Display Complexity Affects Visual Processing of Horticultural Plant Retail Displays

Abstract Attractive displays can stimulate sales in the retail setting. With most plants still sold physical outlets, influence of display layout on visual behavior and purchasing is interest to academicians practitioners. Using a within-subjects in-lab experiment eye tracking technology, we explored how cognitive load imposed by horticultural affects attention choice. Display layouts were varied for six choice tasks which participants indicated their preferred alternative likelihood-to-purchase that alternative. Our study suggests as number plant genera increases, perceived complexity ignore larger percentage products while spending lower gaze sequence fixated product. Implications retailers include increasing horizontal merchandising, reducing vertical diversifying product mix display. Index words: load, tracking, marketing, displays, complexity. Species used this study: Buddleia davidii Franch. ‘Little Nugget', Campanula portenschlagiana Resholt (Roem. & Schult.), Coreopsis grandiflora L. ‘Sunburst', Echinacea purpurea Moench ‘Delicious Candy', Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight', Lupinus spp. ‘Tutti Fruitti', Sempervivum cv. L, Spirea japonica ‘Double Play Red'.