An order is an outcome, not the whole journey
Purchase records help describe what was bought and the transaction details available to the study. They do not explain every search, comparison or reason behind the decision. Separate the purchase outcome from the activities that preceded it before deciding what a journey report should answer.
Connect only the records the study can observe
Within participant consent, arrange available browsing and buying records in time order. Define the platforms, categories and observation window first. This can reveal paths through discovery, search, comparison and purchase where those steps are covered. Leave unobserved steps visible as gaps rather than filling them with a plausible story.
No observed order does not always mean abandonment
A person may buy after the observation window, on an uncovered platform or offline. Describe the finding as no purchase observed within scope, rather than no purchase made. When comparing purchasers with other participants, explain the selection criteria and differences in coverage so the groups are not treated as interchangeable.
Use the journey to frame a decision
Common comparisons and recurring touchpoints can guide the next research question. A touchpoint occurring before an order does not prove that it caused the purchase. Surveys or a separate study design may help explore the reasons behind an observed pattern. The report should distinguish those explanations from the behavior actually recorded.
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