In the world of e-commerce, the way products are presented to customers can make or break a sale. Two decisive pages that shape the online shopping experience are the Product Listing Page (PLP) and the Product Detailing Page (PDP).
The Product Listing Page (PLP) serves as a catalogue, showcasing multiple products based on categories, search queries, or filters. It allows users to quickly browse and compare products, helping them find what they need with minimal effort.
Further, the Product Detailing Page (PDP) focuses on a single product, offering in-depth information such as specifications, pricing, reviews, images, and more. It is highly significant for helping customers make a decision about what to buy by giving them clarity and confidence.
Testing both PLP and PDP thoroughly ensures that users enjoy a smooth, intuitive, and error-free shopping experience, ultimately driving higher engagement and conversions for e-commerce businesses. This blog will delve into the key aspects of PLP and PDP testing for e-commerce websites. and covers good ways to do it, problems that come up often, and strategies that actually work.
The Product Listing Page (PLP) is the digital storefront where customers first interact with products. Any defects here, it can really annoy shoppers and make them head over to other sites pretty quick. Thing is, we see these top 10 bugs popping up a lot in PLPs.
1. Images Not Loading or Incorrectly Mapped: Product images are the visual anchor of a PLP. When they fail to show up or display the wrong item, customers end up confused or misled. This stuff happens from busted URLs, mistakes in the database, or problems on the server side. You have to make sure images link right to products and optimizing image loading are key to retain shopper trust.
2. Filters Not Applying Correctly or Showing Irrelevant Products: Filters help users narrow down choices based on attributes like size, color, or price. Bugs where filters don’t work or show unrelated products can create a poor browsing experience, making it hard for customers to find what they want.
3. Products Not Sorted Correctly: Products showing up out of order when sorted. Options like sorting by price, relevance, new stuff, or popular items need to work spot on. Bugs can jumble everything randomly. That breaks the flow. Users waste time hunting for what they want.
4. Duplicate or Missing Products, and Navigation Failures: Sometimes products appear twice on a listing or are missing altogether due to sync issues with the inventory database or APIs. On top of that, pagination buttons or next and previous links might not respond, restricting users from exploring the full catalog.
5. Incorrect or Inconsistent Prices Displayed: common issue occurs when the price shown on the PLP does not match the PDP (Product Detail Page) or the cart. This difference confuses customers and may cause cart abandonment.
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6. Currency Display Mismatches: Global e-commerce sites often face currency mismatches. For example, the PLP may show prices in USD while the PDP or cart switches to GBP, creating distrust in the checkout process. Any mismatch affects credibility and may deter purchases.
7. Page Does Not Update After Refresh: When users apply filters or sort products, these changes need to persist even after a page reload. If the PLP resets to default, users lose their place and must repeat actions, degrading the experience.
8. Stock Status Mismatches: If the PLP shows products as “In Stock” but the PDP or cart marks them “Out of Stock,” This results in disappointment and wasted time for shoppers.
9. Clicking on a Product Leads to 404 or Incorrect Pages: Broken links leading to error pages or irrelevant product details interrupt the shopping flow and diminish site reliability.
10. Slow Page Load Times: PLPs often load many products and images, making speed optimisation essential. Long loading delays discourage users and impact SEO rankings.
The Product Detail Page (PDP) plays an important role in converting browsers into buyers by providing detailed product information, visuals, and purchase options. A faulty PDP can break trust, mislead users, and directly reduce conversions. Below are the 10 most common bugs that occur on PDPs:
1. Zoom/Slider Not Working or Wrong Product Images Shown: Zoom and image sliders allow customers to view products from multiple angles and in detail. If the zoom doesn’t work, the slider freezes, or unrelated product images are displayed, it creates doubt about the product’s authenticity.
2. Product Specifications Not Aligning with Backend Info: Details such as size, material, weight, or features must match backend data. Mismatches between product specifications displayed on the PDP and the actual backend or inventory data confuse users and cause returns or dissatisfaction.
3. Incorrect or Outdated Pricing Displayed: Price discrepancies due to caching issues or delayed updates are major trust breakers. Customers may abandon purchases if they see different prices on PDP versus checkout.
4. Stock Availability Conflicts: A PDP may display a product as “In Stock,” but once the customer proceeds to checkout, it shows “Out of Stock.” This not only causes disappointment but also lowers the chances of the customer returning.
5. Add to Cart Button Not Working or Product Not Added Correctly: Technical bugs that prevent adding products to the cart or cause incorrect quantities/additions disrupt the checkout funnel and increase cart abandonment.
6. Size/Colour Options Missing or Mapped Wrongly: Missing or wrongly configured variant options confuse customers and prevent them from selecting the product they want.
7. Reviews Not Displayed or Submission Not Working: Customer reviews influence buying decisions. Issues that hide reviews or prevent users from submitting their feedback reduce credibility and social proof.
8. Pincode Check or Delivery Estimate Showing Wrong Info: Delivery availability is a key decision factor. Incorrect or broken results (e.g., showing “Available” in areas where it’s not) lead to failed deliveries and poor customer experience.
9. Related Products Section Broken: Cross-selling via related or recommended products helps increase order value. Missing or broken links in these sections reduce merchandising effectiveness.
10. Mismatch with ERP or Inventory Data: Information mismatches between the PDP and the enterprise resource planning (ERP) or inventory system cause customer confusion and operational errors.
Testing a Product Listing Page (PLP) ensures customers can browse, filter, and select products smoothly. As the digital catalog of an e-commerce site, PLPs require strong validation. Below are 20 key test cases every QA team should cover
Test Case ID | Test Scenario | Steps to Reproduce | Expected Result |
PLP-TC-01 | Verify product images are displayed correctly. | 1. Navigate to any Product Listing Page (e.g., Category page, Search results).
2. Observe the product images for all products. |
All product images should be loaded without being broken, pixelated, or stretched. They should maintain correct aspect ratio. |
PLP-TC-02 | Verify sorting by price works properly (Low to High). | 1. Navigate to a PLP with multiple products.
2. Select the “Sort by” dropdown. 3. Choose “Price: Low to High”. |
The product list should be re-ordered, showing the product with the lowest price first, followed by progressively higher prices. |
PLP-TC-03 | Verify sorting by price works properly (High to Low). | 1. Navigate to a PLP with multiple products.
2. Select the “Sort by” dropdown. 3. Choose “Price: High to Low”. |
The product list should be re-ordered, showing the product with the highest price first, followed by progressively lower prices. |
PLP-TC-04 | Verify sorting by popularity/relevance works. | 1. Navigate to a PLP.
2. Select the “Sort by” dropdown. 3. Choose “Popularity” or “Relevance”. |
The product list should be re-ordered according to the site’s logic (e.g., best-selling items first for “Popularity,” best match for search term for “Relevance”). |
PLP-TC-05 | Verify filter by brand works as expected. | 1. Navigate to a PLP.
2. In the filters sidebar, check a checkbox for a specific brand. |
The product list should update to show only products belonging to the selected brand. The filter tag should appear. |
PLP-TC-06 | Verify filter by price range works as expected. | 1. Navigate to a PLP.
2. In the filters sidebar, set a minimum and maximum price value (e.g., $50 – $100). 3. Apply the filter. |
The product list should update to show only products whose price falls within the specified range. |
PLP-TC-07 | Verify filter by category works as expected. | 1. Navigate to a high-level category PLP.
2. In the filters sidebar, check a checkbox for a sub-category. |
The product list should update to show only products belonging to the selected sub-category. |
PLP-TC-08 | Verify multiple filters can be applied together. | 1. Navigate to a PLP.
2. Apply a brand filter (e.g., Brand A). 3. Apply a price range filter (e.g., $25-$50). 4. Apply a category filter (e.g., “Wireless”). |
The product list should update to show only products that match all applied filters (e.g., Products from Brand A, that are Wireless, and priced between $25 and $50). All filter tags should be visible. |
PLP-TC-09 | Verify pagination loads the correct set of products. | 1. Navigate to a PLP with multiple pages of results.
2. Click on the “Page 2” link/button. |
The page should reload or update, displaying the next set of products. The URL should reflect the page number (e.g., ?page=2). The “Previous” and “Next” buttons should update accordingly. |
PLP-TC-10 | Verify products per page setting works. | 1. Navigate to a PLP.
2. Change the “Items per page” setting from 20 to 40. |
The page should reload, and the number of products displayed on the page should increase from 20 to 40 (or the maximum available). |
PLP-TC-11 | Verify products are clickable and redirect to correct PDP. | 1. Navigate to a PLP.
2. Click on any product image or product title. |
The user should be redirected to the correct Product Detail Page (PDP) for the selected product. |
PLP-TC-12 | Verify discounted products show correct price strike-off. | 1. Navigate to a PLP containing products on discount.
2. Locate a product with a discount. |
The original price should be displayed with a strikethrough line. The discounted price should be displayed prominently, often in a different color. |
PLP-TC-13 | Verify wishlist functionality works from PLP. | 1. Navigate to a PLP.
2. Click the “Add to Wishlist” icon (e.g., a heart) on a product card. |
The wishlist icon should change state (e.g., fill with color). The product should be added to the user’s wishlist. |
PLP-TC-14 | Verify quick add to cart works from PLP. | 1. Navigate to a PLP.
2. Click the “Quick Add to Cart” button on a product card. |
The product should be added to the shopping cart. A confirmation message (e.g., “Item added to cart”) should appear. The cart icon/counter should update. |
PLP-TC-15 | Verify stock status is visible. | 1. Navigate to a PLP.
2. Observe the product cards. |
Each product should clearly display its stock status (e.g., “In Stock,” “Out of Stock,” “Low Stock”). |
PLP-TC-16 | Verify currency is correct across products. | 1. Navigate to a PLP.
2. Check the price for multiple products. |
All prices must be displayed in the correct, consistent currency (e.g., $, €, £) as per the site’s region/language settings. |
PLP-TC-17 | Verify infinite scroll loads correct results (if applicable). | 1. Navigate to a PLP that uses infinite scroll.
2. Scroll to the bottom of the page. |
The next set of products should automatically load and append to the current list without a page refresh. The URL may update to reflect the new page view. |
PLP-TC-18 | Verify no duplicate products are shown. | 1. Navigate to a PLP.
2. Browse through all products on the page and subsequent pages. |
No single product should appear more than once on the same page or across pagination for a given set of filters/sort. |
PLP-TC-19 | Verify search results integrated into PLP display correctly. | 1. Use the site’s search bar to search for a product term (e.g., “wireless headphones”).
2. Land on the search results PLP. |
The page title/header should indicate it is a search results page (e.g., “Results for ‘wireless headphones'”). All displayed products should be relevant to the search term. |
PLP-TC-20 | Verify breadcrumb navigation works from PLP. | 1. Navigate to a sub-category PLP (e.g., Electronics > Phones > Smartphones).
2. Click on the “Phones” link in the breadcrumb trail. |
The user should be navigated back to the parent “Phones” category page. |
PLP-TC-21 | Verify mobile responsiveness of PLP layout. | 1. Access the PLP on a mobile device or using browser developer tools to simulate a mobile viewport.
2. Check the layout, images, filters, and product cards. |
The page layout should adapt correctly. Product cards should stack vertically. The UI should be touch-friendly, and all text should be readable without horizontal scrolling. |
PLP-TC-22 | Verify broken links do not exist on product cards. | 1. Navigate to a PLP.
2. Use a link-checking tool or manually right-click on product images/links and check their URL. 3. Attempt to navigate. |
All hyperlinks associated with the product card (image, title) should lead to a valid, live PDP (200 HTTP status, no 404 errors). |
PLP-TC-23 | Verify SEO tags (title/alt text) for product images. | 1. Navigate to a PLP.
2. Right-click on a product image and select “Inspect” to view the HTML. |
Each product image (<img> tag) should have descriptive alt text defined (e.g., alt=”Brand Name Product Model in Color”). |
PLP-TC-24 | Verify PLP page performance under heavy load. | 1. Use a performance testing tool (e.g., Lighthouse, WebPageTest).
2. Analyze a PLP with a large number of products and assets. |
The page should load within an acceptable time frame (e.g., under 3 seconds). Core Web Vitals (LCP, INP, CLS) should meet good thresholds. The page should remain usable during loading. |
The Product Detail Page (PDP) is where purchase decisions happen. Even small issues with details, images, or checkout can hurt conversions. These 20 test cases help ensure a reliable and user-friendly PDP:
Test Case ID | Test Scenario | Steps to Reproduce | Expected Result |
PDP-UI-001 | Verify correct product image is displayed. | 1. Navigate to the Product Detail Page (PDP) for a specific product.
2. Observe the main product image. |
The primary image displayed matches the selected product exactly. |
PDP-UI-002 | Verify image zoom/slider functionality. | 1. On the PDP, hover over the main product image (desktop) or tap it (mobile).
2. If a slider is present, click on the next/previous arrows or dots. |
1. The image zooms in on the area where the cursor is placed.
2. The image gallery cycles to the next/previous image as expected. |
PDP-Content-003 | Verify product name, description, and specifications are correct. | 1. Navigate to a PDP.
2. Read the product name, description, and specifications. |
All text content (name, description, specs) is accurate, free of typos, and matches the product data. |
PDP-Price-004 | Verify correct price and discount are displayed. | 1. Go to a PDP for a product with a known price and discount.
2. Check the price display. |
The current price, original price (if discounted), and discount percentage/amount are displayed correctly. |
PDP-Inventory-005 | Verify correct stock availability is shown. | 1. Go to a PDP for an in-stock product.
2. Go to a PDP for an out-of-stock product. |
1. A message like “In Stock” is displayed.
2. A message like “Out of Stock” is displayed, and the Add to Cart button is disabled. |
PDP-Variant-006 | Verify size/color variants can be selected. | 1. Go to a PDP that has multiple variants (e.g., size, color).
2. Click on the different variant options. |
Each variant option can be selected. The selected option is visually highlighted (e.g., with a border or different color). |
PDP-Variant-007 | Verify correct SKU updates when variant changes. | 1. Go to a PDP with variants.
2. Note the initial SKU. 3. Select a different variant (e.g., a different size). |
The displayed SKU updates to reflect the unique SKU of the newly selected variant. |
PDP-Cart-008 | Verify add-to-cart works properly. | 1. On the PDP, select required variants (if any).
2. Click the “Add to Cart” button. |
1. The product is added to the cart.
2. A confirmation message (e.g., “Item added to cart”) is displayed. 3. The cart icon counter increments by one. |
PDP-Cart-009 | Verify add-to-cart CTA redirects to my cart. | 1. After adding an item to the cart (from PDP-008), look for and click a “View Cart” or “Proceed to Checkout” button in the confirmation message/mini-cart. | The user is successfully redirected to the shopping cart page. |
PDP-Wishlist-010 | Verify wishlist functionality from PDP. | 1. Navigate to a PDP while logged in.
2. Click the “Add to Wishlist” heart icon. 3. Navigate to the wishlist page. |
1. The heart icon changes state (e.g., fills in).
2. The product appears in the user’s wishlist. |
PDP-Services-011 | Verify delivery/pincode check works. | 1. On the PDP, locate the delivery information field.
2. Enter a valid pincode and click “Check”. 3. Enter an invalid/unsupported pincode and click “Check”. |
1. A positive message is displayed (e.g., “Delivery by tomorrow”).
2. A negative message is displayed (e.g., “Delivery not available for your area”). |
PDP-Reviews-012 | Verify product reviews are displayed. | 1. Scroll to the reviews section on a PDP for a product that has existing reviews. | The section displays previous customer reviews, including ratings, text, and user names/dates. |
PDP-Reviews-013 | Verify user can submit a review. | 1. While logged in, go to a PDP for a product you have purchased.
2. Find and click “Write a Review”. 3. Fill out the review form and submit. |
1. The review form is displayed.
2. After submission, a success message appears, and the new review is visible in the reviews section. |
PDP-Upsell-014 | Verify recommended products are shown. | 1. Scroll to the bottom of a PDP. | A section titled “You May Also Like” or “Frequently Bought Together” is displayed with relevant product recommendations. |
PDP-Navigation-015 | Verify similar products link works. | 1. Click on a product card within the “Similar Products” section. | The browser navigates to the PDP of the selected similar product. |
PDP-Policies-016 | Verify product policies (return/refund) are displayed. | 1. On the PDP, look for links or text related to shipping, returns, or warranty. | The policy information is present, accurate, and accessible (e.g., via a link or expandable section). |
PDP-Social-017 | Verify sharing options (social media/email) work. | 1. Click the “Share” button on the PDP.
2. Select a social media platform or email option. |
1. A sharing dialog opens.
2. The user is redirected to the selected platform with a pre-populated post/link, or an email client opens with a pre-populated subject/body. |
PDP-Navigation-018 | Verify breadcrumb navigation works from PDP. | 1. On a PDP, locate the breadcrumb trail (e.g., Home > Category > Subcategory > Product).
2. Click on a link in the breadcrumb (e.g., the Category link). |
The user is navigated to the correct category or subcategory page. |
PDP-Responsive-019 | Verify PDP layout on mobile view. | 1. Access the PDP on a mobile device or resize the browser window to a mobile breakpoint. | The page layout is responsive. All elements (images, text, buttons) are correctly visible, accessible, and usable without horizontal scrolling. |
PDP-SEO-020 | Verify PDP loads with correct metadata. | 1. Navigate to a PDP.
2. View the page source or use an SEO tool to check the <title> tag and <meta name=”description”>. 3. Check for structured data (JSON-LD) in the source code. |
1. The page title and meta description are unique to the product and contain relevant keywords.
2. Product schema markup (with name, image, price, etc.) is present and correctly formatted. |
Testing Product Listing Pages (PLP) and Product Detail Pages (PDP) demands more than just functional checks. Engineers need a mix of domain expertise, technical knowledge, and user-centric thinking to ensure these essential pages perform precisely. Here are the key skills required:
1. Domain Expertise: A strong grasp of the e-commerce business model- how product listings, inventory, payments, and search systems integrate, is essential for identifying issues that directly impact sales.
2. User Flow Expertise: Testers must be able to validate complete user journeys, from browsing products on the PLP to viewing the PDP, adding items to the cart, and proceeding to checkout.
3. Data Validation Skills: Precision is essential. Engineers should verify that prices, descriptions, images, reviews, and stock details remain consistent across PLP, PDP, and backend systems. Knowledge of SQL is particularly valuable for checking database records.
4. Search and Filter Testing: Testers must be skilled in making sure results are correct and pertinent across categories and queries because search and filtering have a significant impact on product discovery.
5. Cross-Browser and Cross-Device Testing: With users shopping on desktops, mobiles, and tablets, testers must ensure seamless functionality and UI consistency across different browsers, operating systems, and screen sizes.