{"id":941,"date":"2020-12-30T11:35:45","date_gmt":"2020-12-30T16:35:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/uk\/blog\/test-order\/"},"modified":"2025-09-26T16:57:29","modified_gmt":"2025-09-26T16:57:29","slug":"test-order","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/uk\/blog\/test-order\/","title":{"rendered":"Test Order: How to Create One (and Why It is Important for Your Customer Experience)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Table of Contents<\/p>

** Minutes<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n

Table of contents:<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a test order?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is running a test order important?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to run a test order on your shop<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Testing an order with ShipBob<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Combine ShipBob with your ecommerce platform for better shipping<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get started with ShipBob<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Test order FAQs<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Would you tour a home before purchasing it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Would you taste a dish you\u2019ve cooked before serving it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Would you proofread your resume before submitting it to an interesting job opening?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The answer to these questions is \u2018yes\u2019 if you\u2019re like most people who strive for quality.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s the same reason that most ecommerce businesses test their products and order from their online store before opening up sales to customers.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To prepare for a successful online store launch, it is recommended you run a test order before your website goes live (or test the full order and shipping experience when you change fulfilment methods). <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A test order allows you to go through the checkout process as your customer would (even using different addresses and choosing different products or shipping options), so you know what\u2019s working and what\u2019s not. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By doing a test order, you can fix hiccups ahead of time and prevent your customers from encountering any issues with ordering that would cause a loss in sales or discourage customers from buying from you again.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, you\u2019ll learn the importance of running a test order, how it works, and how to run a test order on different ecommerce platforms, such as Shopify, BigCommerce, and Squarespace. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Table of contents:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
  1. What is a test order?<\/a><\/li>
  2. Why is running a test order important?<\/a><\/li>
  3. How to run a test order on your shop<\/a><\/li>
  4. Testing an order with ShipBob<\/a><\/li>
  5. Combine ShipBob with your ecommerce platform for better shipping<\/a><\/li>
  6. Get started with ShipBob<\/a><\/li>
  7. Test order FAQs<\/a>
    <\/a><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n


    <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What is a test order?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    A test order is a practice transaction that consists of placing an order on an online store as a customer would to ensure that your order processing system, email notifications, and any other backend technology is working properly. <\/span>
    <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Why is running a test order important?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    There is a lot that goes into the order checkout process. If a shopper experiences a long and confusing checkout experience, or runs across an issue when ordering, it can lead to high cart abandonment rates<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Along with unexpected shipping costs, many of the reasons customers abandon their carts are due to various issues in the checkout process (see the chart below for a breakdown). Without actually testing the entire process as if you\u2019re the customer, it\u2019s difficult to know if everything is working as it should. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Source: Barilliance.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Here are just a few of the reasons you should always conduct a test order before launching an online store<\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Gain insight into the customer experience<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Unless you experience the checkout process as if you are the customer, you might miss a few critical things that could defer a shopper from finalizing an order. Use the test order process to experience the customer\u2019s purchasing journey and make any adjustments necessary to ensure that customers have a positive buying experience. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You can also <\/span>ask family members or friends unfamiliar with the website to place a test order for you and record or take note of how intuitive the process is for them. This will give you insight into any questions that arise or anything else that could steer a customer away from completing a purchase that you might have overlooked.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For instance, many shoppers abandon their cart because they are forced to create a new account at checkout. To avoid this, make sure you add a guest option so customers can make a purchase without going through the hassle of creating an account (especially for their first purchase). They can always create an account later to speed up the process for their next purchase. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Bonus tip: Go through the checkout experience on your competitors\u2019 websites to see if they are doing anything different or better than you are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    2. Troubleshoot the checkout process<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Your store\u2019s checkout experience is bound to have a few bugs at first, but your customers should never be the ones to find them. Running a test order is a great way to ensure that the checkout process is running smoothly, that your payment processing<\/a> software is working properly, and the right email notifications are being sent to the customer\u2019s email at the right time. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    3. Check email notifications<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    It\u2019s important that your customers receive the right email notifications after they place an order. Emails need to arrive at the right time, include all the information customers need, and provide clear instruction on what to expect next. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    As soon as you place a test<\/a> order, make sure that the email address that you entered during the checkout test receives a confirmation email immediately, as well as any subsequent follow-up email notifications (including one that includes <\/span>order tracking<\/span><\/a> once the order has shipped), that will keep customers in the loop on the status of their order. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    4. Test your backend systems<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Once a customer places an order, it\u2019s time to process the order, fulfil it, and ship it. Depending on the type of order management system<\/a> you have in place, a test order can confirm that orders are being processed correctly, and you\u2019re receiving the right information you need to accurately and quickly fulfil a customer order. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you partner with a third-party logistics<\/a> (3PL) provider, you can run a test order with them to make sure that your ecommerce platform (and potentially other software) is synced correctly to your 3PL\u2019s technology, and that orders are being automatically sent to your 3PL\u2019s fulfilment centre where inventory is stored<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>
    <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How to run a test order on your shop<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Most major ecommerce website platforms provide two ways to run a test order:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n