My Testing Experience with Cars.ng: Ensuring a Seamless User Journey

Testing Cars.ng: A QA Engineer's Experience

Introduction

As a QA engineer, I recently had the opportunity to test Cars.ng, a platform designed to make buying and selling cars in Nigeria easier. The experience provided valuable insights into the importance of thorough testing in ensuring a seamless user journey. My testing included functionality, usability, and performance evaluations. (For reference, you can visit the live site Cars.ng to experience its features firsthand.)

Understanding Cars.ng

Cars.ng is a marketplace that connects car buyers and sellers, offering a range of features such as vehicle listings and price comparisons. Given its role in the auto industry, the platform must remain fast, secure, and user-friendly.

Methodology

To thoroughly assess the website, I adopted the following methodology:

1. Test Planning & Scope Definition

I began by defining the scope of testing—covering both buyer and seller user flows. I prepared test cases that simulated real-life interactions, such as:

• Searching for vehicles
• Viewing detailed car pages
• Attempting account logins

2. Functional Testing

I tested various features, including:

• User Registration & Login – Ensuring users can create accounts, log in, and reset passwords without issues.
• Car Listings – Checking that users can upload, edit, and search for vehicles smoothly.

3. Usability Testing

I observed how easily users could navigate the website and complete common tasks, including:

• Assess the ease of navigation for buyers and sellers
• Test the responsiveness of the website across different devices
• Identify any UI/UX flaws that hinder the user experience.

4. Error Handling Verification

Special attention was given to scenarios where users encounter issues.

• In one test, an unregistered user trying to log in using a Google account unexpectedly triggered an HTTP 500 error instead of a clear message. Screenshot

5. Bug Documentation

Every defect discovered was documented in detail in my bug report sheet. Bug Report Sheet

• Screenshots were captured to illustrate key problems.
• For example, see the Testing Screenshot showing the 404 error when clicking the "Car Prices in Nigeria" footer link. Screenshot.

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Findings

Throughout the testing phase, several issues were observed:

🔗 Broken Links

• The “Car Prices in Nigeria” footer link on the homepage returned a 404 error. Screenshot.
• This misdirects users from essential pricing information and could impact their decision-making process.

⚠️ 500 Internal Server Error on Invalid Logins

• When unregistered users attempted to log in, the system returned an HTTP 500 error instead of a friendly error message such as “Invalid Credentials.” Screenshot
• This unhandled exception disrupts the user experience and risks exposing internal error details.

🚫 Error Handling in Login/Register Flow

• Users are unable to log in/register using the Facebook option provided, as the link was not clickable. Screen Recording attached

🔑 Password Visibility Icon Missing

• The password field does not display a visibility toggle icon, restricting users from viewing their entered passwords. Screenshot.

🖼️ Data Validation Issue

• The system is not correctly validating uploaded images, allowing unrelated content. Screenshot.
• Clicking on "Recently Added Cars" displayed random images unrelated to cars.

🔓 Logout Button Not Visible

• The Logout Button is not visible on the Landing Page and Dashboard. Screenshot attached, Desktop View.
• Users have no easy way to log out unless they manually clear cookies or close the browser.

📱 Profile/Dashboard Page Missing on Mobile

• Users cannot access their Profile/Dashboard on mobile view. Screenshot.

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Suggestions

Based on these findings, I recommend the following improvements:

1. Enforce Validation for Image Uploads

   • Ensure only images of cars and specifications can be uploaded.
   • Prevent random or unrelated images from appearing in the listings.

2. Implement a Password Visibility Toggle

   • Improve UX by adding a visibility toggle icon in the password field.

3. Establish a Regression Testing Plan

   • Ensure that new updates do not reintroduce previously fixed issues.

4. Make the Logout Button Always Visible

   • Ensure the Logout button is present in the navigation bar or user profile menu.

5. Ensure Mobile Responsiveness

   • Fix Profile/Dashboard page accessibility on mobile devices.
   • Adjust CSS styles for smaller screens.

6. Fix Broken Links

   • Update the "Car Prices in Nigeria" link to direct users to a functioning page with accurate pricing.

7. Improve Error Handling

   • Provide generic error messages such as "Invalid credentials" for unregistered users during login attempts.
   • This improves user experience and prevents exposure of sensitive server information.

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Conclusion

Testing Cars.ng was a rewarding experience, highlighting the importance of rigorous QA testing in e-commerce and marketplace platforms.

The testing process revealed several critical issues that could affect user trust and engagement. By addressing:

✅ Broken links

✅ Improving error handling

✅ Optimizing performance

The website can significantly enhance its user experience.

For those interested in the detailed documentation of the testing process, please refer to:

📌 Bug Report Sheet attached.

I hope this blog post provides useful insights into my testing experience and underscores the importance of a thorough QA process in delivering a high-quality user experience.