More Than Aesthetic: Visual Boundaries and Perceived Variety |
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| Institution: | 1. David Nazarian College of Business and Economics, California State University, Northridge, United States;2. School of Business, University of Connecticut, Storrs, United States;1. Oregon State University College of Business, 2751 SW Jefferson Way, Austin Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331, United States;2. Rutgers University-Camden School of Business, 401 Penn Street, Camden, NJ 08102, United States;1. Department of Marketing, College of Business, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong;2. College of Management, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China;1. Division of Marketing and Supply Chain Management Department, Price College of Business, The University of Oklahoma, 307 W Brooks St., Norman, OK 73019, United States;2. Department of Marketing, Eli Broad College of Business, Michigan State University, 632 Bogue St., East Lansing, MI 48825, United States;3. California State University, Stanislaus, One University Circle, Turlock, CA 95382, United States;4. Department of Marketing, LeBow College of Business, Drexel University, 3220 Market St., Philadelphia 19104, United States;1. Department of Retailing and Customer Management, Albertus-Magnus-Platz 1, 50923 Cologne, Germany;2. ESB Business School, Reutlingen University, Alteburgstr. 150, 72762 Reutlingen, Germany |
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| Abstract: | Many online retailers use seemingly innocuous visual boundaries when presenting choice sets to consumers. In contrast to previously studied aspects of information presentation, visual boundaries do not alter underlying information structure. The authors argue that, beyond their aesthetic role, visual boundaries can systematically increase or decrease perceived choice variety but the impact of visual boundaries on variety perceptions depends on consumer cognitive load. Study 1 finds that, by-attribute (vs. alternative) boundaries increase (decrease) perceived variety under high but not low cognitive load. Study 2 further demonstrates that retailer intent moderates the interaction between visual boundaries and cognitive load such that, when cognitive load is high, effects of visual boundaries on perceived variety are strengthened when consumers believe that retailers use boundaries to aid consumer navigation but reversed when they believe retailers use boundaries to persuade consumers to make purchases. Finally, Study 3 rules out attribute order and number of attribute levels as alternative accounts for the effect and enhances generalizability through a different manipulation of cognitive load. This work advances understanding of how simple environmental cues affect consumer behavior, with implications for retail strategy. |
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| Keywords: | Visual boundaries Cognitive load Perceived variety Assistive intent Persuasive intent |
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