Visual Influences on Quantity Perception on Online Grocery Retailing
(A2024-119892)

AUTHORS

Wanyi Zheng, Hong Kong Baptist University; He (Michael) Jia, The University of Hong Kong; Echo Wan, The University of Hong Kong

ABSTRACT

Consumers often choose among smaller-quantity packs and larger-quantity packs, for which the presentation formats could vary across online retailing platforms. The current research identifies a solution based on visual aids—supplementing the numerical information with a corresponding number of visual icons—to promote product packs containing more individual units. Four preregistered, incentive-compatible studies demonstrate that visual aids of quantity presentation shifts consumers’ preferences from smaller-quantity packs toward larger-quantity packs. This effect is robust across product categories and visual icons and occurs because visual aids of quantity presentation increase the perceived quantitative difference between two packs. This research extends the literature by demonstrating that visual aids can even influence perceptions of easy-to-assess quantities and generates novel managerial insights into the optimization of quantity presentation practice in online grocery shopping.