custom tracking code on the thank you page, but to meet google terms and conditions, your customers don't have to arrive at your custom thank you page.

Ok, i decided the best way to track my visitors and buyers to my virtuemart store using my bidvertiser advertising campaign tracking code was to put the code into the first page of the virtuemart checkout. Now this isn't obviously the best solution, as they might choose to not checkout. However its the nearest best solution. If you are getting conversion tracking code success, and this isn't matching up with the amount of orders you should be getting then at least you know there is a problem with your checkout process, rather than customers wanting to actually buy. 

If you want to add a different type of tracking code from an advertiser then you can do that here too. This will probably work with google analytics tracking code, but i haven't tested that yet. There are a number of other advertising agency's that offer tracking codes including adbrite. I wanted to use bidvertiser ecommerce tracking code, so i will cover that.

Ok, i logged into my campaign for bidvertiser, and copied the tracking code they gave me. Next, i loaded up my ftp program, and logged into my website via ftp.

Then browse to the location:

/your-domain-name/components/com_virtuemart/themes/default/templates/pages

You will find a set of files relating to checkout, and you want to edit the file

shop.cart.tpl.php

Make a local backup copy of the file, and then open the file in your editor.

There is a line of code that says

<!-- Cart Begins here -->

All you need to do is paste your bidvertiser tracking code just below that comment.

Save and upload.

If you want to check that your code is installed and running, you can just add a product to your cart, and then view the html source code for that page. This will be the only page your custom tracking code will be on.