Exploring the Relationships Between Perception of Product Quality, Product Ratings, and Consumers' Personality Traits: An Eye-Tracking Study

The present study investigates how product ratings (positive, negative, or ambiguous) and consumers' personality traits affect their attention behaviors and perception of product quality in online shopping environments. Findings from an eye-tracking experiment (N = 62) with the use of a simulated e-retailer product page (similar to Amazon.com) show the consumers' attention distribution processes in response to different marketing cues (product image, technical description, rating, price, delivery time) and their impact on product quality evaluation. Extraversion was deemed the sole personality trait affecting both consumers' attention behaviors and the relationship between a product's rating and quality evaluation. This study expands the knowledge base of the cue utilization theory and online consumer behavior literature, providing practical implications for e-retailers and e-sellers.