Every online store has the same basic funnel: a visitor arrives, views a product, adds it to the cart, starts checkout and places an order. Conversion work begins by seeing this funnel as numbers rather than a feeling, because the step with the biggest drop is where effort pays off most.
The Five Core Steps
Sessions count every visit. Product views count sessions that reached at least one product page. Add-to-cart counts sessions where an item entered the cart. Checkout started counts sessions that reached the first checkout screen, and orders count completed purchases. Each step divides into the one before it to give a step conversion rate, and orders divided by sessions gives the overall rate most people quote.
Where the Numbers Live
Most store platforms show these steps in a built-in analytics or conversion report. Web analytics tools show them too if ecommerce events are configured, which the next lesson covers. Compare the same date range from both; small differences are normal, large ones mean a tracking problem.
Reading the Shape
Write the five counts in a column and compute each step rate. A store losing most people between product view and add-to-cart has a product page or pricing issue; one losing them between checkout start and order has a checkout friction or trust issue. Segment by device, because mobile and desktop funnels often look very different.
Action Step
Pull your funnel numbers for the last thirty days: sessions, product views, add-to-carts, checkouts started and orders. Calculate each step rate and the overall rate, split by mobile and desktop, and note which step loses the largest share.
This lesson is educational and reflects general practice. Results depend on your situation, market and effort; adapt what you learn to your own context.