[WHITE PAPER] E-Commerce Sites: The Challenges of Testing

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E-commerce in Europe is still on the rise with annual growth rates of 18.4% in 2014 and of 18.6% in 2015.  This market is also evolving rapidly because of consumers' expectations but also because of the constant technological progress and changes. Consequently, the development and introduction of various types of devices on the market means that consumers' buying journeys on e-commerce platforms are increasingly cross-device.

E-commerce is rapidly evolving towards the integration of various sales channels. In this context, it is crucial to make sure that the user experience is seamless, homogeneous and qualitative, irrespective of the device and browser used. A user visiting a site on desktop should be able to find the same information and the same functionalities on mobile and tablet. E-commerce websites that will offer this level of seamlessness and ensure that their site is compatible with a wide variety of devices, thanks to testing plans, will better tap into the existing business potential.

What is more, e-commerce sites are intrinsically dynamic (new offers, new products, special promotions...) and likely to be subject to recurring changes. The potential consequences on every device and browser should thus be controlled. Every change can have an impact on how a site operates and on its display and should therefore be tested methodically.

E-commerce sites have to focus on making sure that their users' experiences are positive. The very first experience is particularly important: if users encounter difficulties whilst browsing the site, it is very likely that they will leave the site and never come back. This is also true for returning users facing bugs. Focusing on a digital product's quality will thus have a tremendous impact on conversion rates, acquisition costs and overall, on business.

Testing is thus of prime importance. But carrying out those tests, especially on an e-commerce site, requires specific knowledge and know-how, as it is very challenging.

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