My Exploratory Testing Experience on Cars.ng

Introduction

As a product tester, that gone through training at Softlyft Technologies https://softlyft.com/ and as a task given to me by hng.com I recently explored Cars.ng, an online car marketplace, to assess its user experience, functionality, and overall reliability. My goal was to identify bugs, usability issues, and inconsistencies while ensuring that the platform met industry standards. This exploratory testing involved navigating core user flows, documenting issues, and suggesting improvements to enhance the platform.

In this blog, I will walk you through my testing approach, key findings, and recommendations, backed by screenshots highlighting the issues I encountered.

Testing Methodology

To conduct a thorough exploratory test, my methodology include the following steps:

• Test Environment: Windows (Chrome & Firefox — Latest Versions)
• Devices: Desktop and Mobile
• Testing Approach: Exploratory testing on core user flows
• Bug Documentation: Screenshots of identified issues
• Severity Levels: Categorized bugs as Critical, Major, or Minor
• Recommendations: Suggested improvements for better usability

Key Findings: Bugs & Issues Identified

1. Featured Cars Section — Misalignment Issue

Bug: Some part of the featured car listings does not have images. Steps to Reproduce: — Navigate to Cars.ng homepage — Scroll to the “Featured Cars” section

• Observe that some cars images are not there Expected Result: Listings should should have image(s) displayed Actual Result: Some car images are not displayed.

🖼️ Screenshot:

2. Responsive Design — Mobile View Issues

Bug: On mobile, some images on the listing is not fully visible. Steps to Reproduce:

• Open Cars.ng on a mobile browser
• Check the header navigation and buttons
• Observe Images display half Expected Result: The site should be fully responsive on mobile screens. Actual Result: Some some images do not fit properly on smaller screens.

🖼️ Screenshot:

3. Broken Links — Contact Seller Button Not Working

Bug: The “Contact Seller” button does not redirect users to the chat or contact page. Steps to Reproduce:

• Click on any car listing
• Tap on “Contact Seller”
• Observe that the button does not respond Expected Result: Clicking the button should open a contact form or chat window. Actual Result: The button does nothing when clicked.

🖼️ Screenshot:

4. SEO Elements — Missing Meta Tags

Bug: The platform lacks SEO-friendly meta descriptions and alt text for images. Steps to Reproduce:

• Inspect page source (Right-click > View Page Source)
• Search for meta tags like “description” and “keywords”
• Observe that important SEO elements are missing Expected Result: The platform should have well-optimized meta tags. Actual Result: Some meta tags are absent, affecting search engine rankings.

🖼️ Screenshot:

5. Duplicate Email Registration — No Error Message

Bug: The system allows duplicate email registration, leading to potential data conflicts. Steps to Reproduce:

• Try registering with an email that’s already in use
• Observe that the system creates another account with the same email Expected Result: The system should prevent duplicate emails and show an error message. Actual Result: It registers multiple accounts with the same email.

🖼️ Screenshot:

Suggested Improvements

To enhance Cars.ng usability and performance, I recommend the following:

1. Improve Mobile Responsiveness — Ensure proper scaling of buttons and elements on smaller screens.
2. Fix Broken Links — All call-to-action buttons (e.g., Contact Seller, Search, Login) should work.
3. Enhance SEO Optimization — Add meta descriptions, keywords, and alt text to improve search rankings.
4. Fix UI Alignment Issues — Ensure consistent layout for featured cars and listings.
5. Implement Stronger Validation — Prevent duplicate email registrations to avoid conflicts.

Conclusion

My exploratory testing on Cars.ng revealed several key issues, ranging from UI misalignment to functional bugs. While the platform offers a promising car marketplace experience, fixing these issues will improve usability, performance, and trustworthiness.

By resolving these bugs and implementing suggested improvements, Cars.ng can enhance user satisfaction and maintain credibility in the online automotive market.

Bug Report Sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1H2yaszPvvu3tv98muM6JsObRr3bBA6ntGsS-GvaN_Q4/edit?gid=628913337#gid=628913337 Visit Cars.ng: Cars.ng

I look forward to seeing these improvements in future updates!