The Effect of Vertical Orientation of Sportswear Images on Attracting Customers' Visual Attention

Purpose: Today, consumer behavior has changed from traditional methods to online methods. However, the factors that may attract consumer visual attention online have yet to be studied. Therefore, using an eye-tracking approach, the current research investigated the effect of the vertical orientation of sportswear images on attracting customers' visual attention.Methodology: This research was designed as a semi-experimental study. Two critical factors, fixation count (FC) and total fixation duration (TFD), extracted the vision data of 32 participants purchasing Majid brand sportswear. Pupil capture and pupil player software were utilized to record and analyze research data. The extracted data were analyzed in the next step through repeated measure ANOVA.Findings: The results showed that the vertical orientation of sportswear images affects customers' visual attention. In most cases, images without human models and in higher positions attract more visual attention than those in lower positions. The results have practical implications for website designers, online sellers, and sports marketers regarding the appropriate placement of products in website design.Originality: This research investigates the effect of the vertical orientation of sportswear images on attracting the visual attention of customers in Iran using eye-tracking technology for the first time. This article can encourage sportswear businesses to evaluate the visual stimuli of their website design using eye-tracking studies. By catching customers' attention, they can develop and optimize their website design.