Designing product listing pages—Effects on sales and users’ cognitive workload

• Published in: International journal of human-computer studies Vol. 68; no. 7; pp. 423 - 431
• Main Authors: Schmutz, P., Roth, S.P., Seckler, M., Opwis, K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-07-2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Brand names; Category pages; Cognitive load; Computer science; control theory; systems; Computer systems and distributed systems. User interface; Decisions; E-commerce; Economics; Exact sciences and technology; Eye-tracking; Internet; Lists; Mechanical engineering. Machine design; On-line systems; Online shopping; Product listing pages; Recall; Software; Workload; E-commerce; Cognitive load; Category pages; Product listing pages; Eye-tracking; Online shopping; Pursuit eye movement; Economic sciences; Workload; Engineering design; Cognitive theory; Sales; Consumer; User interface; Electronic trade; Web site
• ISSN: 1071-5819; 1095-9300
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhcs.2010.02.001

Product listing pages, where information on multiple products are displayed, represent a vital point of an E-commerce website on which consumer decisions are made. Prior research has shown that the design of product listing pages has an impact on users’ performance and their recall of brand names. The aim of this study was to examine effects of presentation on cognitive load and consumer decisions. An online study was conducted comparing presentation type (matrix versus list presentation). List presentation was associated with lower cognitive load and more economic product selections. Eye-tracking data from an additional laboratory experiment suggest that list presentation triggers comparison processes which could account for the differences found.