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Visual attention, buying impulsiveness, and consumer behavior

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Abstract

Buying impulsiveness is frequently triggered by point-of-sale information. In order to impact consumer behavior, this information must be visually noticed. In this study, researchers propose that consumers’ level of buying impulsiveness impacts their visual attention to point-of-sale information (i.e., signs, displays). Specifically, individuals scoring high on the buying impulsiveness scale (BIS) fixate less on point-of-sale information. This was tested in two experiments where participants’ task was to rate their purchase likelihood for ornamental plants. Both experiments demonstrate that consumers with high BIS fixate less on in-store signs but more on displays than low BIS consumers. High BIS participants’ visual attention to informational signs positively impacts their purchasing behavior while their visual attention to the displays does not. Theoretical contributions to consumer behavior literature and implications for retail marketing efforts are discussed.

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Notes

  1. All experimental procedures and processes were approved by the research institution’s IRB.

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Funding

This research was supported by the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program of the Florida Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services (Contract Number 020707) and Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program (Contract Number 02085) of the Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Food and Resource Economics Department and Mid-Florida Research and Education Center, University of Florida, 2725 S. Binion Road, Apopka, FL, 32703, USA

    Hayk Khachatryan

  2. Mid-Florida Research and Education Center, University of Florida, 2725 S. Binion Road, Apopka, FL, 32703, USA

    Alicia Rihn

  3. Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, 1066 Bogue St, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Bridget Behe

  4. Department of Horticultural Sciences, Texas A&M University, 2133 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA

    Charles Hall

  5. Agricultural and Applied Economics, University of Georgia, 0314a Conner Hall, 147 Cedar St, Athens, GA, 30602, USA

    Ben Campbell

  6. Department of Horticulture, Oregon State University, 300 Kerr Administration, 1500 SW Jefferson Ave, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA

    Jennifer Dennis

  7. Departments of Applied Economics and Horticultural Science, University of Minnesota, 458 Alderman Hall, 1970 Folwell Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA

    Chengyan Yue

Authors
  1. Hayk Khachatryan
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  2. Alicia Rihn
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  3. Bridget Behe
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  4. Charles Hall
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  5. Ben Campbell
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  6. Jennifer Dennis
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  7. Chengyan Yue
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Correspondence to Hayk Khachatryan.

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Khachatryan, H., Rihn, A., Behe, B. et al. Visual attention, buying impulsiveness, and consumer behavior. Mark Lett 29, 23–35 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11002-018-9446-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11002-018-9446-9

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