2019 ASHS Annual Conference

Retail and garden center signage is intended to deliver information about products and messaging from the company to facilitate purchases. Yet, how much information is helpful for consumers versus overwhelming? Our objectives were to understand what level of sign complexity encourages consumers to buy products from the display. We hypothesized that consumers would prefer moderately complex signs over highly complex and low-complexity signs because highly complex signs are more challenging to cognitively process and low-complexity signs may be too simple and lack sufficient information. Three individuals rated 45 signs as low, moderate, or highly complex (Wedel and Pieters (2008) and selected 15 (5 from each category) after examining the mean ratings. Images were randomized and incorporated into the Tobii X1 Light Eye Tracker software where 85 subjects were asked to rate the attractiveness (0-7 scale) and likeliness to buy (0-10 scale). After the eye-tacking portion of the study, subjects completed a sociodemographic survey which also included scales measuring Landscape Active Use and Aesthetics, Plant Involvement and Expertise, and Attractiveness Scales. Results showedcomplexity was a predictor of how attractive the participants rated the signs. Highly complex signs were most preferred, followed by moderately complex, and low-complexity signs as least preferred. Sign complexity and Real Knowledge of plants were the only predictors of Likelihood to Buy. Results may be due to the need for more information about the plants that cannot be gleaned simply by looking at the plants. Information-rich messaging in high complexity signs may give consumers sufficient information to make a purchase, despite the higher cognitive processing needed.