(Press-News.org) Contact information: Mary-Ann Twist
JCR@bus.wisc.edu
608-255-5582
University of Chicago Press Journals
Holiday shopping online: Don't overwhelm consumers with too many images
If presented with looking at an image or reading a paragraph describing the same product, consumers often prefer the visual option. However, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research, visual presentation can lead to information overload and result in less systematic consideration especially when making a purchasing decision.
"Consumers prefer product information that is presented visually in pictures rather than verbally in words. Visual presentation feels easier and faster to process, and with visual depiction consumers perceive more variety in their selection," write authors Claudia Townsend (University of Miami) and Barbara E. Kahn (Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania).
The authors studied how consumers process visual information in both small and large groups of images. Their experiments used eye-tracking software to identify whether the participants processed the image groupings in a more random pattern or in a more systematic, left to right, approach similar to reading.
The results demonstrated that while people claim to prefer visual depictions, there are choice situations in which they should take more time to process the information more deeply. The authors also determined that small image sets are key to reducing visual overload, the less systematic processing of information resulting in a negative influence on perceptual and behavioral consequences.
An example of visual overload is in mobile apps, which heavily favor graphics in the user interface. The use of too much imagery can unintentionally lead consumers to bypass the point of purchase.
"While visual images are fun, there may be a tendency to gloss over them rather than make a purchase," the authors conclude. "At the point of actual consideration for purchase, a text-based interface should cause consumers to slow down, review each option more carefully, and be less likely to opt out of the choice."
INFORMATION:Claudia Townsend and Barbara E. Kahn. "The 'Visual Preference Heuristic': The Influence of Visual versus Verbal Depiction on Assortment Processing, Perceived Variety, and Choice Overload." Journal of Consumer Research: February 2014. For more information, contact Claudia Townsend (ctownsend000@gmail.com) or visit http://ejcr.org/.
END
Staphylococcus aureus bacteria turns immune system against itself
Around 20 percent of all humans are persistently colonized with Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, a leading cause of skin infections and one of the major sources of hospital-acquired ...
See a Honda, buy a Mountain Dew? What happens when consumers fast-forward through commercials?
Consumers are bombarded with advertising throughout the course of any given day, often to the point where they rarely devote any conscious attention to processing ...
DIY for the holidays: Why do consumers enjoy gifts that require work?
From gourmet cooking to assembling a flower bouquet, consumers thrive in a creative environment. A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research suggests a greater sense of appreciation ...
Slackers unite: How fundraisers convert social supporters into socially active citizens
Although somewhat counterintuitive, it turns out that those who support a cause anonymously tend to be more meaningfully supportive of the cause than those who offer ...
The semantics behind the sale price: When does the 'original' price matter?
Consumers love a sale. In fact, when asked what makes a sale appealing, most simply say, "The price was good." But this answer fails to acknowledge that subjective factors also ...
Researchers use CT and 3-D printers to recreate dinosaur fossils
OAK BROOK, Ill. – Data from computed tomography (CT) scans can be used with three-dimensional (3-D) printers to make accurate copies of fossilized bones, according to new research published ...
Almost two-thirds of women who attempt natural delivery after a c-section are successful
Almost two-thirds of women who attempt a natural delivery after having a caesarean section for their first birth are successful, according to a new study published today (20 November) in BJOG: An International ...
Job market mixed for college grads
Bachelor's degrees golden; MBAs, not so much
EAST LANSING, Mich. — A steadily improving job market will greet most college graduates this year, although those with a newly minted MBA may find tough sledding, according to Michigan State ...
For anxious children and teens, context counts, UCLA researchers say
Specific area of the brain linked to anxiety disorders in youth
Anxiety disorders are common in children and adolescents, affecting up to 25 percent of the youth population. ...
Breakthrough in adult heart repair
Researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine and the Texas Heart Institute have discovered a new way to dramatically improve heart repair. The future goal is to use this knowledge to combat human cardiovascular ...
