Lehrstuhl für Marketing

Research in the area of recommender systems in retailing is still in its infancy. In an interdisciplinary research project with Jella Pfeiffer, Thies Pfeiffer and Christian Peukert, we work on developing a recommender system based on attentional information, i.e., mobile eye-tracking information. Results of first empirical studies were recently published in the Journal of Management Information Systems, Information Systems Research, and Journal of Business Research. The development of such a recommender system is a long-term project that requires overcoming technical obstacles and working on many open questions regarding the interpretation of mobile eye-tracking data. Our research group is among the first investigating attentional processes in virtual retail environments. Our approach allows us to automatically analyze the respective data, i.e., allocate fixations to the respective objects in virtual reality. In virtual reality, we can analyze attentional processes “on the fly” and change the environment in real time based on the respondent’s gaze behavior.

Mobile eye tracking has been brought up as a promising research tool for analyzing the effectiveness of promotional design elements. It can be used as a new instrument for collecting data on shopper navigational behavior, aisle placements, and shelf position and therefore is an opportunity to provide new insights into naturalistic shopping behavior. It seems that with the advent of highly portable lightweight mobile eye-tracking equipment, the door is now open for analyzing attentional processes in real-world retail settings. We think that, with the advent of Google glasses or similar technology, our research will be very important for retailers, marketing researchers, and the entire society, as we cannot only understand attentional processes better but also interact with consumers based on attentional information.

Related research articles:

• Pfeiffer, J., T. Pfeiffer, M. Meißner, E. Weiß (2020): “Eye-Tracking-Based Classification of Information Search Behavior Using Machine Learning: Evidence from Experiments in Physical Shops and Virtual Reality Shopping Environments,” Information Systems Research, forthcoming.

• Peukert, C., J. Pfeiffer, M. Meißner, T. Pfeiffer, C. Weinhardt (2019): “Shopping in Virtual Reality Stores: The Influence of Immersion on System Adoption,” Journal of Management Information Systems, 36 (3), 1-34. https://doi.org/10.1080/07421222.2019.1628889
  

Research in this area focusses on better understanding information search processes and decision making. We are particularly interested in understanding the extensive information search processes for digital innovations. We frequently use eye tracking to measure visual attention of decision makers. PhD courses on how to use eye tracking are offered on a regular basis.

Related research articles:

• Meißner, M., A. Musalem, J. Huber (2016): “Eye-Tracking Reveals a Process of Conjoint Choice that is Quick, Efficient and Largely Free from Contextual Biases,” in: Journal of Marketing Research, 53 (1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1509%2Fjmr.13.0467

• Meißner, M., J. Oll (2019): “The Promise of Eye-Tracking Methodology in Organizational Research: Best Practice Recommendations and Future Avenues,” in: Organizational Research Methods, 22 (2), 590-617. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1094428117744882
  

Social media have become an integral part of digital marketing strategies. Companies must rethink their communication strategies and learn how to use social media in a targeted manner. A particular challenge is also the fact that the relevance of social media is constantly changing. The marketing discipline is faced with the task of developing and empirically testing theories that justify the effective use of social media. Our research focuses on influencer marketing and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Presentations at conferences:

• Klostermann, J., D. Böger, M. Meißner, R. Decker (2019). The Effects of Influencers Sponsored Post Frequency on Audience Engagement, 41st Annual ISMS Marketing Science Conference, Rome.