QA for a Global Retailer's B2C E-commerce Platform
In 2018 a global retailer moved into digital commerce with iOS and Android apps and a new B2C e-store, but had no defined QA process. Appsierra built one alongside the development cycle, covering device and browser compatibility, functional consistency and user-reported defects, and testing the integration with the retailer's ERP and existing B2B store.
About Client
In 2018, a large global retailer decided to take on Amazon, Staples and Apple online by launching iOS and Android apps. Finding a testing partner it could trust was the hard part. There was no shortage of testing firms, but the retailer wanted experienced testers who could speed up testing and handle releases on both platforms at once. It chose Appsierra on the strength of our work on earlier projects.
The client wanted what most growing companies want: to scale and launch faster without letting quality slip. The apps were not simple. They included voice recognition, QR code scanning, budgeting tools and coupon integration. The website already had over 100 million monthly users at the time, so every feature had to work properly on launch day.
The Challenges
The challenges faced included:
Absence of Adequate QA Procedures
The project had no defined quality assurance process, so nobody could say with confidence how good a given build was.
Compatibility and Functionality Concerns
The e-store behaved differently across devices and browsers, and some features did not work the same way from one page to the next.
Issue Identification from User Feedback
Users were reporting problems, and the team needed a way to turn that feedback into reproducible, fixable defects.
Ensuring B2C E-Store Compliance
The main goal was a B2C e-store that met the customer's requirements, with defects caught early rather than after release.
Seamless Integration
The new e-store also had to work with what already existed: the ERP system, a new functional block and the B2B e-store. Getting those pieces to talk to each other took careful coordination and a lot of testing.
To deal with all of this, the project needed a proper QA process, fixes for the compatibility and functionality issues, a way to act on user feedback, checks against the customer's requirements, and integration testing against the systems already in place.
The Solution
The technologies under test were different enough that we split our team into separate functional units, each working closely with the client's internal QA and engineering teams. That structure is what let us scale the project. We wrote and maintained the test cases and ran them on a large number of devices.
We started on iOS only. The client liked the results early, and our scope grew to cover Android devices and the website as well. Within a few months we were working alongside large engineering teams and helping the project move much faster than before. The apps went on to drive strong growth in the client's digital business. Because of the trust built on this work, the client later put us in charge of several other high-profile initiatives.
Our contributions encompassed:
Establishing a Robust QA Process
We set up a quality assurance process that ran alongside the development cycle, so testing started on day one instead of at the end.
Conducting Comprehensive Functional and Non-functional Testing
We tested what the apps did and how they did it, checking behaviour against the performance and usability standards the client had set.
Mobile Testing
We ran the apps on a wide range of mobile devices to confirm they performed well on each platform.
Effective Bug Reporting
We kept a clear system for reporting and tracking bugs, which helped developers fix them quickly.
Regression Testing
Before every release we ran regression tests to catch anything that development had broken since the last one.
The project succeeded, and the way we worked on it led directly to more high-impact work with the same client.
Business Benefits
This client is still one of our most important partners. They value that we take the time to understand their requirements, build systems that fit those needs, work as part of their own teams so communication stays easy, and keep improving as their digital business grows.
Our testers worked the e-store from both sides, acting as customers and as administrators, so nothing went unchecked. Their work covered:
UX Testing
We played the customer: creating and cancelling orders in the e-store and walking the 'checkout journey' to see where it was slow or confusing.
UI Testing
A large share of the testing went into checking that products and product information displayed correctly in the e-store's interface.
Unit Testing
We unit-tested the ERP system and the reporting module to confirm they responded correctly to changes in the e-store. This work was done in .NET and C#.
Smoke Testing
We performed smoke tests to validate the generation of electronic invoices in the ERP and to assess the overall system stability.
Integration Testing
Here we checked that the new block worked correctly with the rest of the system, passing data back and forth without errors.
Regression Testing
Before each release we re-ran the regression suite to catch issues introduced by new development or system changes.
This testing, and the close working relationship behind it, met the client's specific needs and made their e-commerce platform more reliable. It is the kind of engagement we aim for with every client: practical engineering that keeps pace as their business changes.
Case study FAQs
Who was the e-commerce client and what did they need?
In 2018, a prominent global retailer decided to enter the digital arena and compete with giants like Amazon, Staples, and Apple by launching iOS and Android apps. With a website serving over 100 million monthly users, they needed a proficient testing partner to expedite testing and handle both platform releases without compromising quality.
What challenges did the e-commerce project face?
The project struggled with the absence of well-defined quality assurance procedures, compatibility and functional inconsistencies across devices and browsers, and the need to identify issues from user feedback. It also had to ensure the B2C e-store met customer requirements and integrated seamlessly with the existing ERP system, a new functional block, and the pre-existing B2B e-store.
How did Appsierra solve the testing challenges?
Appsierra operated in separate functional units while collaborating closely with the client's internal QA and engineering teams, crafting and updating test cases and testing on many devices. Beginning with iOS, the scope expanded to Android and the website, establishing a robust QA process alongside functional, non-functional, mobile, bug-reporting, and regression testing.
What testing activities were performed on the e-store?
The team assumed dual roles as customers and administrators to assess the e-store comprehensively. Activities included UX testing of the checkout journey, UI testing of product display, unit testing of the ERP and reporting module using .NET and C#, smoke testing of electronic invoice generation, integration testing of the new block, and regression testing before each release.
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