1. Why is Payment Security Necessary for eCommerce Business?
2. Understanding PCI DSS Requirements
3. Risks of Non-Compliance
4. Steps to Ensure Compliance for eCommerce Stores
5. PCI DSS Compliance Testing
6. Conclusion
7. How Can TestingXperts Help with Compliance Testing for eCommerce Stores?

With the exponential growth of online shopping in recent years, ensuring payment security on eCommerce stores and platforms has become crucial. As the eCommerce industry grows, so does the importance of adhering to standards that protect businesses and their customers. PCI DSS is one of the core frameworks to ensure payment card safety in the digital world. But what exactly is it, and why should online retailers care?

PCI DSS stands for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. Established by major credit card companies like Visa, MasterCard, and American Express, it is a set of requirements designed to ensure that any company that processes, stores, or transmits credit card information does so in a secure environment.

For businesses, being PCI DSS compliant is not just a recommendation; it is often a requirement. Not only does it help protect sensitive customer data, but it also shields businesses from potential financial penalties and legal consequences resulting from data breaches.

In an age where a single breach can devastate a company’s reputation, the importance of PCI DSS cannot be overstated. Knowing a retailer is PCI DSS compliant gives consumers the confidence to shop with peace of mind, knowing their payment information is safe.

Why is Payment Security Necessary for eCommerce Business?

eCommerce businesses deal with abundant sensitive information. Cybercriminals are eager to exploit sensitive data, from home addresses to payment details. Ensuring payment security is not about securing credit card details but creating an overall environment where customers feel their data is respected and protected.

Several layers contribute to this security:

Encryption

Encrypting data ensures that the information remains unintelligible to unauthorised parties even if intercepted.

Secure Socket Layer (SSL)

SSL certificates ensure secure data transfer, especially during transactions. Most shoppers now look for the padlock symbol in their browsers before purchasing.

Tokenisation

Instead of storing sensitive card details, systems can use tokens representing the card data without exposing the actual information.

Regular Security Audits

Ensuring an eCommerce platform is checked for vulnerabilities and keeping software up to date are pivotal to maintaining a secure environment.

Understanding PCI DSS Requirements

The PCI DSS is built around 12 fundamental requirements, broken into six broader categories. These requirements serve as a roadmap for businesses to safeguard customer payment data:

Build and Maintain a Secure Network and Systems

• Install and maintain a firewall configuration to protect cardholder data

• Change vendor-supplied defaults for system passwords and other security parameters

Protect Cardholder Data

• Protect stored cardholder data

• Encrypt transmission of cardholder data across open, public networks

Maintain a Vulnerability Management Programme

• Use and regularly update anti-virus software or programs

• Develop and maintain secure systems and applications

Implement Strong Access Control Measures

• Assign a unique ID to each person with computer access

•Restrict physical access to cardholder data

Regularly Monitor and Test Networks

• Track and monitor all access to network resources and cardholder data

• Regularly test security systems and processes

Maintain an Information Security Policy

• Maintain a policy that addresses information security for all personnel

It is essential to familiarise oneself with some key definitions to understand PCI DSS:

Cardholder Data (CHD)

This refers to any information printed, processed, transmitted, or stored in any form on a payment card. It encompasses the cardholder’s primary account number (PAN), cardholder name, expiry date, and service code.

Sensitive Authentication Data (SAD)

It is related to the information used to authenticate cardholders and confirm payment card transactions. It includes full magnetic stripe data, CAV2/CVC2/CVV2/CID, and PINs/PIN blocks. It is important to note that SAD should never be stored post-authorization.

Merchant

Any business entity that accepts payment cards bearing the logos of any of the five members of the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) – American Express, Discover, JCB, MasterCard, and Visa – as payment for goods or services.

Service Provider

A business entity, excluding the payment brands, directly involved in processing, storing, or transmitting cardholder data on behalf of another entity.

Risks of Non-Compliance

Safeguarding customer payment data is not just a matter of ethical business practice. It also helps avoid substantial financial and reputational risks. Many eCommerce businesses underestimate the implications of non-compliance with PCI DSS, but doing so can lead to severe consequences.

Not being able to comply with PCI DSS compliance exposes businesses to potential fines and penalties:

Banks impose fines

The banks that process payment card transactions can fine for non-compliance. These fines range from a few thousand pounds and can escalate to tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds for repeated violations or in case of a data breach.

Compensation costs

If a business suffers a data breach due to non-compliance, it must compensate affected customers. These compensations cover fraudulent transactions and credit monitoring services.

Forensic investigations

Post a breach, the business might need to conduct a forensic examination to determine the cause and extent of the breach. Such investigations come at a substantial cost.

Loss of card processing privileges

In extreme cases of non-compliance, the license to process card transactions can be revoked. For an eCommerce business, this spells disaster, significantly hampering sales and operations.

Loss of customer trust

Customers entrust their payment data to eCommerce businesses, expecting it to be kept safe. A breach shatters this trust, making it challenging to rebuild. Many customers might choose never to shop at that eCommerce store again.

Bad publicity

Data breaches, especially payment information-related, attract media attention. Negative press can tarnish a brand image, leading to declining sales and profitability.

Drop in shareholder value

For a publicly traded company, news of non-compliance or a related data breach can negatively impact their stock price, affecting shareholder value.

Steps to Ensure Compliance for eCommerce Stores

Achieving and maintaining PCI DSS compliance requires proactive action. Let us explore the crucial steps eCommerce stores should take:

Securing Cardholder Data: Storage, Transmission, and Encryption

Securing cardholder data remains the key aspect of PCI DSS compliance. Here is how to ensure that cardholder data is secure:

Limit data storage

Only store cardholder data if essential. Regularly audit and delete unnecessary stored data.

Use robust encryption

When transmitting cardholder data across open, public networks, use strong cryptography and security protocols, such as SSL/TLS or IPSEC, to safeguard sensitive cardholder data during transmission.

Protect stored data

Implement encryption, truncation, tokenisation, or masking to protect stored cardholder data. Avoid storing sensitive authentication data after transaction authorisation.

Regularly Testing and Monitoring Security Systems

There needs to be more than a static approach to security. Continuous monitoring is the key:

Conduct vulnerability scans

Regularly scan the systems for vulnerabilities. Many third-party providers offer services that identify potential weak points in your network.

Perform penetration tests

Periodically test to see how well systems can fend off attacks. These tests simulate cyberattacks, helping identify areas of improvement.

Monitor access logs

Keep a keen eye on who accesses the systems. Suspicious activity can hint at potential security threats.

Implementing Strong Access Control Measures

Only some people within the business need access to cardholder data. It is important to restrict and monitor access:

Role-based access

Assign access to cardholder data based on job roles. Only provide access to employees who need it for their job functions.

Use unique IDs

Ensure each person with computer access has a unique ID. It helps in tracking and monitoring individual access.

Two-factor authentication

Implement two-factor authentication for added security, especially for remote access. It requires users to provide two separate forms of identification before gaining access.

Regularly Testing and Monitoring Security Systems

There needs to be more than a static approach to security. Continuous monitoring is the key:

Conduct vulnerability scans

Regularly scan the systems for vulnerabilities. Many third-party providers offer services that identify potential weak points in your network.

Perform penetration tests

Periodically test to see how well systems can fend off attacks. These tests simulate cyberattacks, helping identify areas of improvement.

Monitor access logs

Keep a keen eye on who accesses the systems. Suspicious activity can hint at potential security threats.

Implementing Strong Access Control Measures

Only some people within the business need access to cardholder data. It is important to restrict and monitor access:

Role-based access

Assign access to cardholder data based on job roles. Only provide access to employees who need it for their job functions.

Use unique IDs

Ensure each person with computer access has a unique ID. It helps in tracking and monitoring individual access.

Two-factor authentication

Implement two-factor authentication for added security, especially for remote access. It requires users to provide two separate forms of identification before gaining access.

Maintaining an Information Security Policy

Lastly, but most importantly, instil a culture of security:

Document policies

Have a clear, written policy detailing all security measures. Ensure all employees understand and commit to following this policy.

Ongoing training

Regularly train staff on the importance of cardholder data security and the practices they should follow.

Review and update

The digital landscape evolves, and so do threats. Regularly review and update information security policy to stay ahead of potential risks.

PCI DSS Compliance Testing

Compliance testing evaluates the security measures of an eCommerce platform against the PCI DSS standards. It identifies areas of non-compliance, highlighting vulnerabilities that cybercriminals could exploit.

Consistent testing ensures that your systems remain resilient against evolving cyber threats. It guarantees that any changes or updates to your eCommerce platform do not introduce new vulnerabilities. Furthermore, regular testing helps businesses stay aligned with the evolving PCI DSS standards.

Different Types of Tests

Vulnerability Scans

These automated, non-intrusive scans check a system for known vulnerabilities. They are a good starting point but need to be complemented by more in-depth tests.

Penetration Tests

These involve simulating cyber-attacks on a system to identify vulnerabilities not detected in vulnerability scans. It gives a real-world perspective on potential security threats.

Segmentation Checks

These determine if the segmentation methods effectively isolate cardholder data from other networks.

File Integrity Monitoring

This checks for unauthorised changes to critical system files, configurations, and content files, providing alerts if any discrepancies are detected.

Compliance Testing Tools and Services

Various tools and services facilitate effective PCI DSS compliance testing:

Qualys PCI Compliance

It is an automated tool that finds and seals security gaps. It offers comprehensive vulnerability scanning and helps in generating necessary compliance reports.

Tenable Nessus

It is a widely known vulnerability scanning tool that identifies vulnerabilities, configuration issues, and more.

Trustwave

This tool provides testing services, including vulnerability scans, penetration testing, and risk assessments.

OpenVAS

A free, open-source vulnerability scanning tool that can identify potential weak points in your system.

Interpreting Test Results and Implementing Recommendations

Step-1: Understand the Results

Work with cybersecurity professionals to understand the test results thoroughly. Not all vulnerabilities carry the same priority. Determine which ones require immediate attention.

Step-2: Prioritise Fixes

Address the most critical vulnerabilities, especially those that pose immediate threats to cardholder data.

Step-3: Implement Recommendations

Use the test insights to implement security enhancements. It involves software updates, configuration changes, or even overhauls of specific processes.

Step-4: Document Everything

For compliance purposes and future reference, document all test results, the steps taken to address vulnerabilities, and any changes made to the system.

Step-5: Repeat Testing

After implementing changes, re-test to ensure the vulnerabilities have been effectively addressed. Regularly schedule compliance tests to maintain a robust security posture.

Conclusion

eCommerce presents businesses with unparalleled opportunities for growth and customer engagement. However, as online transactions multiply, so do the responsibilities of ensuring secure exchanges of sensitive information. The significance of PCI DSS compliance is a cornerstone of effective and trustworthy online business operations. From understanding the core requirements to the rigorous compliance testing processes, maintaining a secure environment is an ongoing commitment. As cyber threats evolve and diversify, periodic evaluations and enhancements of security protocols are not optional but a business imperative. Businesses that diligently uphold these standards safeguard their operations and fortify their standing in a competitive digital marketplace.

How Can TestingXperts Help with Compliance Testing for eCommerce Stores?

TestingXperts offers tailored compliance testing services, ensuring your online store stands robust against evolving cyber threats and regulatory mandates. We combine expertise, innovation, and experience to deliver unparalleled results for your eCommerce platform. Here is what sets us apart:

Expertise in PCI DSS Standards

Our team comprises QA professionals with a deep knowledge of the PCI DSS standards. We understand the intricacies of the eCommerce sector and tailor our strategies to align with your specific needs.

Comprehensive Testing Suite

From vulnerability scans and penetration testing to segmentation checks and file integrity monitoring, we offer a wide range of testing services, ensuring no vulnerability goes unnoticed.

Innovative Tools and Technologies

We leverage the latest tools in the industry, combined with custom solutions, to provide precise, effective, and timely results.

Continuous Monitoring

We offer continuous monitoring services, ensuring your platform remains compliant and secure amidst the ever-evolving cyber threats.

Transparent Reporting

Our detailed reports provide actionable insights, helping you understand vulnerabilities and implement effective countermeasures.

Tailored Solutions

Every eCommerce store is unique. We offer bespoke testing strategies tailored to your platform’s architecture, needs, and challenges.

Contact our QA experts now to find out more about TestingXpert’s compliance testing services.

The post Is Your eCommerce Store PCI DSS Compliance Ready? first appeared on TestingXperts.

Content 1. Some Popular Incidents of Website Crashes During Black Fridays 2. The Real Cost of eCommerce Site Crashes on Black Friday 3. eCommerce Performance Testing for Black Friday 2023 and Beyond 4. Conclusion 5. How can Tx help?

Last year’s Black Friday set new records for eCommerce, and 2023 shows no signs of slowing down. People are already planning for Christmas this year, the holiday shopping-inspired rush of Black Friday and Cyber Monday is approaching fast.

Millions of online shoppers look forward to visiting the eCommerce stores on Black Friday and Cyber Monday this year to shop for the latest sale items. Customers search for the best deals while expecting a fun and frictionless shopping experience. Unprepared eCommerce stores with slow or crashing applications will, however, disappoint the buyers, who will eventually move to their competitor sites.

It’s a no-brainer; customers will choose the sites where the shopping experience is user-friendly and frictionless.

Some Popular Incidents of Website Crashes During Black Fridays

• Walmart and GameStop Corp. experienced website outages, site crashes, slow load time, and other performance issues during Cyber 5.

• Crew, the American multi-brand apparel and accessories retailer, lost $775,000 in sales and disappointed more than 323,000 shoppers in one holiday afternoon.

• GlassesUSA, the online retailer for prescription glasses, encountered 502 Bad Gateway server problems during CyberWeek and lost hefty site traffic.

• Costco faced losses worth $11 million as the website faced performance issues and went down for more than 16 Hrs.

The Real Cost of eCommerce Site Crashes on Black Friday

As seen in many reports and surveys, digital shopping is the future. It’s especially true during the holiday season when deal-hungry consumers rush to the online stores and fill their shopping carts. As the holiday season approaches, eCommerce businesses are concerned about their websites experiencing crashes and other performance issues.

Retailers have realized that Black Friday is no longer a single-day event. Customers seek great deals and discounts days in advance and wish them to last through the holiday season of Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Green Monday, and Christmas.

When eCommerce sites are unprepared to handle the performance and load during peak hours, they look at irreparable damage to their businesses. Apart from the heavy revenue losses businesses face during such crashes, non-performing sites also lead to irreparable loss of brand credibility and customer loyalty.

eCommerce Performance Testing for Black Friday 2023 and Beyond

eCommerce apps are complex platforms with multiple features like payment options, search options, cart, and product details. Each functionality should perform seamlessly to deliver the best user experience. This requires thorough eCommerce performance testing to evaluate whether the app can handle the sudden surge during the holiday season. Performance testing highlights the performance-related problems with the app long before the customers do. Here is how eCommerce apps should be tested for performance and scalability.

Perform speed and load testing:

eCommerce businesses should consider load tests to understand the estimated load handling capacity. A robust and effective load testing strategy should ensure that the website or the mobile application handles the anticipated load without crashing. Leveraging analytics from previous years’ traffic, it is recommended to estimate loads and run eCommerce performance testing accordingly. Critical user paths that should be tested include the login page, registration page, products, checkout, shopping carts, and similar pages.

Ensure the website is running seamlessly:

Mobile apps and web apps should be made to perform seamlessly and handle numerous transactions without any glitches. Retailers should see that their web and mobile apps are tested for both their functional and non-functional app components to ensure they deliver a great customer experience to provide seamless transactions across the value chain from adding to cart till the transaction, along with seamless gateway passage until check out.

Ensure safe and secure online transactions to customers:

With the rampant cyber-attacks continuing, eCommerce businesses should ensure their customers’ critical data is secure and safe and that no personal transaction data is exposed to any security attack. Security testing should be taken up to ensure these web apps and mobile apps are free from cyber threats, especially during the holiday season when online transactions are at an all-time high.

Ensure website accessibility:

eCommerce web apps should be accessible to specially-abled people. When testing for accessibility, the key areas to consider are color blindness, impaired vision, blindness, deafness, hearing impairment, motor impairment, etc. People with disabilities also want to shop online from the comfort of their homes, and accessibility testing ensures they, too, have a seamless shopping experience.

Ensure seamless customer experience (CX):

Identify the weak points in UI/UX and make the necessary updates to provide an intuitive interaction with the eCommerce app. eCommerce organizations should focus on the system’s ease of use and streamline critical features such as easy browsing, user-friendly navigation, handy catalog, and so on.

Ensure usability across website features:

Online retailers should ensure that the application is easy to use and that the users are able to find their products within a few clicks. The interface should be intuitive and not confuse users on finding the products from the list, making payments, etc. If the website’s interface is hard to use, the users might be convinced to look elsewhere.

Ensure mobile-readiness of apps:

Multiple devices or platforms may be involved throughout a customer’s buying journey. Customers may research their products on their smartphones and then place their orders on their iPad or other mobile devices. As a result, multi-device testing on eCommerce apps should be performed across various mobile devices, operating systems, and browsers to ensure a seamless sales transition from platform to platform.

Conclusion

Retailers and eCommerce businesses worldwide will try to make the most out of the upcoming holiday sales. But, to reap significant benefits from the shopping season, effective performance and holiday readiness of apps are important to meet the peak load requirements. Businesses must leverage eCommerce performance testing for high-performing, holiday-ready apps that do not hamper the sales flows while customers continue to buy the products online. Performance testing is crucial for any eCommerce business wishing to keep its credibility during the holiday season, maximize revenues, and keep customers happy. However, this complex process requires high levels of technical expertise and an understanding of performance testing tools, methodologies, and best practices.

TestingXperts (Tx) is a leading performance and load testing service provider for businesses across domains. Leverage next-gen testing services provider for end-to-end digital and performance testing of your systems to deliver a seamless shopping experience to your users this holiday season.

How can Tx help?

Prevent Black Friday Crashes by leveraging our performance testing accelerator Tx-PEARS.

Tx-PEARS:

It is an in-house developed robust framework that helps with all your non-functional testing requirements, including continuous monitoring of your infrastructure in production and lower environments. A consolidated platform to perform security, performance, and accessibility testing to deliver scalable, robust, reliable, and accessible apps to all. This tool can be leveraged to fine-tune your app’s performance effectively as it:

• Ensures to deliver quality products with effective non-functional testing services enabled through a single framework

• Provides actionable tuning recommendations to the development team which need to be implemented to get high app performance

• Provides detailed insights into the performance bottlenecks at the application server, web server, and database server level

• Helps improve the overall lifecycle of the identified performance issues

• Proides detailed reports to the clients and stakeholders to gather actionable insights

The post Boost your Black Friday Sales with eCommerce Performance Testing first appeared on TestingXperts.

Content 1. How is Black Friday 2023 going to be different? 2. Major areas where Black Friday 2023 is going to be different   2.1 More online competition than ever   2.2 Black Friday 2023 will not be a one week-end show   2.3 Innovative slot system may be the trend   2.4 Sneak peeks and flash sales might dominate 3. Challenges eCommerce Businesses face during Black Friday 4. How can you overcome these Black Friday challenges? 5. Conclusion

How is Black Friday 2023 going to be different?

Major areas where Black Friday 2023 is going to be different

More online competition than ever:

Black Friday 2023 will not be a one week-end show:

Innovative slot system may be the trend:

Sneak peeks and flash sales might dominate:

Challenges eCommerce Businesses face during Black Friday

Unpredictable performance of server under varying loads:

Security and data privacy:

Difficulty in managing customer requests & other offers:

Trouble in handling and managing alerts & notifications:

Usability issues with the app:

App accessibility to support differently abled people:

How can you overcome these Black Friday challenges?

Leverage performance testing:

Conduct security test:

Adopt Digital testing:

Leverage automation:

Leverage usability testing:

Perform website accessibility testing:

Conclusion

The post Are your eCommerce and Retail Apps Ready for Black Friday 2023? first appeared on TestingXperts.

COVID-19 pandemic is widely affecting the businesses across the globe. The only way for faster resilience is to follow certain measures as mentioned in the below infographic for sustaining a successful eCommerce Business.

Steps To Sustain your E-commerce Business During COVID-19 Pandemic

The post How to Sustain your E-commerce Business During COVID-19 Pandemic? first appeared on TestingXperts.

Content 1. Surge in eCommerce Industry 2. Need for Retailers to Invest in eCommerce Business and Platforms 3. Surge in eCommerce Business during this Pandemic 4. How to Build your E-commerce Business During COVID-19 Pandemic? 5. Conclusion

Surge in eCommerce Industry

Undoubtedly, COVID-19 has been hurting mankind in all ways mentioned above, and even the in-store traffic has come to a halt as people rarely visit stores to buy their products due to the prevailing situation.

It is interesting to note that although the in-stores have been widely affected, there has been surges in the online shopping using all preferred mediums of eCommerce channels using digital transformation, as people are forced to stay at home and place their orders as they experience anxiety over the virus spread.

According to Adobe Analytics, data which monitors the eCommerce transactions of 80 of the top 100 U.S. retailers, it states that there is a mounting concern over the COVID-19 outbreak’s impact in the United States on the online shopping behavior.

Another research by RetailDive suggests that it is a boon to eCommerce business, which allows consumers to find what they require without physically visiting to a store. While COVID-19 is hurting in-store traffic for some retailers, others have seen surges in online shopping, as anxiety over the pandemic increases.

Need for Retailers to Invest in eCommerce Business and Platforms

This pandemic outbreak has led to the inevitability of people accessing digital mediums to perform their shopping using various online eCommerce websites. It is a truth that to everyone’s dismay, the supply chains are disrupted and majorly with the production lines halted, there is a necessity for retailers to invest in eCommerce business to further sustain post this COVID-19 situation.

Basically, an eCommerce platform helps their retailers to minimize the impact of any future disruptions and essentially upholds their sales numbers even in the absence of foot traffic to their physical stores.

Moreover, eCommerce business is said to deliver many benefits for micro, small and medium retailers by providing them access to wider markets, and ensuring greater geographic access to their products. These eCommerce sites also help in making them successfully compete with larger players in the segment.

Thus, the eCommerce business during this pandemic has been facing more demand for essential products such as healthcare products, medicines, hand sanitizers, face masks and other medical products.

Now. Let us look at some of the top reasons for the surge in eCommerce business during the pandemic.

Surge in eCommerce Business during this Pandemic

Today, with people living in isolation and uncertainty around, there has been changes in their shopping behavior. As stated by Business Insider, peoples shopping behavior has been changed from bulk-buying to online shopping, people are changing what they’re buying, when, and how.

Surge in online medical item purchases:

It has been observed that with the pandemic, there has been an evident spurt in the purchase of medicines post the COVID-19 outbreak. With the virus fears spreading more, people are generally opting to order and buy more medicines.

Adobe’s analysis of eCommerce transactions found that purchases for cold, cough & flu products have increased 198%, while online purchases for pain relievers increased 152%. eCommerce purchases of the virus protection category of products such as hand sanitizers, gloves, masks and antibacterial sprays have surged by 817%, according to Adobe’s analysis.

Rush for purchase of groceries online increased:

There has been an increased sale of groceries as people are essentially locked down and wish to support themselves from this unprecedented situation by ordering online through eCommerce sites.

Easy access to essential products:

Today, due to the coronavirus contagious disease, people prefer safe purchase and eventually prefer safe shopping experience. They continue to order and purchase essential products through performing online digital transactions to keep themselves safe from any possible virus exposure.

All the above factors state the increasing importance of eCommerce business. Hence, retailers should take all possible steps to ensure great shopping experience to their customers.

How to Build your E-commerce Business During COVID-19 Pandemic?

With the growing uneasiness around the world with the spread of the coronavirus, it is keeping people away from moving around at public places and there is thinning attendance across all the physical stores. They prefer to choose eCommerce platforms for their essentials due to the unforeseen eventuality caused due to the pandemic.

Hence, eCommerce businesses should take advantage of the situation and ensure their eCommerce platforms, eCommerce websites and eCommerce mobile apps are flawless, secure, and are delivering great user experience with great performance.

1. Ensure to deliver seamless eCommerce platform/web/mobile apps performance:

While users add the products to their cart as they browse for the products of their choice, it is important that the eCommerce websites and eCommerce apps should deliver great user experience. eCommerce apps should be flawless and perform seamlessly even while handling loads of users.

In order to achieve seamless mobile app performance, businesses should avail effective performance and load testing by next-gen performance testing experts. This is more important especially with the present COVID-19 situation, as more users continue to login and place their orders through eCommerce sites.

2. Ensure seamless digital transactions along with Security:

Online customers tend to abandon eCommerce apps and eCommerce websites when they encounter delays at the processing time. It is essential for retail businesses to ensure and deliver seamless digital transactions during order processing.

In addition, along with the seamless payment and order processing, users should be ensured of safe and secure transactions at every level. With the connected devices and connected world in place, there are more cyber-attacks that have become common across eCommerce channels.

Hence, this can be overcome by leveraging effective security testing by next-gen security testing experts. These security testing experts perform end-to-end security testing to deliver eCommerce websites and apps that are safe and secure for performing digital transactions. They even safeguard eCommerce portals from any possible threats and vulnerabilities in these unprecedented times.

3. Adopt AI and ML Models in apps to improve CX:

Businesses can use Artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to really entice their users with great features that delight customers by delivering great user experience (UX). It is essential to deliver an effective AI-enabled eCommerce based model that delivers all latest features the millennials look for today.

4. Use of Latest AR & VR Technology to Ease Customer Preferences:

eCommerce businesses should look out to adopt augmented and virtual reality to try on each product. During the on-going crisis, this might work out better especially for some of the shopping categories like shoes, bags, etc.

5. Establish ways to reassure customers better informed:

During this crisis period, communicate properly with your customers to ensure about their order placement status and answer all their queries quickly. Also inform the people the latest updated news through maintaining a blog or a separate portal that holds handy for the customers.

Conclusion

In these testing times with COVID-19 pandemic, isolating people with social distancing and lockout in many countries, users continue to look out for options to ease their shopping behavior. Undoubtedly, during lockdown and further, people will look for eCommerce options to purchase medicines, groceries and other essential products.

This is a crucial time when retailers need to brace up and build their eCommerce business by enabling effective and seamless secure digital transactions to attract more users. It is essential for businesses to look out for performance and security testing of their eCommerce mobile apps and eCommerce websites to ensure safe and secure transactions along with delivering great customer experience to digital customers.

The post What is the Effect of Current Pandemic on Retail eCommerce? first appeared on TestingXperts.

Summer seems to be ending very quickly and the holidays are fast approaching. Is your website/application up and running as planned? Even if it is, it needs to be additionally prepped for the fall and winter holiday shopping season. Sometimes, the application is not able to withstand the sudden influx of users and before you know it, either the website servers are down, or the payment gateway crashes. This negligence can end up having an adverse impact on the brand. Executing a great amount of testing can help you cover different conditions under a uniform environment.

Contents 1. E-commerce Testing Techniques 2. Perfecting the Performance 3. Giving Prominence to Usability Testing 4. Getting the Spotlight on Security 5. Conclusion

Let us talk about 3 most effective testing techniques that help your e-commerce company to deal with adverse situations on those big days.

2. Giving Prominence to Usability Testing:

Considering that e-commerce websites hold plenty of dynamic content, usability testing helps testers detect issues faced by potential users. The testing is performed under given scenarios that represent realistic conditions. A/B testing or split testing comes under this category and is possibly the most effective method to provide a choice of desired user experience to your customers.

3. Getting the Spotlight on Security:

Security is not an option. In fact, it is an important aspect that can either make or break your e-commerce company. Ensuring that your website is secure is possibly the most important advice here. While other issues can be ignored, overlooked, or elapsed time but security issues can have a huge impact on your business. The amount of sensitive information, an e-commerce application has increased the risk of it getting hacked. To deal with such instances, prior security measures should be taken in the form of extensive security testing.

Conclusion

Since your website/application is the gateway to your business, you should embrace the right testing strategy that helps you deliver the right buying experience to your customers and helps you gain more and more customers. Once you are ready with planning an effective testing strategy, all you need to do is to assign the right time and resources.

TestingXperts is the leading provider of e-commerce testing solutions globally. We cater to customers across various industry domains, through effective testing solutions. We have successfully performed usability testing for our numerous clients. Get in touch with us if you are looking to test usability aspects of your business applications.

The post Is your E-Commerce Application Ready for the upcoming Holiday Season? first appeared on TestingXperts.

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