Key Aspects of E-commerce Platforms for Quality Assurance

Have you ever shopped online? Oh, sorry, wrong question. How often do you shop online? How many e-commerce apps are installed on your smartphone? We are sure that the numbers are high for both the answers as online shopping has become an integral part of our lives. From groceries to furniture to every basic necessity, just a few clicks on the phone and you have it delivered at your doorstep easily. This e-commerce industry is the biggest opportunity for startups and business owners. If you are also planning to build an ecommerce app, into it, then let us warn you that it is not going to be an easy task. Your platform has to be ready for changing landscape and equipped with an efficient catalogue that can convert the traffic into sales. 

According to experts, there is a direct relationship between returns and product description, photos, and details. The better the site is, the better your business will be. With proper images and description, your users can make an informed decision, adding value to your business. So, how to attain this? The answer is, that it must go through quality testing. Yes, with a comprehensive testing service, you can get rid of all the bugs and work on poor format. You can be assured of a secure website and test its compatibility with all the platforms. 

To guide you through the process of quality testing of e-commerce store, we have listed the most important factors that you must consider. Have a look:

Homepage

The homepage is the first impression of any e-commerce portal and it has to be impeccable to attract more users. There will be a lot going on here, from image slides to ads and banners and more. Moreover, there will be significant information on this page that is further linked to different pages and categories on the portal for navigation. Hence, it is important that it loads faster and the content should be displayed correctly on every device and browser with correct screen resolution. You simply cannot compromise on the quality of the homepage, thereby, hiring quality testers before launching your website. These experts ensure images and content are appearing smoothly without hampering user experience. They also test functionality and interoperability of this page along with various other small details and visual elements. 

Shopping Cart

Yes, shopping cart is one of the last steps in online buying but it is the most critical factor when it comes to quality assurance. While developing an e-commerce web application, separate efforts and resources are invested for the functionality of a shopping cart, including adding and removing products, payment options, product list view, delivery options, personal detail requirements, and more. Therefore, many tests are conducted at a different level while creating a shopping cart feature for quantities, total items, display, etc., to ensure that the whole transaction takes place smoothly. Also, website developers have to be sure that there is the same buying procedure throughout the online store and for this, there needs to be constant reviewing. Honestly, this part can make or break your fate in the e-commerce world, hence, everything has to be flawless when customers commit to purchasing. 

Search Options

No user has enough time to go through every product and then zero in on the one that suits their demand. Thus, online stores have introduced search bars where potential buyers can write their query and get precise and accurate results. If the search algorithm successfully works and displays products that users are looking for, then it can enhance the sales, else the platform can fall flat. So, it is important that your e-commerce portal has a search option that can give relevant results within a few seconds. For this, the primary factors that need to be tested are sorting, filtering and pagination. The displayed products should match with the searched keywords and must include its information, image, price and customer reviews too. Here should be various search options, such as based on brands, size, price, ratings, and more. Apart from this, testers should confirm the number of products per page without any duplicates.

Images

We are talking about online stores where the only insight into products is images. Clients look closely at those pictures, analyze them, zoom in for better analysis and then decide whether they want to spend money on it or not. Also, these images make it easier for them to recognize if this is the product they are looking for or not. So, you cannot take any risk while finalizing these visual factors. When you seek an e-commerce development solution, do not forget to emphasize the quality of pictures. They shouldn’t be blurry or vague but high-quality and fast to load on any device or browser so that the platform offers better exposure to products and increased CTR. Remember, too graphical, cropped or blurry images can confuse the audience and deceive them to buy the wrong product, leading to higher return rates. On the other hand, genuine, clear and attractive images can lure them to buy the product instantly. 

Payment Gateway

As this stage involves money, it is certainly a crucial part of any online business. While making the purchase, users need to mention some personal information, including contact details, card number and more. Any loopholes or technical glitch while making payment and it can take a toll on your brand and hamper your reputation. We understand that you need to get card details for online payments but make sure that it doesn’t get stored anywhere and there is a time limit for login sessions. In case the session expires, users should be logged out completely and any failed transaction or unauthorized attempts should be reported immediately. Hire QA service providers to ascertain that the payment gateway is secure and safe without any chances of cyber theft or infringements. The payment history should be saved and verified for future references. Any refunding or sending mails should be confirmed with the registered number. 

Security and Vulnerability

When a user makes an online purchase, there is so much that is stored on the platform. It includes some irrelevant details and also some personal information. If the website is not completely secured and protected, these details can reach in the wrong hands and can have some serious consequences. Hence, website developers and domain testing experts constantly keep an eye on every little detail and aspect of an e-commerce application. Apart from the name, address, email address, phone number, buyers also have to mention their card details and as a business owner, it is your responsibility to keep it safe. Make sure that the testing team has conducted tests for ethical hacks, SQL Injections, registration, payment gateway, etc. There must be different layers of quality testing before it is launched on any app store. 

Mobile Responsiveness

There was a time when e-commerce platforms were restricted to only laptops and personal computers. However, soon, these portals came up with mobile applications which made the competition fierce. Now, if you are not available on smartphones, you probably don’t exist at all for most of the users out there. So, go with the mobile-first approach for your online shopping store. For this, you have to connect with mobile and web development company that can work on your project effectively and create responsive designs for browsers as well as applications. Well, simply building the platform is not enough. They will also check its compatibility with all the devices and operating systems, adjust text and visual content according to them, ascertain loading time, and more before finally delivering the final product to you. This step will pave the way for your online business and make you a well-known name amongst online shoppers. 

Final Thoughts

The competition between e-commerce stores is already tough and to mark a prominent position among them, you have to come up with something unique and innovative. Hence, prefer spending money on hiring reliable software testing services rather than offering coupons and vouchers to lure customers. Rest assured that enriched user experience and quality application will work wonders to your business than any other trick. It will also convert visitors into paying customers, thereby, taking your business to new heights. Also, as a business owner, you have to make sure that you review the performance of the portal even after its launch and take corrective measures in case of any issue.