How to Write Test Cases for Ecommerce Website

In today’s digital era, e-commerce websites have become an integral part of the retail industry. With the increasing number of online shoppers, it has become crucial for businesses to ensure that their e-commerce platforms are functioning seamlessly. 

One of the key aspects of ensuring the quality and reliability of an e-commerce website is thorough testing. 

In this article, we will explore the importance of testing e-commerce websites, provide a step-by-step guide on how to test them, discuss various test cases, and delve into the process of automating test cases for e-commerce websites.

Why Test E-commerce Websites?

By thoroughly testing an e-commerce website, businesses can enhance customer satisfaction, build trust, and increase conversion rates. Moreover, testing enables businesses to validate the functionality, usability, security, and performance of their platforms.

How to Test an E-commerce Website?

Testing an e-commerce website involves a systematic approach to cover all essential aspects. Here are the general steps to follow:

1. Identify Test Scenarios: Begin by understanding the different user actions and interactions that can occur on the website. This includes scenarios like user registration, product search, adding items to the cart, payment processing, and order placement.

2. Define Test Cases: Once the test scenarios are identified, create specific test cases for each scenario. Test cases should include inputs, expected outputs, and any preconditions or dependencies.

3. Prioritize Test Cases: Prioritize the test cases based on the criticality of the functionality being tested, user impact, and business requirements.

4. Execute Test Cases: Execute the defined test cases on the e-commerce website, following the test scripts and documenting the results.

5. Log and Track Defects: If any defects are found during the testing process, log them in a defect tracking system and track their resolution until they are fixed.

6. Retest Fixed Defects: After the identified defects are resolved, retest the affected areas to ensure the fixes are effective and have not introduced any new issues.

In addition to the above, please find below a diagram that showcases a few important things to test in an E-Commerce website. 

Test Cases for E-commerce Website

In this section, we will explore various test cases that cover different areas of an e-commerce website, including the general functionality, home page, search feature, payments, shopping cart, address book, and registration page. Let’s dive into each of these categories and understand the key test cases to consider:

1. General Test Cases:

– Verify that the website loads properly on different browsers and devices.

– Validate the responsiveness of the website design for mobile and tablet devices.

– Check if the website has a clear and consistent navigation menu for easy user browsing.

2. Home Page Test Cases:

– Ensure that the homepage displays relevant and updated information.

– Verify that featured products, promotions, and banners are visible and functioning correctly.

– Test the search functionality on the homepage to ensure accurate results.

3. Search Test Cases:

– Validate the search functionality by testing different search queries and ensuring relevant products are displayed.

– Check if the search filters and sorting options work as expected.

– Test the search autocomplete feature for efficiency and accuracy.

4. Payments Test Cases:

– Test the different payment methods available on the website, such as credit cards, PayPal, or any other payment gateway.

– Validate that payment transactions are processed securely and without any errors.

– Verify that order confirmation emails are sent to customers after successful payment.

5. Shopping Cart Page Test Cases:

– Verify that products are added and removed from the cart correctly.

– Test the quantity update feature in the cart.

– Validate the subtotal, taxes, and shipping calculations on the cart page.

6. Address Book Test Cases:

– Test the address management feature, including adding, editing, and deleting addresses.

– Ensure that the addresses are correctly associated with the customer account.

– Validate that the selected shipping address is displayed accurately during the checkout process.

7. Registration Page Test Cases:

– Test the user registration process, including form validation and error handling.

– Validate that user accounts are created successfully and can be logged in to.

– Verify that the account confirmation email is sent after registration.

In addition to the above test cases, it is equally important to understand the designing and techniques of the test cases. To have a thorough insight in the same, here is a recommended article by our team: Test Case Design Techniques in Software Testing. 

When to Automate Your E-commerce Website Test Cases?

Automating test cases for an e-commerce website can significantly increase efficiency and speed up the testing process. Automation is recommended in the following scenarios:

– High frequency of test execution: When there are test cases that need to be executed frequently, automating them can help save time and effort.

– Complex workflows: If the e-commerce website has intricate workflows that involve multiple steps, automation can ensure accurate execution and reduce the chances of human error.

– Performance and load testing: Automating performance and load testing allows simulating heavy user traffic and identifying potential bottlenecks.

How to Automate Your E-commerce Website Test Cases:

To automate test cases for an e-commerce website, consider the following steps:

1. Choose a Test Automation Framework: Select a suitable test automation framework that aligns with your project requirements and supports the technologies used in your e-commerce website.

2. Identify Test Cases for Automation: Prioritize test cases that are stable, repetitive, time-consuming to execute manually, and critical for the website’s functionality.

3. Select an Automation Tool: There are several automation tools available in the market, such as Testsigma, Selenium, Appium or TestComplete. Choose a tool that best fits your requirements and offers a user-friendly interface.

4. Develop Test Scripts: Write test scripts using the chosen automation tool, considering the test cases identified for automation. Ensure the test scripts cover various scenarios and validate the essential functionalities of the e-commerce website.

5. Execute and Maintain Test Scripts: Execute the automated test scripts on a regular basis and maintain them by updating them as the website evolves. Regularly review and enhance the test scripts to improve test coverage and accuracy.

Below is an example of how test cases for an ecommerce website can be automated with a no-code test automation tool, Testsigma.

1. Navigate to the homepage of the e-commerce website: This step involves opening the e-commerce website in a browser. In Testsigma, you can use a simple command like “Go to URL ‘https://www.yourwebsite.com'”.

2. Search for a specific product: This step involves entering the product name into the search bar and submitting the search. In Testsigma, you can use commands like “Type ‘Product Name’ into ‘Search Bar'” and “Click on ‘Search Button'”.

3. Click on the product to go to the product details page: This step involves selecting the product from the search results to view its details. In Testsigma, you can use a command like “Click on ‘Product Link'”.

4. Click on the “Add to Cart” button: This step involves adding the product to the shopping cart. In Testsigma, you can use a command like “Click on ‘Add to Cart Button'”.

In each of these steps, ‘Search Bar’, ‘Search Button’, ‘Product Link’, and ‘Add to Cart Button’ are placeholders for the actual identifiers of these elements on your website. You’ll need to replace them with the actual identifiers, which can be the name, ID, CSS selector, XPath, etc., depending on what’s available and reliable for your website.

Also, Testsigma allows the use of variables and data-driven testing. For example, you can store the product name in a variable and use it in the test steps. This allows you to easily change the product you’re testing without modifying the test steps.

Remember to save your test case after defining all the steps. You can then run this test case to verify the “Add to Cart” functionality of your e-commerce website.

By following these steps, you can effectively automate your e-commerce website test cases using the Testsigma automation tool.

For more details refer to Testsigma documentation here: testsigma.com/docs

Tools for Automating E-commerce Tests

When it comes to automating e-commerce tests, several reliable tools are available. Here are a few notable ones:

1. Testsigma: Testsigma is a cloud-based test automation tool designed specifically for web and mobile application testing. It offers an intuitive interface, scriptless test automation, and integrations with popular CI/CD tools. 

2. Selenium: Selenium is a popular open-source automation framework that supports multiple programming languages and browsers. It provides a wide range of features for automating web application testing. 

3. Appium: Appium is an open-source tool for automating mobile applications, both native and hybrid. It supports various platforms, including iOS and Android, making it ideal for e-commerce websites with dedicated mobile apps.

4. TestComplete: TestComplete is a comprehensive commercial automation tool that supports web, mobile, and desktop application testing. It offers a user-friendly interface and extensive features for automating test cases.

Benefits of E-commerce Testing:

Thorough testing of e-commerce websites offers several benefits, including:

1. Improved User Experience: Thorough testing ensures that the website functions seamlessly, providing users with a smooth and satisfying shopping experience.

2. Enhanced Security: Testing helps identify and fix security vulnerabilities, protecting customer data and preventing unauthorized access.

3. Higher Conversion Rates: A well-tested e-commerce website builds trust with customers, leading to increased conversion rates and higher sales.

4. Better Performance: Testing helps optimize website performance, ensuring fast loading times and smooth navigation.

Challenges of E-commerce Testing:

Testing e-commerce websites comes with its own set of challenges, including:

1. Wide Range of Devices and Browsers: E-commerce websites need to be tested across multiple devices and browsers to ensure compatibility and a consistent user experience.

Thus, It is recommended to have a set of smoke or sanity tests automated that can be automated and regularly executed on all supported devices.

2. Complex Business Logic: E-commerce platforms often involve intricate workflows and business rules that require thorough testing to ensure accurate functionality.

Thus, a proper focus on testing – both manual and automated – is recommended.

3. Data Management: Testing e-commerce websites requires managing large volumes of test data, including products, user accounts, and transaction data.

4. Dynamic Content: E-commerce websites frequently update product catalogs, promotions, and content, which poses a challenge in maintaining accurate and up-to-date test data.

Designing a test strategy that focuses on above points will ensure a high-quality ecommerce website at all times.

Conclusion

Testing plays a crucial role in ensuring the quality, reliability, and security of e-commerce websites. 

By following a systematic testing approach, identifying and executing relevant test cases, and considering automation where applicable, businesses can deliver exceptional user experiences, increase customer satisfaction, and drive the success of their online platforms. 

With the availability of automation tools like Testsigma, the process of automating e-commerce test cases becomes more efficient and effective, allowing businesses to achieve faster time-to-market and maintain a competitive edge in the digital landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What should I test on an e-commerce website?

Ans. When testing an e-commerce website, it is important to focus on various aspects such as: 

• Responsiveness
• Navigation
• search functionality
• Payments
• shopping cart
• address management
• user registration
• website accessibility

Additionally, you should consider testing order placement, order tracking, customer reviews, and any other crucial features specific to your e-commerce platform. 

Ecommerce Testing

E-Commerce Testing – What, Why & How You Should Do It?