Abstract
The nature of the choice process for commonly purchased nondurables
was examined by tracking eye fixations in a laboratory simulation
of supermarket shelving. The observed process contains three stages
that were interpreted as (1) orientation, (2) evaluation, and (3)
verification. Orientation consisted of an overview of the product
display, although some initial screening out of alternatives also
occurred. The evaluation stage, the longest by far, was dominated
by direct comparisons between two or three alternative products.
The last stage, devoted to verification of the tentatively chosen
brand-size, mainly examined alternatives with few or no previous
fixations. Greater familiarity with a product category led to a choice
process that was shorter and that focused on fewer alternatives,
but these effects were confined to the evaluation stage. The findings
are fully compatible with the general view that the choice process
is constructed to adapt to the immediate purchase environment.
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