#ecommerce performance testing

Ecommerce Testing: Benefits and Best Practices for Better UX Customer expectations of online shopping have changed. To retain customers, businesses like yours should provide exceptional shopping experiences. 74% of businesses think customer experience boosts sales and engagement.  

Your ecommerce store accounts for a large portion of your sales, so prioritize its performance and well-being. Ecommerce testing changes a lot, whether you're starting a new store or maintaining one. 

Ecommerce testing is important for your business' success and growth, and this blog will show you how to do it efficiently. 

What is Ecommerce Testing? 

Ecommerce testing checks your online store for security and smooth operation before customers arrive. From product browsing and search to checkout and payment processing, it examines everything. As a test drive for your virtual shopping cart, it will reveal any issues before they affect customers.

Ecommerce testing includes functionality, performance, security, and usability by simulating user actions and checking code. Everything works, from finding the right shoes to entering credit card information without worry. Early detection and resolution create a seamless shopping experience that builds trust and keeps customers coming back. 

Importance & Benefits Of Ecommerce Testing For Success & Growth 

There may be some dangers associated even with websites and apps. Even though any of these risks have the potential to negatively or positively affect your brand's growth, ecommerce testing acts as a scanner for all of them, allowing for their early mitigation. These are a few of the main advantages and reasons why testing your e-commerce platforms is important. 

1. Enhance User Experience 

Making online shopping easy and smooth is the key to happy customers and lots of sales.  Most people (86%) are willing to pay more for a product if they have a good experience with it. The experience of users is another reason why 49% of buyers buy something without thinking about it. 

Ecommerce testing is more than just making sure the site works; it's also your secret weapon for improving the user experience (UX) and turning casual browsers into loyal buyers. It helps build a platform where product pages load instantly, search filters work perfectly and making a purchase is easy as pie. 

Ecommerce website testing finds and fixes problems that customers have along the way, such as search results that are hard to understand and checkout processes that take too long. As it finds hidden usability problems and improves each step, it gives users an interesting experience that makes them want to finish their purchases. 

2. Optimize Performance 

Nobody likes slow-loading pages and a complicated buying process rather than good deals. Online store speed, efficiency, and sales are improved by ecommerce testing. It boosts your customers' shopping experience and ensures a happy purchase. 

Faster loading speeds let customers browse products without losing patience. A simple checkout process reduces cart abandonment and boosts conversions. Optimized search also converts casual visitors into loyal buyers by finding what they need quickly. 

3. Drive More Conversions 

Testing is like quality control for your online store, revealing hidden errors that may cause customers to abandon carts or struggle to find what they need. Test functionality, checkout flow, and other aspects of your website/app to identify friction points and improve user experience. 

Smoother browsing, clearer product information, and a faster, more efficient purchase journey increase conversion rates. Removing bumps from a roller coaster ride makes it more enjoyable and likely to be repeated.

Ecommerce testing goes beyond technical functionality to understanding how your website/app interacts with customers. It removes additional barriers to purchase. More visitors become buyers when your online store is refined using real user data.  

4. Strengthen the Brand 

While smooth functionality and a secure storefront are important, ecommerce testing boosts your brand image. Your brand impression is shaped by every customer interaction with your ecommerce platform, from easy navigation to secure checkout. Testing ensures positive interactions, building trust and loyalty.

Customers hate buggy websites, checkout errors, and data breaches. These frustrating experiences deter purchases and damage your brand. Ecommerce application testing reduces these issues, creating a smooth and reliable journey that promotes your brand. 

Customers view your brand as competent, trustworthy, and customer-focused when every click is easy and secure. Increased brand loyalty and positive reviews boost brand success. 

5. Combat Risks  

Ecommerce testing protects against many business risks, preventing costly mistakes. A safety net prevents vulnerabilities from causing lost revenue and unhappy customers.

Test for payment processing errors, stock differences, and abandoned carts to avoid lost sales and frustrated refunds. Preventing downtime and ensuring smooth performance reduces the risk of revenue-draining website crashes during peak periods.

Identifying security vulnerabilities and preventing data breaches protects customer data and avoids PR disasters. Easy checkout and navigation keep customers happy, reducing the risk of negative reviews and brand bashing that can hurt your online presence. 

Types Of Testing You Need To Conduct For Ecommerce Apps/Websites  

Custom ecommerce development aims to make products accessible with taps, swipes, and clicks, but it requires multiple tests to deliver. Here are the testing types for a healthy ecommerce platform.

Functional Testing 

Functional testing ensures all ecommerce platform features work properly. Product pages, shopping carts, checkout processes, and payment gateways are tested. Users must have a pleasant shopping experience.

Usability Testing 

This ecommerce testing examines how easy your platform is to use. This includes website layout, text clarity, and search function usability. Usability testing ensures customers can find what they need and have a good experience. 

Performance Testing 

Ecommerce performance testing evaluates a platform under different traffic loads. It evaluates website loading speed, multi-user handling, and peak traffic response. This testing ensures a website can handle customer demands and doesn't crash or slow down during busy times. 

Security Testing 

Hackers can exploit ecommerce platform vulnerabilities found by security testing. We test for SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and other security threats. Customer data and platform security are crucial. 

Compatibility Testing 

Your online store's compatibility with different devices and browsers is tested. This involves website testing on desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Thus ensuring a seamless experience for all customers on any device. 

Regression Testing 

It ensures that ecommerce platform features and changes preserve functionality. Previously used platform tests are rerun. Regression testing evaluates platform stability and reliability after changes. 

Integration Testing 

Integration testing ensures ecommerce platform components communicate properly and seamlessly. It tests the shopping cart-payment gateway and product database-search function integration.  

Localization Testing 

Check if your online store supports multiple languages and cultures. The platform is tested for translating website text, adapting currency and units of measurement, and changing the website layout to local customs. This makes the platform suitable for global customers.  

Cross-site Scripting (XSS) Testing 

It finds vulnerabilities in an ecommerce platform that could let attackers inject malware. This code could steal customer data, redirect users to phishing sites, or do other harm. Customers need XSS testing to avoid online attacks.

Accessibility Testing 

Accessibility testing ensures an ecommerce platform is accessible to all. The website must be screen reader-compatible, have large text, and have enough contrast between text and background.  

Common Bugs To Remove During Ecommerce Testing 

To give shoppers the best website or app experience, fix some common bugs. 

1. Payment Gateway Errors  

Ecommerce platforms need payment gateways to move carts to wallets. Blocks like errors can cause abandoned checkouts and frustrated customers. Removal of payment gateway bugs is a top priority during ecommerce testing.

Incorrect credit card validation, expired tokens, mismatched billing addresses, and platform-gateway communication breakdowns are common bugs. Customer browsers may display cryptic error messages, failed transactions, or a spinning wheel of waiting. 

Testing all functions, including payment method and currency integration, is essential. This ensures a smooth checkout experience that keeps customers clicking and converting. 

2. Security Vulnerabilities 

Ecommerce websites are prime targets for cyberattacks because they handle sensitive data like user credentials and financial information. Ecommerce testing finds defense system flaws. SQL injection and cross-site scripting allow attackers to steal data or manipulate systems, while price manipulation and insecure payment integrations affect ecommerce.

Preventing data breaches, financial losses, and reputational damage requires testing for these issues. eCommerce businesses like yours can protect customers and ensure a secure online shopping experience by proactively identifying and patching these vulnerabilities. 

3. Cart & Checkout Issues 

Cart and checkout processes should be examined because they can cause cart abandonment and lost revenue. Cart issues like inaccurate item updates, coupon errors, and missing guest checkout frustrate and drive users away. Checkout blocks like unclear steps, hidden costs, or complicated forms with confusing validation worsen the issue. 

A smooth, transparent, and user-friendly experience from adding items to completing the purchase should leave customers confident and satisfied. You can boost conversion rates by thoroughly testing your ecommerce app in these areas.  

4. Inaccurate Product Information  

User experience and sales are greatly affected by inaccurate product information. Any discrepancy between a product listing and its features, specs, or performance may prevail. 

Mismeasurements, outdated descriptions, price tags, and compatibility details. Inaccurate information must be corrected to be clear, consistent, and current. 

5. Search Errors 

Search errors are problems with search functionality that prevent users from finding products. For example, -search algorithms may return products that don't match user queries. 

-Even with accurate keywords, products may not appear in search results.  

-Autocomplete suggestions may be useless. 

Errors can hurt sales, user experience, and brand satisfaction. Ecommerce testing finds and fixes these errors to improve product discovery.  

6. Slow Loading Times 

Slow-loading pages deter visitors. Every second a page takes to load can drop conversions by 7%, as frustrated customers abandon their carts for faster options. 

Finding the causes of slow loading is crucial. These include unoptimized images and code, overloaded servers, and inefficient database queries. Ecommerce testing lets you target image compression, code minification, server optimization, and caching. You can expect a fast, reliable ecommerce platform, happy customers, and a successful business.

7. Performance Issues 

Your online store must be capable, especially during peak traffic or sales events. Slow-loading pages, unresponsive functions, and site crashes are common performance issues that frustrate customers and loss sales.

Inefficient server infrastructure, overloaded databases, excessive third-party scripts, and poorly optimized code may cause this. Server upgrades, code optimization, and resource management can ensure a fast shopping experience.  

8. Broken Links & Images  

Imagine searching an online shoe store for the perfect pair. You click the link for more pictures, but it says "Page not found!" Annoying, right? Broken links on your ecommerce store do that. Like a broken bridge on a shopping spree, it cuts the trip short and leaves one lost.

Broken images are worse. Clicking on a shoe photo to see the intricate stitching only to see a pixelated void causes confusion and disappointment. 

These glitches hurt user experience, conversions, and brand trust in ecommerce, where visual appeal is crucial. For the best online shopping experiences, prioritize fixing these broken links and images.  

Boost Conversions By 80% With Our Ecommerce Testing Services 

Ecommerce testing is essential to a good reputation and a great customer experience that boosts sales. This blog explains what it is and how to test your ecommerce stores for optimal performance, but you need reliable software testing services. 

Narola Infotech's software testing experts will deliver a bug-free, high-performing ecommerce platform. A project nearing launch? Tell us about it and let our team make it perfect. Build an ecommerce website or app from scratch? We'll handle everything. Use the form below to contact us. Reverting in under 24 hours! 

Digital transformation has become imperative for businesses including the ones in the retail sector to remain competitive and deliver superior customer experiences. The growth in eCommerce has seen a phenomenal increase in the past few years with customers taking to online shopping with vengeance. According to statistics, eCommerce has seen a quantum jump from $1336 billion in 2014 to $4206 billion in 2020. It is further expected to reach $6542 billion by 2023 (Source Statista.) Since so much is riding on these companies, they should ensure the customer experience to remain top-notch. And when it comes to delivering superior customer experiences, a host of factors lies behind. These include performance, throughput, seamless navigability, attractive images galleries, and strong and secure payment gateways, among others.

Of late, eCommerce companies have entered into the domain of mobile applications given the huge number of customers using such apps on their smartphones on the go. The convenience offered by such apps has made them highly sought-after by the customers. However, all said and done, these apps are vulnerable to both performance and security issues. Performance-wise, the apps may slow down while loading or transacting, give erroneous counts, become non-responsive across devices, and many more. On the other hand, security has arguably become the biggest issue to plague the apps. Again, if statistics are referred then the average cost of security breaches will cost economies a whopping $150 million by the end of the year 2020 (Source: Juniper Research.) So, the need of the hour for enterprises developing such applications is to invest in eCommerce performance testing.

Why eCommerce performance testing?

Since eCommerce applications have interfaces with various financial instruments like bank accounts, credit/debit cards, or digital wallets, among others, they need to be secured. Also, since these applications deal with inventory management in real-time in both B2B and B2C environments, they should be tested on various parameters. Let us understand why businesses need to employ a performance testing strategy for eCommerce applications.

# Various platforms: eCommerce applications are accessed from various device platforms such as smartphones, desktops, laptops, notebooks, and tablets. Since these devices have different hardware and software configurations, the performance of any eCommerce the application will be determined on the strength and capacity of these configurations. However, with the performance testing of eCommerce applications, the seamless performance of such applications can be ensured to a greater degree. And since performance is directly related to customer experience, the more the merrier.

# Different browsers: eCommerce applications contain rich images, social media plugins, product descriptions, and payment gateways, which help in converting visitors into customers. Since these applications containing such elements open in different browsers such as Chrome, Internet Explorer, Opera, Firefox, etc., they need to function seamlessly. With a stringent performance testing exercise, any glitch preventing the smooth functioning of such applications can be identified and fixed.

# Load and stress thresholds: eCommerce applications, especially in a B2C environment, handle a lot of traffic during certain times of the year – black Friday sales, Christmas sales etc. If their performance during such times of high traffic goes down the customer experience invariably takes a hit and brands end up earning flak for themselves. Further, the functionality of such applications can often be affected by the customer-friendly designs (read rich images,) which can only be validated through eCommerce application testing. The testing would confirm whether the functionality of an eCommerce application performs to its optimum when the traffic is very high or there are issues related to network or slow server speed. A robust performance testing approach can bring about parity between customer-friendly designs and performance of the application during extreme load conditions.

# Fixing glitches: In the highly competitive business environment of today where customer experience is arguably the best differentiator, ensuring the performance of an application is critical. If an eCommerce application is delivered to the market without proper testing then the resident glitches can play havoc. In addition to affecting the performance of the application in terms of lowered throughput, navigability, functionality, or usability, they can cause security issues. For example, any vulnerability within the application can be exploited by hackers to steal sensitive financial information like credit card or bank account details. The customers can end up losing money – a distinct possibility. So, if proper security and eCommerce performance testing in the Agile-DevOps mould are implemented in the SDLC, the glitches can be identified and fixed early.

# Brand equity: A glitch-prone eCommerce application can discredit a brand when dissatisfied customers vent their anger in the form of lawsuits or negative reviews. And when the entire strategy of businesses revolves around popularizing the brand, such a situation of losing brand equity can come as a big jolt. It is only through implementing performance testing that businesses can avoid getting hit in terms of brand equity.

What performance testing strategy should be followed?

Testers should consider the below-mentioned factors while planning eCommerce performance testing.

Performance across geographies: Ecommerce applications are accessed by customers across the length and breadth of a country or even continents. Testers should ensure the performance of such applications is not affected by the geographic location of the customers. This involves testing the key workflows and functionalities.

Page loading speed: It is said that most customers (around 57% as per stats) tend to discard an application if it takes more than 3 seconds to load. E-retailers should ensure that the page load speed of their eCommerce applications should not suffer, especially during peak traffic. Using eCommerce load testing, QA specialists can validate the performance of an application by creating virtualized users across geographies, device platforms, and networks.

The steps involved in conducting performance testing are:

·       Building a test environment

·       Selecting the performance metrics to be tested

·       Writing the test automation script, selecting the tool, and execute

·       Reviewing the test result

Conclusion