Experimental researching customers’ decision behaviour based on preference in an eye-tracking test

Abstract

STUDY AIMS
The operating mechanism of consumers’ preferences particularly interesting considering instore activities. Different people prefer different kind of brands, shapes, packaging, ingredients or flavours. Purchasing patterns can be derived from consumer routines but point of sale stimuli can change consumer mind in shop. The eye-tracking monitoring has a significant role in these researches. In this research we tried to explore if there are significant differences in shopping behaviour on individual and product category regarding the observation/decision period.

METHODOLOGY
The test was implemented in a middle-size sales area (450 m2) of a retail grocery store from previous recruitment student sample. The participants had to choose one product of four product categories during a simulated purchase. The measurement of prepurchase decision intervals was executed using an eye tracking camera.

RESULTS
The results show that the average shopping time has a roughly even distribution in the entire sample. In some cases, there are differences in the averages values of absolute time data. The conclusion can be drawn that the choice depends more on the person than the product.

PRACTICAL AND ECONOMICALLY APPLICATION
The results can help refine models of consumer behavior. On business side it can provide helpful information for trade marketing and category management about instore positioning and promoting.