Users’ Reception of Product Recommendations : Analyses Based on Eye Tracking Data

Based on eye tracking technology, we study consumers’ overall attention to recommendations appearing at different time settings (i.e., early, mid, and late) and their attention to different information contained in each recommendation, such as recommendation signs, product descriptions, and reviews. By investigating consumers’ eye movement patterns and attention distributions on recommendations, we open the “black box” of why consumers’ reception to recommendations appearing at different time settings varies. The product preference construction literature and mindset theory help to explain why the early recommendations receive the most attention. The need for justification helps to explain why the late recommendations should receive more attention than the mid recommendations. Besides, the fact that not all information appearing in recommendations will receive every customer’s attention inspires a more efficient recommendation page design. By exploring the patterns of consumers’ attention to recommendations, we contribute to the accumulation of recommendation literature and provide guidance for the practice.