Retina trackers used in supermarkets to monitor your shopping choices

Research shows that consumers have the tendency to please their testers each time they are asked for their opinions about a certain product in the market. This poses a challenge to companies since they usually ship large amounts of products without direct contact to its users for feedback. In a bid to solve this, companies like Unilever, Procter & Gamble, and Kimberly-Clark are using three-dimensional computer simulations of product designs and store layouts with eye-tracking technology to monitor shopping decisions.

Researchers over at Kimberly-Clark reportedly used computer screens outfitted with retina-tracking cameras when the company launched a new package for its Viva paper towels. According to Senior Manager Kim Greenwood, the goal was to find out which designs got noticed easily in the first 10 seconds after a consumer looks at the shelf.

On the other hand, Unilever reportedly installed a virtual 3D environment wherein testers wore glasses equipped with sensors. This allowed the company to improve the design of its Axe body wash product. The Wall Street Journal notes that company researchers have watched the eye movements of consumers since the 1900s. Today’s technology, however, allows giant companies to track retinas more accurately.

Gene Ryan Briones
Categories: Shopping