Visual attention in retail environments: Design analysis using HMD based VR system integrated eye-tracking

The goal of this study is to understand the spatial experience of users in retail environments in an immersive virtual reality setting. This study measures the visual attention and visual merchandising cognition of users via a quantitative method. The study was conducted to assess users' visual perception arising from the visual merchandising in-store environment during virtual reality experiences. The experiment was conducted using eye-tracking methodology in a virtual reality environment. After the experiment, participants responded to questionnaire surveys to assess visual merchandising cognition in retail environments. The experiment stimuli were provided in the virtual simulation of a retail store. During the experiment, each participant wearing a head-mounted display device was asked to experience the virtual retail space. The result shows the quantitative analysis of user behavior in the retail space and which design elements attract their attention. Unlike the precedent eye-tracking studies, this research analyzes visual attention during the spatial experience of retailing in its use of virtual reality technology. The approach and findings of this research provide useful information and practical guidelines to retailers and designers who are interested in improving the retail environment in consideration of customer visual attention and spatial elements.