Distinguish the Focal Item in Bundle Images

Bundled items are valued differently.

Push attention toward whichever item is strongest.

For example, customers prefer focal items on the left because they view this location first (Mittelman & Andrade, 2017).

Why It Works

• Reading Directionality. Customers imagine themselves consuming each item. If they read from left to right, they start imagining the leftmost item. Hmm, not appealing? They feel lackluster emotions, discouraging them from evaluating the subsequent items.

Stronger For

• 2 Items. I suspect the position effect is weaker with 3+ items because of the central fixation bias (i.e., people would view the middle option first).
• Variety Bundles. Like size, flavor, color, etc. Customers fixate on the first item they see because they're not looking for a particular item.

• Mittelman, M., & Andrade, E. B. (2017). Product order affects consumer preferences for variety bundles. European Journal of Marketing, 51(5/6), 869-884.